Shop Tips
Routing Safe and Sound
7 tips to keep your hand-held router under control, your workpiece intact and your first-aid kit closed
To router instructor Pat Warner, router safety and success are mainly a matter of controlling the router and securing the workpiece. The safest cuts usually result in the best finished surface.
He explains which bits are capable of handling stress and which ones need particular care, and tells you how to listen to your router. Jigs are safety devices in disguise, he says, and he explains how to get away with the climb cut, how to use gravity to help you, how to start the router without wobble, and why it’s important to rout comfortably.
Fine Woodworking Recommended Products
Grout float
The red foam on these grout floats grip well to wood, and the large handle keeps your hands safely away from bits and blades.
Shop Fox W1826
The thick, felted bag on this Shop Fox is a plus and a minus. On one hand, it makes the unit much less expensive than collectors with canister filters, and also lighter and easier to hang on the wall. Without a separate plastic bag to catch chips, however, they stay in the felt bag, and the shortish zipper on the bottom makes it tough to shake them out. Otherwise, the W1826 is an excellent value.
Makita SP6000J1 Track Saw
With enough power to slice through thick hardwoods, the Makita makes smooth, chip-free cuts in all materials.
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