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Brand new to router and table routing

2413 Views 11 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  Knot working, 
B
So this is my first post so please bear with me. I just setup a new Kreg router table with a Jessem Mast-R-Lift II and Dewalt 618 2 1/4 HP router. The initial project I wanted to get done learning to use this new table was to simply make some speaker adapters for my car using some 3/8" King Starboard. I have a 1/4" spiral flush trim bit that I am using in the table and I am making sure to feed the material from right to left into the table rotating counter clockwise, the problem im getting is the bit will grab the material and leave a ton of chatter marks when doing this, I have the speed set at 20k rpm, im not sure if its a problem of not maintaining proper pressure into the material or the fact of trying to cut 3/8" with a 1/4" bit or if the material im trying to use just isnt router friendly. I am looking to make these out of plastic because water in doors will destroy MDF over time. Any pointers or help would be GREATLY appreciated.
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sunnybob
If youre cutting inside a circle, youre going the wrong way.
Stick should be here any second with the correct drawings
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B
so say something as simple as a circle.... the inside would be rotating the object clockwise (left to right) and the outside would be counter clockwise (right to left)?
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sunnybob
I dont have the drawings, but the easiest way to get it right is to work out which way the cutter is turning. you have to feed the wood into the turning cutter, if the wood is feeding into the rear of the cutter (trying to catch up) then it wont work.
You have to remember the router is upside down in the table, so the direction of travel is the opposite of a hand held.
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RainMan 2.0
2
Welcome to the forum Joe. Wish I had pics of this project to critique it better . Sounds to me like your removing to much material at once .

I don’t know what this board is your using , but I always used MDF . If I was concerned about moisture,I would coat the MDF with fiberglass resin . I’m sure there’s many other options out there too.
I made these pods with my router. There made from MDF and bondo, the wrapped with vinyl. Cut a foam speaker backing cup in half and mounted it behind the pod for water protection. Never had an issue

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B
Well I think maybe the direction of cutting could be wrong as what was said, i did try going the other direction before I gave up and it seemed to cut very easily doing that, but i was very unsure as it seemed like i was going to wrong way. Im still having a hard time wrapping my head around this whole inside vs outside going different direction thing. A picture would help im sure.
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Semipro
2
Router direction

See if this helps wrap your head around it,this is with router on top on of the wood, a table it is reversed
You always feed into the bit rotation

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Stick486
18
hello Joe and welcome to the forums...
have some PDF's for you... please read them sooner than later...

.

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Stick486
13
Keep reading...

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Stick486
continued...

..

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woodknots
@brewmastr

Welcome to the forums Joe - if you've got questions about routers, you've come to the right place. Stick's library is worth reading so please do.

If you're having a hard time figuring out which way to run your material, I don't blame you - I almost had to stand on my head to figure out the bit rotation when it's in a table, so I don't worry about the rotation.

Easiest way for me to figure out which way to feed the material is this: no matter if the router is hand held or in a table, the edge I'm routing is always on the LEFT side of the bit and pushing the material (in a table) or the router (hand held) away from me from right to left. If I stick to that concept, then it's the same for an inside edge or an outside edge. As long as the edge is on the left side of the bit and I push from right to left, I'll be going in the correct direction.
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M
Welcome to the forum Joe.
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