When it comes to woodworking, routers, and router tables are among the scariest and most misunderstood instruments for novices. The uniqueness of this tool is part of the cause of the apprehension and confusion.
A piece of wood can fly out of your hand or be ruined on you in an instant if you aren’t careful with the router, which spins at such high speeds that it appears to be capable of lifting off the workroom floor.
To put it another way, if you have a fundamental understanding of routers and router tables and some comprehension of how they work, dealing with them isn’t that difficult. The first step is to set up a router table. Then, you have to select the type of bit you’ll be utilizing. How to setup a router table, you ask? Let’s find out in this article.
How to Set up a Router Table
Before we move on to setting up a router table, you need to know the parts of a router table.
Components of a Router Table
You will find 1/4 and 1/2 inch shank router bits included in the tool kit of modern routers. The router’s collet, or bit holding, is called a chuck. You should correctly seat all the router bits before using them. To do this, insert the bit as far as it will go into the collet and then pull it out by about a third of an inch.
However, there is a drawback to this feature. Router bits need a tiny amount of room to expand at the bottom of the collet because they heat up quickly while cutting into wood.
The next step is to secure the bit in place. This does not imply that the nut should be tightened to the point of damaging the machine, but rather that it should be snug enough to prevent the bit from spinning inside the collet or escaping.
· Setting Up the Plate
Whether purchased or manufactured at home, the top of the router table must be flat to prevent the wood from rocking as it passes through the bit. Having a good straight edge is essential. You must use a 24-inch-long straight rule to measure the flatness of the top accurately. You can’t measure across the entire table using a conventional 12-inch rule.
Therefore, you don’t need to check for flatness on either side of the table; however, you need to make sure it’s angled from corner to corner and from front to back since everything is taking place in front of the gate. Even though perfection is always elusive, a straight edge should have a minimal space between it and the table surface.
Lifting the Plate
You should inspect the lift plate. They include a router lift as standard equipment to make altering the bit height on most router tables easier. The lift plate should be level with or slightly lower than the router table’s surface. Once again, the straight edge comes in handy when figuring out where everything should go.
Depending on the situation, you can remove the lift, make the necessary adjustments, and reinstall it. This process can be long and tedious; however, it’s important, so take your time and do it well.
Building a Fence
Check that the fence is level and square to the top. When you begin this process again, use a straight edge to check the fence’s length and angle it to check for flatness. You must tighten the fence in its location to ensure that it is parallel to the table. Squeezing against an open fence is useless. Make sure the fence is straight along its entire length.
If you can get near, then you are doing a good job. Many router table fences have wood faces that can have subtle variations and also have dust or dirt behind the fence face, preventing the fence from laying squarely. Look into the various causes before performing another square check to ensure your fence is square.
Adjusting the Bit Depth
Depending on the application, router tables are commonly used with the bit either partially or completely exposed in front of the fence. Feather boards and proper guards are essential in ensuring the safety of the operation, which includes both procedures. The fence doesn’t need to be aligned with the router table’s edge to create these cuts.
Deep and high cuts are easy to measure; therefore, the setup is straightforward. Setup blocks can eliminate a lot of the guesswork and fumbling when cutting in front of the fence. Set the fence using a setup block after finding the necessary offset distance to the fence. There’s a common issue with standard rule measurements when it comes to the fence’s aperture.
The distance must be established to get the height right. You can use a Digital Plane check gauge to measure very low bit heights. Consider using the Digital Snap-Check tool to simplify this step if you want to go deeper.
Safety on a Router Table
A router bit spins so quickly that it requires your full attention at all times. An accident can happen at any time. The following are some of the most critical safety guidelines:
- Always disconnect the router from the wall outlet when changing the bit.
- Tighten the collet nut after lifting it to reveal about a quarter of the shank. Do this to prevent the bit from falling out of the collet. At least two-thirds of the shank of the router bit should be inserted into the collet of the router.
- Use a guard to keep the bit safe.
- Put on your hearing aids and safety glasses.
- Use push sticks and feather boards to prevent your fingertips from coming into contact with the bit.
- Work components should be moved from the right to the left along the fence, one at a time.
- Rotate the pieces of work in the opposite direction of the guided bit.
- Do not place the fence with the workpiece.
Our Final Thoughts
And that’s a wrap on how to setup a router table. Clamping the workpiece is unnecessary when utilizing a router table. Put it through the opening at the top of the table. Several introductory router publications illustrate the construction of a router table and fence.
A good work table must include adjustable bit guards, feather board slots, or other attachments. Removable base plates make changing the router’s height and bits easier.
