Newbie looking for basic advice

1701 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by harrysin, Jan 20, 2021

Jab64000

Discussion Starter · Jan 16, 2021

Hi there. I wondered if I could ask some really basic questions about table routing?
I recently purchased a Bosch plunge router and have used it for various small jobs. I purchased a small router table and fitted my router to it ( I had to make up a plate insert to make it fit) it works ok, but there are some tasks that need a free standing router and a table router so I purchased another cheap router to fit into the table permanently. When I looked at fitting it I can see that the plate on the router is removable- should I remove this to fit the router to the table? If I do so I get more movement and it is probably easier to change tools?
also with the new router there is an insert plate to fit where the plastic guards is fitted. Should this be fitted instead of the plastic guard? I am not particularly keen on removing any guards although I do wear safety goggles and removing the guard again makes it easier to change tools Apologies in advance of these seem to be stupid questions, but the manual that came with my router is not very detailed.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Bob Bengal

· #2 · Jan 16, 2021

Hi Jab, more info please, brands and models of your routers, the table etc, and photos of what you have set up so far.

kp91

· #3 · Jan 16, 2021

My baseplate is just held in my table by gravity. I pop the whole plate and router out of the table to change cutters. It's easy, and it's what I have been doing for 30 years.... so why change now.

I am not understanding the 'guard' you are referring to. Is this in the plate, or on the fence?

Reactions: 1

old55

· #4 · Jan 17, 2021

Welcome to the forum @Jab64000

sunnybob

· #5 · Jan 17, 2021

If the router will be permanently in the table, remove the skid plate from the bottom of the base (but keep it and the screws in a bag in case you change your mind or sell it on later).
If the router is in the table the dust extractor adaptor can come off with no safety issues.

Reactions: 2

Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 17, 2021

Bob Bengal said:
Hi Jab, more info please, brands and models of your routers, the table etc, and photos of what you have set up so far.

My router that I am using for freehand stuff is a Bosch 1200pf the table is

kp91 said:
My baseplate is just held in my table by gravity. I pop the whole plate and router out of the table to change cutters. It's easy, and it's what I have been doing for 30 years.... so why change now.

I am not understanding the 'guard' you are referring to. Is this in the plate, or on the fence?

Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jan 17, 2021

Jab64000 said:
My router that I am using for freehand stuff is a Bosch 1200pf the table is

My router fro hand use is a Bosch 1200. The router table I have is a NUtool table which is very similar to Clarke tables. I am fitting a power raft 1050 router to the table and I am not sure if I should remove the skid plate from the router and the plastic guard that is on the router as the table has a plastic guard fitted to it. If I remove the plastic guard there is a plate that fits to the same screws as the guard was fitted to and by doing that it would be easier and I would get more travel on the tool

mgmine

· #8 · Jan 17, 2021

To mount the router you typically remove the base that came with the router. You then mount the router to the table plate using the same location that the original base was mounted to. As far as any guards take them off and use whatever dust collection system that is on your table or fence. Once you get into routing you will find that you will seldom use the router when it is not mounted to a table. Don't fall into the trap of trying to make a jig for everything that you see online. A router's main purpose is to do something with the edge of wood. Plunging is needed to roughout wood for things like hinges or mortices which most people only do on occasion.

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Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 17, 2021

Jab64000 said:
My router fro hand use is a Bosch 1200. The router table I have is a NUtool table which is very similar to Clarke tables. I am fitting a power raft 1050 router to the table and I am not sure if I should remove the skid plate from the router and the plastic guard that is on the router as the table has a plastic guard fitted to it. If I remove the plastic guard there is a plate that fits to the same screws as the guard was fitted to and by doing that it would be easier and I would get more travel on the tool

mgmine said:
To mount the router you typically remove the base that came with the router. You then mount the router to the table plate using the same location that the original base was mounted to. As far as any guards take them off and use whatever dust collection system that is on your table or fence. Once you get into routing you will find that you will seldom use the router when it is not mounted to a table. Don't fall into the trap of trying to make a jig for everything that you see online. A router's main purpose is to do something with the edge of wood. Plunging is needed to roughout wood for things like hinges or mortices which most people only do on occasion.

thanks for that! Basically what I was thinking, the table is good for all the edge work and it can be set do you can do it in 2 or 3 cuts. As soon as I bought my first router I realised that it really needed the table to make it easier to use for rounding off etc

Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 17, 2021

[/QUOTE]the router I am putting in the table clamps up from underneath. It would be much easier to Pope the whole plate out if it was secured from the top but that must be a different design? To change bits I release the springs on the router and from underneath I lock the shaft and I screw the collet to change the bit. The router comes with a plastic guard, but as the table fence also has a plastic guard it is easier to remove the one on the router and keep the spring loaded one on the table. It makes it easier to change bits with that out the way, but I didn’t t want to simply remove guards without checking if this is accepted practice?
thanks again for your help.

roxanne562001

· #11 · Jan 17, 2021

Welcome to the forum

Reactions: 1

Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 17, 2021

roxanne562001 said:
Welcome to the forum

Thank you !

marecat3

· #13 · Jan 18, 2021

Welcome to the forum

Reactions: 1

kp91

· #14 · Jan 19, 2021

the router I am putting in the table clamps up from underneath. It would be much easier to Pope the whole plate out if it was secured from the top but that must be a different design? To change bits I release the springs on the router and from underneath I lock the shaft and I screw the collet to change the bit. The router comes with a plastic guard, but as the table fence also has a plastic guard it is easier to remove the one on the router and keep the spring loaded one on the table. It makes it easier to change bits with that out the way, but I didn’t t want to simply remove guards without checking if this is accepted practice?
thanks again for your help.
[/QUOTE]
My router just hangs on the plate and sits in a rabbet in the top. super easy to get in and out.

