[mwarning]

Howdy folks.

I'm new the forum (first post) and new to wood working in general. One of my first projects is to make some shop furniture so I bought a Makita track saw for ripping sheet goods. I also bought a cheap Makita router RP0900k and the guide rail adapter along with some undersized plywood bits for making some dados.

Well... it's too early and didn't get enough sleep or I'm downright slow, but I can't figure out the workflow for using the router with the Makita track. Perhaps its a case of Analysis Paralysis...

I mounted the router to the guide rail and notice I can move the router left and right on the rail and lock it into place. The question is, should I be setting my rail on my marks (just like I do when using the track saw)? If I do that, I assume I have to nudge the router over on the rail and line up the edge of whatever bit I'm using with the edge of the splinter guard? Seems awkward. Perhaps I'm missing something key? Any advice and or photos would be tremendously helpful.

Looking forward to learning a ton reading this forum. Thanks!

 

[mwarning]

I haven't used the Makita set up, but I assume that it should be similar to the Festool. There is a mark on the side of the router base that represents the center of the collet. Put the rail down on the plywood. Put the router on the guide rail. Loosen the guide rails screws on the router base. Move the router in and out until the mark on the router base aligns with where you want the center of the dado to be. Tighten the guide rail screws on the router base. Set bit depth. Fire up the router. You made need multiple passes.

I would have thought the whole point of the guide rail adapter was so you could put the track right on the mark and go. But it's obviously dependant on the size of the bit so I guess you have to fine tune the rods position each use carefully making sure the bit doesn't cut into the splinter guard or worse, the track.