A wood router table is a distinctly designed table that is attached to a dedicated wood router. It helps the woodworker to complete their wood project with a huge variety of angles by using their router. The only vision of using this router table is to ensure complete flexibility for woodwork.
With a wood router table, you can make some special cut with your router that is quite impossible when you try to complete this type of work without a router table. Now here in this article, I’m going to show you How do you use a wood router table for beginners?
How do you use a wood router table for beginners?
Mounting or attaching a router in a table will convert this handheld tool into a small-shaper. This will make your hand free and allow your hands to concentrate the work and allow you to do some task so efficiently, such as stops, fences, hold-down & control your cuts, etc. While working on a router table, you can see how the bit is working. A router table is most important for the wood router for beginner who just started with a router for the first time.
Step 1- Level the place
Before starting work with your routing table, you need to make sure that the playing field is level. Otherwise, if the insert that you place on your routing table sits above or below then you won’t get the perfect or accurate cut.
Sometimes it may lead to several interruptions while working, such as you need to stop while you are on the mid pass. For leveling the insert, most of the commercial router table comes with a set of screws or you may get metal shims or the masking tape.
Step 2- Mount the height of the bit
To get the perfect output with your router table you need to make sure that you have set the height accurately for the router bit. There are three common ways to set the router bit accurately. Such as Standing Square, Building blocks, & digital.
● Standing Square
For setting the bit height the combination square is the most convenient because of its ability to stand by itself close to the bit when you go to adjust the depth for the cut. The rule of thumb for this is 64ths but it is so tough to measure the exact. It is better to make some test cuts before your final work.
● Building blocks
It is another popular way to set the bit height. Basically, the blocks help you to set the height as per the sight & feel. Mount the block together to get your desired settings. At first, place your top block and start raising the bit until it touches the starts.
● Digital
You will find some electronic measuring devices for setting the bit height. This type of measuring device allows you to maintain accuracy without blinking. Just choose a digital measuring device and start working.
Step 3- Set the barrier
To set the barrier or fence, it is better to start with the front. You need to set the rule on the upper side of the bit and then measure the distance by using the centerline of the bit. To verify the distance for the fence use your free hand and rotate the bit.
The fence provides you proper support from the back. The shims & stop blocks allow you to get the perfect cut. The fence allows you to keep the bits of your router in the accurate area.
The uses of a router table
A router table is one of the most needed equipment for every woodworker to complete their wood project perfectly and efficiently. The presence of your wood router table makes your work station a magical place. If you want to be a pro woodworker from the beginner woodworker then you should know How do you use a wood router table for beginners?
Best supporting tool for small, narrow & long stock
When you deal with long & narrow stock with a wood router, it becomes so tough to control. But things become so simple when you use a router table for this. The router table helps you to keep the stock tight against the router table fence that allows you to concentrate on your work more deeply.
Usually, a router table allows you to complete such a type of work that you can’t do with a handheld router. Using a handheld router you can do moldings, profiling edges, cutting, etc. but when you do the task by using a router table, your works become so simple and easy. You can complete the work more accurately in a faster way.
Pattern work
For any kind of pattern work on a wood surface like profiling the edge on the stock to a smooth and flat surface by following the border of a pattern is the best part of a router. When you include a straight edge for a piece of stock allows you to clean the edge in most perfect and efficient ways.
But when you use a router table, this type of edge trimming and pattern work becomes so easy and simple. The router table accelerates the speed and accuracy of your work. The best part of a router table is it provides you the exact support that makes your hand free so that you can concentrate on other tasks.
Final thought
Every newbie woodworker wants to be pro & that is the reason a routing table is the most common equipment that they usually have. Now, if you just newly bought a router table then you should know how do you use a wood router table for beginners?
Above in this article, I have shown step by step guidelines and using tips for a newbie router table user. If you read the whole article carefully then you will become a pro woodworker who can use a router table most effectively and efficiently.