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Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 19, 2021

kp91 said:
the router I am putting in the table clamps up from underneath. It would be much easier to Pope the whole plate out if it was secured from the top but that must be a different design? To change bits I release the springs on the router and from underneath I lock the shaft and I screw the collet to change the bit. The router comes with a plastic guard, but as the table fence also has a plastic guard it is easier to remove the one on the router and keep the spring loaded one on the table. It makes it easier to change bits with that out the way, but I didn’t t want to simply remove guards without checking if this is accepted practice?
thanks again for your help.

My router just hangs on the plate and sits in a rabbet in the top. super easy to get in and out. View attachment 397353
[/QUOTE]
That looks a good set up. I will have to enlarge it on my laptop to see how it goes together

Reactions: 1

harrysin

· #16 · Jan 19, 2021

mgmine said:
To mount the router you typically remove the base that came with the router. You then mount the router to the table plate using the same location that the original base was mounted to. As far as any guards take them off and use whatever dust collection system that is on your table or fence. Once you get into routing you will find that you will seldom use the router when it is not mounted to a table. Don't fall into the trap of trying to make a jig for everything that you see online. A router's main purpose is to do something with the edge of wood. Plunging is needed to roughout wood for things like hinges or mortices which most people only do on occasion.

I simply can't agree that most routing is carried out on the table. Since becoming a member of routerforums some 14 years ago I have been posting projects incorporating the use of the hand held PLUNGE router in an effort to introduce new members to the wonderful world of routing. Sure, there are jobs like routing fancy edges which are more easily done on the table, but not too much more. I emphasize PLUNGE routers because they can do everything that a fixed base router can PLUS much, much more.
Here is a photo. of a trinket box routed from solid wood, impossible to make on a router table.

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Jab64000

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 19, 2021

harrysin said:
I simply can't agree that most routing is carried out on the table. Since becoming a member of routerforums some 14 years ago I have been posting projects incorporating the use of the hand held PLUNGE router in an effort to introduce new members to the wonderful world of routing. Sure, there are jobs like routing fancy edges which are more easily done on the table, but not too much more. I emphasize PLUNGE routers because they can do everything that a fixed base router can PLUS much, much more.
Here is a photo. of a trinket box routed from solid wood, impossible to make on a router table.

I am not in a position to comment as o guess it depends on what you are making. I found that the last couple of things I made were done mainly on a table for the edges, but I had to use the router as a hand router to cut out slots and access holes which are easier by hand. Partly the reason I have purchased another router to get the best of both worlds. I am an engineer to trade so I am more used to using metal lathes and milling machines, but I find the principles are very similar.

harrysin

· #18 · Jan 19, 2021

3

harrysin said:
I simply can't agree that most routing is carried out on the table. Since becoming a member of routerforums some 14 years ago I have been posting projects incorporating the use of the hand held PLUNGE router in an effort to introduce new members to the wonderful world of routing. Sure, there are jobs like routing fancy edges which are more easily done on the table, but not too much more. I emphasize PLUNGE routers because they can do everything that a fixed base router can PLUS much, much more.
Here is a photo. of a trinket box routed from solid wood, impossible to make on a router table.

I forgot to mention bit change in a router table. A HUGE improvement to any 1/2" router is a musclechuck, which locks far tighter than a conventional chuck and only requires a half turn of a 4mm hex key to lock/unlock. Not only that, but one gains an extra 1/2" height, this combination allows most, if not all routers to change bits from above. This is with the bit inserted 1", which is the optimum depth for all 1/2" routers as shown in a post that I made some time ago after measuring most if not all popular router collets and consulting many manufacturers. The fitting of an "O" ring makes bit change so easy. Here is a self explanatory jig for making and fitting of "O" rings a quick, simple matter.

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mgmine

· #19 · Jan 19, 2021

harrysin said:
I simply can't agree that most routing is carried out on the table. Since becoming a member of routerforums some 14 years ago I have been posting projects incorporating the use of the hand held PLUNGE router in an effort to introduce new members to the wonderful world of routing. Sure, there are jobs like routing fancy edges which are more easily done on the table, but not too much more. I emphasize PLUNGE routers because they can do everything that a fixed base router can PLUS much, much more.
Here is a photo. of a trinket box routed from solid wood, impossible to make on a router table.

Harry my point is that a router is really not the best tool for a lot of things that people try and use it for. They make all sorts of jigs and spend countless hours trying to do things that are much easier to do on a machine built for the task. Say surfacing a board. I no longer use a jointer but if I did then it would be my go to machine to do the job. If the board was too wide then I would reach for the router sled but only if it was too wide and if I did that twice in my life time that would be a lot. If I was making a mortise I would reach for my mortising machine. Sure it might not work on something but I haven't run across that something yet. If I wanted to cut a large circle I'd head to the bandsaw. If I wanted to make a bowl or box off to the lathe I would go, dovetails, well if I thought that they were really necessary because I was making some really nice piece of furniture then it would be hand-cut ones and not a machine made one. I guess the point is that sure you can use a router for a lot of other things but I feel that it's better to build up a nice workshop with the tools designed for the job. Several years ago I did a post on a longevity trial of how often that I needed the router taken off the table. In the last 3 or so years, I think I used it freehand once. Maybe I didn't use it then but I'll say I did. In that time I have built numerous tables and benches and moldings and shelves and and and... So to those starting out I still say leave it attached to a good table and see if it works for you. You don't know if you don't try.

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Rebelwork Woodworking

· #20 · Jan 19, 2021 (Edited)

A tables use or portable use is different for everyone.

During my cabinet years I had 5 tables working weekly...4 making doors and one for dados..

Now I rarely use the those setups. About 50/50?these days..

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