Basic router use questions

Post by Chris Green
It's a long time since I used my router(s) seriously and I'm about to
do some work that will involve using one of them again. Since it's
going to be on my little boat in France I need to make sure I know
pretty well what's needed so I take all the necessary with me.
What I want to do is to make slots for some of these:-
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005007057524780.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.23.61001802ssPoGu
So that they will lie flush with the surface of the panels they are to
lift. Obviously there will also need to be a 'finger gap' so on can
lift the handles.
Questions arising:-
The surface of the panel is some sort of formica type material, the
body is wood (or ply, or similar). Will a, say, 1/2" diameter cutter
plunge cut into this OK or should I drill through the surface first?
What's the easiest way to guide the router for making the U shaped
slots? I'll be making about ten of them, all the same size. What's
the easiest/best way to do this? Should I just use a parallel guide
from the sides (I have a guide that can be clamped across as well) or
is it worth making up a dedicated jig?
I can make a jig here in the UK and do some tests before going, the
handles will be arriving here soon.

With 10 to make it is probably easier to go,with a dedicated jig less
setting up to do a simple centre line where you want the handles to go and
plunge away. A cutter should go through the Formica but it will shorten the
cutters life so I would drill at least one hole with Forstner bit or brad
point drill just to ease the job of the cutter. If you are concerned about
getting a smooth finish at the bottom of the slot , only drill part way to
get through the Formica and finish it by plunging the router to your
desired depth.

The Natural Philosopher

2025-02-20 12:22:03 UTC

Agreed with one comment. A cheap router bit that you use and throw away
because its destroyed afterwards may not be the worst option.

--
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men in a society, over
the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that
authorizes it and a moral code that glorifies it.

Frédéric Bastiat

Andy Burns

2025-02-20 13:08:45 UTC

Post by Chris Green
What's the easiest way to guide the router for making the U shaped
slots? I'll be making about ten of them, all the same size. What's
the easiest/best way to do this? Should I just use a parallel guide
from the sides (I have a guide that can be

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

Chris Green

2025-02-20 14:06:00 UTC

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

OK, so what will a jig look like for this? I think I have guide
bushes that will work with my router.

--
Chris Green
·

Tricky Dicky

2025-02-20 15:46:34 UTC

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

OK, so what will a jig look like for this? I think I have guide
bushes that will work with my router.

If you have guide bushes for your router then I would use them rather than
cutters with bearings ( I will explain if required). Fit your guide bushes
for to the router base and if you require super accuracy then use a conical
mandrel in the tool holder to centre the bush.

The jig will be a flat piece of material which is thicker than the
protrusion of the bush. If you are requiring the same distance from an edge
then a stop piece can be added on the underside enabling you to simply
slide the jig along for repeatable distance settings. The opening size in
the jig is dependant on the cutter diameter and the bush diameter. The most
common bush size is 30mm and often comes with the router so using one of
these subtract the cutter diameter from the bush diameter eg. A 10mm cutter
subtracted from 30mm =20mm meaning the cutter is offset by 10mm on the
radius. In the above example that means the opening in the jig will be 10mm
wider all round than the desired cutout in the material. For the above
example a 150mm x 50mm desired cutout the jig opening will be 170mm X 70mm.

Do consider how the jig is going to be held in place, if with clamps then
make sure it is wide enough to use clamps without interfering with the base
of the router. Alternatively it can be held in place with screws if screw
holes in the piece being cut are acceptable.

Richard

Chris Green

2025-02-20 17:22:58 UTC

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

OK, so what will a jig look like for this? I think I have guide
bushes that will work with my router.

If you have guide bushes for your router then I would use them rather than
cutters with bearings ( I will explain if required). Fit your guide bushes
for to the router base and if you require super accuracy then use a conical
mandrel in the tool holder to centre the bush.
The jig will be a flat piece of material which is thicker than the
protrusion of the bush. If you are requiring the same distance from an edge
then a stop piece can be added on the underside enabling you to simply
slide the jig along for repeatable distance settings. The opening size in
the jig is dependant on the cutter diameter and the bush diameter. The most
common bush size is 30mm and often comes with the router so using one of
these subtract the cutter diameter from the bush diameter eg. A 10mm cutter
subtracted from 30mm =20mm meaning the cutter is offset by 10mm on the
radius. In the above example that means the opening in the jig will be 10mm
wider all round than the desired cutout in the material. For the above
example a 150mm x 50mm desired cutout the jig opening will be 170mm X 70mm.
Do consider how the jig is going to be held in place, if with clamps then
make sure it is wide enough to use clamps without interfering with the base
of the router. Alternatively it can be held in place with screws if screw
holes in the piece being cut are acceptable.

Thanks for this and all the other answers, I will go and do some
experimenting now I think! :-)

--
Chris Green
·

John Rumm

2025-02-21 08:25:13 UTC

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

OK, so what will a jig look like for this? I think I have guide
bushes that will work with my router.

If you have guide bushes for your router then I would use them rather than
cutters with bearings ( I will explain if required). Fit your guide bushes
for to the router base and if you require super accuracy then use a conical
mandrel in the tool holder to centre the bush.
The jig will be a flat piece of material which is thicker than the
protrusion of the bush. If you are requiring the same distance from an edge
then a stop piece can be added on the underside enabling you to simply
slide the jig along for repeatable distance settings. The opening size in
the jig is dependant on the cutter diameter and the bush diameter. The most
common bush size is 30mm and often comes with the router so using one of
these subtract the cutter diameter from the bush diameter eg. A 10mm cutter
subtracted from 30mm =20mm meaning the cutter is offset by 10mm on the
radius. In the above example that means the opening in the jig will be 10mm
wider all round than the desired cutout in the material. For the above
example a 150mm x 50mm desired cutout the jig opening will be 170mm X 70mm.

