Another newbie who needs a bit of router schoolin'

Rebelwork Woodworking said:

Welcome. It's never too late to enjoy a hobby. I spent 37 years as a professional woodworker and have had a hobby shop about the same. Work come home and challenge myself in my personal shop.My smallest project usually require a truck. Lol

Welcome and have some fun..

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sreilly said:

Welcome aboard Peter. As Harry mentioned knowing something about your shop and interest in projects will help answer many questions more specifically. The very 1st thing to do is read and understand the basic safety measures you should know before getting into actually using the router. Direction of cut, speed vs size of cutter/bit, and depth of cut per pass are just a few. I can't put my finger on it just yet but do a search for "Stick" and you'll see in his posts for new members a plethora of material that will reference most of this and more. It may seem boring at 1st but consider the speed that these bits turn and the fact they are sharp enough to cut wood very smoothly and flesh is far easier. Not to scare but rather warn before using without the knowledge.

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DesertRatTom said:

Hi welcome,
A lot of folks come to woodworking later in life. For most of my life, I've done DIY projects, but really started woodworking in the last 16 years or so, after moving out of cities to our present home. That also included my highest earning years, so I was able to equip a full bore shop. For me, the big change came with buying a really good table saw. The router soon followed.

There are lots of videos on Youtube about routing, and some are great and many aren't. Almost all remove the safety features (like bit guards) and some show downright dangerous methods.

I've learned a lot here, but I also looked for used books on routing on Amazon and found Bill Hylton's "Woodworking With The Router." It covers so many topics it's hard to list them all, but after the basics, it also shows methods and the all important jigs that increase the versatility of the router.

I like the videos by Marc Sommerfeld, who had a cabinet shop before he started selling routers and accessories. He keeps to promotion to a bare minimum, but watching his technique and methods is a great way to get started.

I am attaching a pdf of the 18 plus things that accelerated my learning curve. It's about 10 pages, but has pictures. It covers a lot of territory, so don't expect to get all the tools and methods immediately. Thinking about what kinds of things you want to make is a good idea, but hard to come up with all the possibilities all at once. When you go to Lowes or Home Depot, or to the specialty woodworking shops, browse through the magazines and see what other woodworkers are making. Some pretty difficult projects in some, others are great to start with. Making boxes for example, is a fun thing that will teach you wonders about routing and woodworking and the world of finishes.

I also suggest you make your own shop cabinets and tool stands. Great way to learn the basics.

The pdf covers dust collection. Handling that is something to take on early. That sawdust, especially the near invisible fines, once in your lungs, never comes out, and some woods are carcinogenic.

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LatePeter said:

Thank you all for such a warm welcome and good advice.

In reply to what tools I have, it's a mixture of corded as well as battery as I have very limited workspace, so I have to store most of my tools in lockers:
Corded:-
1200W 210mm Compound Mitre Saw (#EMS1221RG) top product
Ryobi 1600W Plunge Router (#RRT1600-S) (I have this mounted under and Ozito Router Table)
Ozito 350W Laminate Trimmer (LTM-3000) - my daughter suggested this one
Ozito 200mm 800W Table Saw (TSB-0808) small but very effective for what I want
Ozito 13mm Hammer Drill (for use in a universal drill press)
ALDI brand Jigsaw

Battery:-
Ryobi Hammer Drill (R18PD7)
Ryobi 185mm Circular Saw
Ryobi Random Orbital Sander
Ryobi Polisher (( know...it has nothing to do with woodwork, but ...)
Bosch 13mm Battery Drill (old as the hills but it goes like a champion)
Ryobi Air Brad Nailer

Hand Tools
Many and varied - most are new, some aren't

I could have gone wild and spent big, but as I'm just starting out, thought it prudent to hold back on the $$

The Ryobi plunge router is giving me grief as the springs are so strong, I find it difficult to push up through the hole on the router table - I'm considering removing the springs to see if that helps.

As I wrote in my profile, I've tried my hand at building garden chairs from plans (mostly found on Youtube), found a few errors, and learnt from them (and, fingers crossed, will continue to learn as I go along).
I'm currently working on another chair which requires lots of smooth edges - enter router stage right, lol.

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harrysin said:

When table mounted, all routers must have the springs removed. Hopefully a moderator will move your profile to where it will remain for members to look at before answering questions. Bunnings must love you!!!!!

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old55 said:

Welcome to the forum Peter.

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