Router speeds for different bits and types of wood

Listen to the router and you will be able to tell if it's going too fast or slow and look at how the wood is being cut, don't get to hung up on tying to get the correct speed. The router might tell you 10,000 RPM's but that's about as much use as your car telling you its going 3200 RPM's. It's all about the marketing it sounds good when your shopping for the router. For the boxes I would go with maple.Oak doesn't look that nice when stained. If your table doesn't have several size rings then you need to get or build a table that has them. Without being able to reduce the space around a smaller bit your are risking an accident, without being able to use a bit larger than the hole in the table you are limiting the router. It isn't normally necessary to measure the bit height just set it and see how it looks,. Depending on how high or low your bit is the profile will be different. Once you settle on what looks best keep a sample and mark on it what bit was used. As far as cutting small pieces on a miter saw, don't. If you absolutely need to then clamp them down using the fence and a block of wood.

Welcome, Munib!

There are a lot of hardwood lumber sources in Calgary. These are just a quick few that I located...
Hardwood Lumber | Formations
http://www.blackforestwood.com/
https://www.windsorplywood.com/
Hardwoods

Home Depot would be my last choice. Any lumberyard will carry Pine and other softwoods; it's the hardwoods that you really want to get your hands on. Maple, Birch, Alder, being just a few of the domestic (Canada) hardwoods readily available.

Thank you all for such a warm welcome and show of support. I am heartened to see this. Very different experience from car forums, where everyone starts to put you down and rather than offer help, start telling you to "SEARCH". Very different here. Positive and supportive.

I also wanted to share with you all that I have an old Triton RTA200 router table top. It is metallic, and I had to make a melamine fence for it that I bolted on to the sliding metal mini fence it had. However, with my PC75182 router, the table top doesnt have any option for me to either change bits without removing the router from the underside every time. The Porter Cable process for removing the motor from the base might be effective, but it is not the most convenient. On my Triton table, the shaft and the collet don't stick out enough for me to use the two wrenches for collet removal. And the hole itself is not large enough to insert even an offset wrench to get to the shaft nut. Besides, having a router lift would be a good idea to down the line and this table is all metallic, with no provision for a router lift. So I decided to buy a new table today.

It is a table made by a company named Felisatti. Does anyone know anything about it? All I have found is that they are originally Italian, then moved to Spain, and have very little support here in North America. Upon looking closely, their products seem to be spitting images of Freud products, especially the routers. Anyone else note that? Is this table worth it? I still have the option to return it if it's not a good buy since I havent opened it yet, and can go and get the Kreg portable router table (PRS2100). The Kreg thing is $301, and it is not a table per se, but a stand that goes on top of a work table. Wondering which option is better for the longer term.

The third option is the BusyBee Tools' own table. This one is priced well, but they had issues with the insert plate sagging on some units (the insert plate is hard plastic). The guy said that the sagging issue was sporadic and was a fault from the factory on some units, not all. Plus they already have a replacement aluminum insert out for $80 more.

Kijiji here also has a Freud table and router for $350. The guy will sell it if I say yes, but not sure.

Any inputs on the table would be appreciated. Even though I have th Felisatti already purchased, it is still unopened and I can return it and get something else. Getting a router lift is an important consideration for me for the future, if you guys think it is worth it.

Thank you all.

DaninVan said:

Munib; I was going to suggest that you pick up a copy of Bill Hylton's 'Router Magic', but then I checked Amazon.ca and the prices have skyrocketed.

It may be out of print now and suddenly everyone wants a copy...
Excellent book on routers, tables, pretty much all aspects of the tool and its uses. Tons of projects included (DIY router tables etc.)

Click to expand...

I found a PDF version of the book and am going through it now.

As regards the table I got, I have finally installed it, but because I dont have a drill press, I ended up buying a countersink bit to use on the aluminium insert. Turned out a bit jagged, but I somehow sanded it down. The router is now held in place with 3 screws rather than 4, so I hope it is fine. The table is actually quite nice. Yes, it is ex-Freud, which I believe was bought out by Felisatti. Havent used it as such, except to check the construction and features. I quite like the split fence idea, which I think I can use to joint the edges of the boards.

One question, though...is it true that I cannot joint (square off) the two opposing edges of the same board on the router and have to use a table saw for the second one? I was watching a Youtube video of Steve Ramsey, who mentioned that you do joint one edge on the router and the other on the table saw. Doesnt make sense why I cannot straighten both on the router.

I am also in the process of building a router sled and sourced out a few sheets of 1/2" and 3/4" MDF, plus a scraps of particle board. So many different styles and designs out there, so will be spending the next little while finalizing the dimensions and design and then build it. I am doing this because lumber here is expensive for my situation and pine is the only thing that fits my budget. I'd rather, if I can, straighten the pine and use it to make things. Fingers crossed with the sled and the table.

Thanks to everyone for helping me through this.