Excellent explanation good sir :-)

Post by Tricky Dicky
Do consider how the jig is going to be held in place, if with clamps then
make sure it is wide enough to use clamps without interfering with the base
of the router. Alternatively it can be held in place with screws if screw
holes in the piece being cut are acceptable.

Alternatively, if clamping is difficult and you don't want a penetrative
fixing, stick a couple of strips of masking tape on the underside of the
jig, and then another couple in a matching pattern on the surface you
want to route. Apply a bead of CA glue to the tape on the router, then
spray the mating surface tape with CA glue activator. Now position the
jig in place. Within a few secs the glue will grab and fix in place. It
gives a very good fixing that will resist shifting. Once done you can
price the jig off the surface, and it will pull away at the tape leaving
the surfaces unmarked. You can then repeat for the next one.
--
Cheers,

John.

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Chris Green

2025-02-21 09:04:12 UTC

Post by John Rumm

I'd go with a jig and guide bush, that should give you accuracy and
repeatability, as you say you can test on some scrap before you go.

OK, so what will a jig look like for this? I think I have guide
bushes that will work with my router.

If you have guide bushes for your router then I would use them rather than
cutters with bearings ( I will explain if required). Fit your guide bushes
for to the router base and if you require super accuracy then use a conical
mandrel in the tool holder to centre the bush.
The jig will be a flat piece of material which is thicker than the
protrusion of the bush. If you are requiring the same distance from an edge
then a stop piece can be added on the underside enabling you to simply
slide the jig along for repeatable distance settings. The opening size in
the jig is dependant on the cutter diameter and the bush diameter. The most
common bush size is 30mm and often comes with the router so using one of
these subtract the cutter diameter from the bush diameter eg. A 10mm cutter
subtracted from 30mm =20mm meaning the cutter is offset by 10mm on the
radius. In the above example that means the opening in the jig will be 10mm
wider all round than the desired cutout in the material. For the above
example a 150mm x 50mm desired cutout the jig opening will be 170mm X 70mm.

Excellent explanation good sir :-)

Thanks for this further idea. The surface isn't **very** pristine and
is under a carpet but I guess avoiding [more] holes in it wouldn't be
a bad idea.

I think I can probably use clamps, it's quite a big panel and I can
make the jig as large as I like. The only issue is that I have to do
quite a bit of this at home before my next excursion to the boat in
France and then hope I've remembered to take eveything needed with me.
Small things forgotten (or broken) can be obtained when in France but
major (or expensive) items can't really.

Thanks again everyone who has contributed ideas, I'll report success
or otherwise when I return (mid March). :-)

--
Chris Green
·

John Rumm

2025-02-20 14:00:31 UTC

So basically you want a rectangular recess (with rounded corners) in the
surface so you can reach in and grab the handle to lift it, but
otherwise it can fold down to be below the surface?

Post by Chris Green
Questions arising:-
The surface of the panel is some sort of formica type material, the
body is wood (or ply, or similar). Will a, say, 1/2" diameter cutter
plunge cut into this OK or should I drill through the surface first?

It will plunge ok - slight side to side motion as you plugs will make it
easier.

I would make a jig from a bit of ply or similar, and use a template
guide inserted into the base of the router to follow it. That way you
don't need a top bearing cutter, and you have more freedom of choice on
depth.

The hole in the template will need to be oversized to allow for the
difference in diameter between the bush and the router cutter.

The radius in the corners of your final recess will be dictated by the
radius of the cutter used.

Post by Chris Green
I can make a jig here in the UK and do some tests before going, the
handles will be arriving here soon.

--
Cheers,

John.

/=================================================================\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\=================================================================/

Andrew

2025-02-21 12:27:09 UTC

Post by John Rumm

So basically you want a rectangular recess (with rounded corners) in the
surface so you can reach in and grab the handle to lift it, but
otherwise it can fold down to be below the surface?

I thought he said a carpet is normally on top of these panels, so
a depression ?8mm deep is going to be obvious if you plant your
heel into it.

I thought he wanted to route out a slot just over 8mm wide and deep
to accomodate just the tubular shape of that handle when folded flat.

I'm not sure where the stub below the hinges will end up though.

Chris Green

2025-02-21 13:14:33 UTC

Post by Andrew

Post by John Rumm

So basically you want a rectangular recess (with rounded corners) in the
surface so you can reach in and grab the handle to lift it, but
otherwise it can fold down to be below the surface?

I thought he said a carpet is normally on top of these panels, so
a depression ?8mm deep is going to be obvious if you plant your
heel into it.

Yes, though I mentioned the carpet later on.

Post by Andrew
I thought he wanted to route out a slot just over 8mm wide and deep
to accomodate just the tubular shape of that handle when folded flat.

That's the idea, a U shaped slot that the handle just drops into,
obviously it needs a bit of clearance round it and a 'finger hole'
along one side to be able to lift it up.

Post by Andrew
I'm not sure where the stub below the hinges will end up though.

In a slightly deeper counter-bored hole. The stub is (if I remember
right) 14mm and the panel is 30mm thick so there's adequate depth for
it. A bolt through from the other side will hold it, I'll add a good
size 'penny washer' or similar to be sure it won't break through.

--
Chris Green
·

wasbit

2025-02-21 10:17:55 UTC