Using a table router vertically

1312 Views 14 Replies 10 Participants Last post by reuelt, 6 mo ago

donali

Discussion Starter · 6 mo ago

A bit of an odd use case but I'd appreciate any insights. I need to inlay holes 20mm wide and just 2mm deep into the end (the cross cut) of soft dowelling circa 25-30mm wide. Currently I use a quick vise, drill press and 20mm Forstner bit to do this, but it takes a lot of time lining things up.

I'm curious if I can use a router table for this, and simply (using a right angled jig) "drop" the dowelling vertically onto a bottom cleaning bit, thereby achieving the same thing? I imagine given it's only a 2mm depth, kickback won't be too material, and in any case the jig will provide some resistance?

I need to do a lot of these and hence I'm looking for a more efficient method than a drill press. Thanks very much for any insights that you have.

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jw2170

· #2 · 6 mo ago

Welcome to the forum, @donali.

If you had a 'lot' to do, I would buy a cheap dowelling jig such as this,

Milescraft JointMate Dowelling Jig

The Milescraft JointMate is a universal dowel jig for creating quick and accurate corner, edge and surface joints with ease.

www.timbecon.com.au

I have had some success with these simple jigs.

I believe Wolfcraft sell one similar in Europe?

www.amazon.com.au

wolfcraft 4641404 Dowel Quick Doweling Jig : Amazon.com.au: Home Improvement

wolfcraft 4641404 Dowel Quick Doweling Jig : Amazon.com.au: Home Improvement

www.amazon.com.au

I may not have grasped what you actually intend to do, so a quick diagram would help. Draw it and take a picture with your phone to post on the forum.

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old55

· #3 · 6 mo ago

Welcome to the forum @donali

DesertRatTom

· #4 · 6 mo ago

Welcome. Might be easier to create a little jig to line up the forstner with. A drill press table will make it much easier to work on wide pieces, such as cabinets.

donali

Discussion Starter · #5 · 6 mo ago

3

Thanks very much for your thoughts so far. Attached is a photo and diagram which make my query a lot more clear (I hope). My issue is that while I'm drilling into a flat surface, getting that surface level, such that the inlay is uniformly 2mm deep and 20mm wide, is tricky and time consuming. This is largely because the sides of the object are irregular, so they don't line up in a vice very well.

I think a router table might help, since I can simply push the object down vertically onto a bottom clearing bit until the object is flush to the table, as shown in the diagram. I haven't shown a jig on the diagram but I will make one to guide the object and prevent kickback. Note the inlays don't have to be perfect.

The reason I'm asking is a table and router are a big expense for me - and it would be great to know in advance if this will work.

Wood Engineering Gas Composite material Machine

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BobandRick

· #6 · 6 mo ago

I wouldn't do it that way. The router will take the piece out of your hands.

I would use a plunge router a guide, pattern, and cut a V notch in 2 pieces of 2-inch hardwood and attach it to the jaws of the vice. Line up the pattern to the outside edges of the hardwood v notched pieces. Then lock the logs into the jig and plunge the router into the ends. If you need more detail let me know. RR

4DThinker

· #7 · 6 mo ago

Looks to me like it is the vise and alignment that takes the most time. I'd still use the drill press, but revise how each piece is clamped in. A vertical V corner, with a toggle clamp to hold the part tight into the corner maybe? Spend a little time making the jig so it can be clamped/bolted to the drill press table and won't move. Drop a part in, lever the clamp tight, drill the recess, release lever, then swap out parts to drill again.
What we don't know yet is how varied the parts are. Are they all the same length? Are they all the same diameter?
No matter the tool being used it'll be clamping/aligning the part under/over the bit that takes the most time. I don't recommend dropping a part onto a spinning router bit either. Clamping the part under a template is likely the best solution if the parts vary in length.
4D

DesertRatTom

· #8 · 6 mo ago

Is there a reason you want to keep the odd angle on the top? It would probably make it easier to do on the DP if the end angle was always 90, or at least always the same. The drill press has a stop you can use, but for production, you'd need to set some kind of measure on the jig so the top was always the same height, relative to the bit.

So cutting the end to an exact angle will require a table saw "cradle" to hold the odd shaped pieces as straight as possible to have the end cut. If you want to have a certain angle to the end, you can set the saw blade to that angle. Same would apply to whatever saw you want to use, chop or band saw.

onealhicks

· #9 · 6 mo ago

Chuck it up in a lath and drill the center.

old55

· #10 · 6 mo ago

Welcome to the forum @onealhicks

radio_davio

· #11 · 6 mo ago

The jig certainly looks safer.

onealhicks

· #12 · 6 mo ago

old55 Thank you very much.

jw2170

· #13 · 6 mo ago

G'day and welcome to the forum, @onealhicks

BigG

· #14 · 6 mo ago

If you have access to a small lathe you could use that. I drill holes in wood all the time on my lathe.

reuelt

· #15 · 6 mo ago

i would consider a horizontal routing table with a vise that can slide on rails to hold and feed the work piece horizontally. In place of the router, a drill with a suitable forstner bit can also be an option. The vise can be moved by a lever in the same way a horizontal MORTISING MACHINE move the workpiece.

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