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FEEDING THE ROUTER
As seen from the top of the router, the bit
turns clockwise and the cutting edges face
accordingly. Therefore, the most efficient cut
is made by feeding the router so that the bit
turns into the work, not away. Figure 15
shows proper feed for various cuts. How fast
you feed depends on the hardness of the
material and the size of the cut. For some
materials, it is best to make several cuts of
increasing depth.
If the router is hard to control, heats up, runs
very slowly or leaves an imperfect cut,
consider these causes:
1. Wrong direction of feed — hard to control.
2. Feeding too fast — overloads motor.
3. Dull bit — overloads motor.
4. Cut is too large for one pass — overloads
motor.
5. Feeding too slow — leaves friction burns
on work.
Feed smoothly and steadily (do not force).
You will soon learn how the router sounds
and feels when it is working best.
RATE OF FEED
When routing or doing related work in wood
and plastics, the best finishes will result if the
depth of cut and feed rate are regulated to
keep the motor operating at high speed.
Feed the router at a moderate rate. Soft
materials require a faster feed rate than hard
materials.
The router may stall if improperly used or
overloaded. Reduce the feed rate to prevent
possible damage to the tool. Always be sure
the collet chuck is tightened securely before
use. Always use router bits with the shortest
cutting length necessary to produce the
desired cut. This will minimize router bit run-
out and chatter.
-15-
GUIDING THE ROUTER
The router can be guided through the work in
any of several ways. The method you use
depends, of course, on the demands of the
particular job and on convenience.
For routing operations such as grooving or
dadoing, it is often necessary to guide the
tool in a line parallel to a straight edge. One
method of obtaining a straight cut is to
securely clamp a board or other straightedge
to the work surface, and guide the edge of
the router sub-base along this path (Fig. 16).
FIG. 15
FIG. 16
BIT
WORK
DIRECTION OF
ROUTER FEED
START
HERE
BOARD GUIDE
SECURELY CLAMP
BOARD GUIDE
FEED
DIRECTION
BM 2610908996 6-04 6/21/04 4:47 PM Page 15