Router Forums banner

forum and router newbie!

2K views 13 replies 13 participants last post by  Bstrom 
#1 ·
Hello forum folks,

My name is Geoff and am a 60 year old homeowner in Amherst NH. While I have dabbled in many aspects of general carpentry in my lifetime, I have always felt that finish work and detail work was not in my bag of tricks and just never dug in to learn this discipline.
I have ordered a Bosch 1617EVSPK and am trying to figure out a Vermont American table gifted to me by a friend.
I will have questions and have a pretty clear understanding of what I am immediately wanted to create in the way of trim pieces.
 
#2 ·
Welcome to the forum, Geoff! Add your first name to your profile to clear the N/a in the side panel. Add your location, as well.

We do like photos so show us your shop, tools, new router when it arrives, projects, etc. whenever you're ready.

David
 
#3 ·
hello and welcome N/A to the forums...
At this here link there's some information that you just might find useful...
enjoy....
 
#8 · (Edited)
Hi Geoff, glad you decided to join the fun. Be sure to read the pdfs Stick linked to so you can get a good start with the router. That material is good as any book on routers. Good choice on the router, the 1617 is hard to beat, and you can use the fixed base as a sort of router mount under a table so you can make fine adjustments from above the table. You make rough height adjustments below the table with the clamping lever, then make the fine adjustment above using a key you can get from Bosch. Table mounted routing is far safer than freehand, so you're off to a good start.

A lot of us have done DIY and carpentry projects before turning to finer woodworking projects. Attached is a pdf about the 18 or so things that helped speed up my learning curve and a few expensive lessons to avoid. It covers the dozen years or so since I started doing serious woodworking, so don't expect to do everything at once. Most of us took years to learn the essentials, and I think most of us have made buying mistakes.

The most important tool of all for me is a decent table saw. The list begins with the Bosch 4100 portable saw https://www.homedepot.com/p/Bosch-1...-Gravity-Rise-Wheeled-Stand-4100-10/305123099. The saw is mounted on a fold-down wheeled base so you can get it out of the way if you have space considerations.

Sawdust is nasty on your lungs, so please make sure you are wearing a dust mask at all times in your shop area. If you want to do something about it immediately, you can use a good sized shop vac and either a very inexpensive separator lid and 5 gallon bucket, or the slightly more effective Dust Deputy (shown in the picture below). This setup, plus what's called a router fence dust port, to which you attach the hose from the separater lid, will really help reduce the stray sawdust. Most tools today have some sort of dust port, it's that important. There's a reason so many carpenters have COPD.

You'll find a lot of us here have the heart of a teacher, and really enjoy helping newbies, so your questions are VERY welcome here.

PIX: One is of the HD Dust Stopper, which is even cheaper, The other is of the Dust Deputy with shop vac. The other uses a 5 gallon bucket and works almost as well. Note that the vac connects to the top, center opening, and the sawdust comes in from the side port, spins around so that the sawdust (screws, chips, nails, etc) falls to the bottom of the bucket. These catch most of the sawdust instead of quickly clogging up the Vac's (costly) filter.

You might be able to find a used large (14 gallon or larger) shop vac in a second hand store or garage sale. There's a lengthly section on sawdust collection in the 18 things pdf.

Last thing, we've all developed good friendships here on the Forum, so I hope you also enjoy the jokes, games and discussions that go on here. Jump right in, we're birds of a feather.
 

Attachments

#11 ·
G'day Geoff, welcome to the forum.
 
#14 ·
As a former NH resident from 1965-1976, it's good to hear from another Cow Hampshire woodworker!

I have the same Bosch router and would encourage you to get Jessem's Rout-R-Lift II ($189) to make table routing a breeze. I struggled with Bosch's cheesy lift setup that flat stunk and am in router heaven with the Jessem unit. You may have to build your own table if the VA one doesn't allow the insert to be added to it, but in the long run it's worth it. Others will have suggestions as well to get you going. Welcome to the fold!
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top