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
Rockler Dust Right 650 CFM
While all five of the smaller units will collect chips efficiently when deployed properly, the 3/4-hp Rockler was just a bit more powerful in our suction test.
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.
Festool Cleantec CT 26 E HEPA Dust Extractor
The clear winner here is Festool’s CT 48 Dust Extractor. It has amazing capacity relative to its size, and unmatched suction power. It packs in a number of subtle but very helpful design touches, like a clever foot brake and easy hose and cord storage.
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