|
Want to know how to use a Router Table? Here are tips to get the most from your router table.
You do not need a miter channel. Typically, you slide your work along the fence. If using a miter channel, then the fence ought to be square to the miter channel. Why go to that trouble?
You may give rise to a jig to glide along the Fence. This mechanically aligns the wood to get a square cut. You may make adjustment in profile and depth of cut. A Router Lift makes this easy.
A quality Router Table fence eases dust collection. Use your Router Table and Fence for simplicity and ease!
You ought to never put your work among the fence and the router bit. That is just asking for trouble.
Typically, you slide the wood from right to left (when looking at the fence from the front). That is an anti-climb cut. You make closely all cuts this way.
If very careful, you may go a short distance in the opposite direction. But you must hold on tight to keep out of the way of kickback and/or injury. This climb cut gives cleaner edges, but you will have to only undertake it after a lot of experience.
Only do less than 15% of your work this way. You will have to only use shoal or light cuts. Do NOT take huge cuts. Only do it when you hands are protected and away from the router bit.
How to use a Router Table to center edge-to-edge joints:
Have you ever wondered how to center edge-to-edge joints? You use this technique for making solid tabletops, wide panels, or even make edging to go around your router table top.
Let’s use an actual example of oak edging on a MDF Router Table Top. The top is 1 1/8″ thick. The oak edging is 1 1/8″ thick.
How do we assure a centered edge?
- Decide on the tongue dimension. You have a 1/4″ slot cutter. You want the tongue thickness less than two times the cut. Therefore, the tongue thickness is somewhat less than 1/2″. We use a 1/4″ depth of cut for this example.
- We want a tongue that is less than 1/2″ in thickness. Therefore, we know that the rabbet on the Table Top is more or less more than 5/16″ on both sides of a 1 1/8″ thick piece.
- Rabbet the top with a rabbet bit with a bearing to give rise to a 1/4″ rabbet. You don’t want to take a lot for the duration of your initial pass. Therefore, the depth of cut is set for 1/8″ for your introductory pass.
- Set the fence so it is even with the bearing of the rabbet bit.
- Cut both top and bottom of the top. Take your time and go all the way around. Make sure the workpiece is flat on the Router Table Top. Or use the router on top of the workpiece.
- Measure the thickness of the tongue. If it is more prominent than 1/2″, then adjust the depth of cut. A router lift makes this easy.Note: you rout both sides; hence use one-half the
adjustment for each side.
- Make your adjustment, rout the top and bottom again. The tongue’s thickness is now more or less less
than 1/2″.
- Replace your rabbeting bit with your 1/4″ slot cutter.
I always disconnect the power source to the router before altering bits!
- Sit the rabbeted piece on the router tabletop near the slot cutter. Raise the Router so the bottom of the slot cutter aligns with the bottom of the tongue. You may need support if the workpiece is large.
- Set the depth of cut for the slot to around 3/16″ initially. Now slot your Oak edging. Turn it over and slot again. Test the slot on the tongue. Is it too tight? If so, do not forget that you make two passes with the slotter. Only lower your slot bit by 1/2 of the dimension needed. By the way, the Porter Cable 7518 Router makes this a snap.
- Since the slot cut is 1/4″, the second pass is not using the entire cutter. You get an precisely center slot that fits on the tongue.
- Once the slot (groove) fits on the tongue, you are ready to set your final depth of the groove. The final depth of cut is somewhat more than 1/4″ to concede for glue.
- Set your fence for this final depth. Remember – make two passes with the slotter. This gives you an precise fit.
You may use this method for any edge-to-edge joinery, such as tabletops, panels, big drawer fronts, and any time you want to join two-pieces. You get perfective alignment and a rock-solid joint.
If you want to see how this looks after glue-up, please visit Router Table Top
To make your own router lift, visit an easy to make Router Lift
For more info on Using Your Router Table, including pictures and tips, please visit How to Use a Router Table
- Amazon Sales Rank: #72262 in Home Improvement
- Brand: Porter-Cable
- Model: 698
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: .0″ h x .0″ w x .0″ l, .0 pounds
- Large 19-3/4-inch 16-3/4-inch machined aluminum top with cast-in lip to help table extensions
- 3/4-inch Miter Gauge Slot
- Multiple starting pin locations
- Quick-adjust split-fence design with independently adaptable halves; Large 3-5/8-inch table hole size allows use of 3-1/2-inch diameter router bits
- Comes with table and miter gauge
| Product ReviewMade of lightweight machined aluminum for durability and mobility, the 698 Bench Top Router Table from Porter-Cable is a versatile, portable, and adaptable table that’s idealisti for home betterment fanciers and woodworking novices. It effortlessly attaches to a work table for added stability, and is likewise a snap to move from website to site. A pre-drilled 3-5/8-inch table hole for mounting and adjusting your router base accommodates 3-1/2-inch router bits, while the generous height of the legs allows sufficient room for the majority of routers. A split fence features two divisions that you may position to work either front-to-back or laterally. Additionally, there are two starter pin positions, two inserts in a larger and littler size, and 3/4-inch miter gauge slot.
The Porter-Cable 698 router table is idealisti for little shops, reconstructing sites, and woodworking for under-table routing, light shaping, milling and jointing applications. The 19-3/4 inch by 16-3/4 inch aluminum top is milled with a 3/4-inch miter gauge slot and multiple starting pin locations. The quick-adjust split-fence design enables exact edge-jointing. The 3-5/8 inch table hole allows bits as huge as a 3-1/2-inch panel bit to be employed on the table. The dust collection hood accepts a 2-1/2 inch hose while the 12-7/8 inch leg height enables use of most 1-1/2 to 3-1/4 horsepower routers on the market. 1 year fixed warranty.
|
|
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Picture
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Picture
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Pic
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Picture
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Picture
Porter Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table Picture
142 of 146 people found the following review helpful.
 Don’t Waste Your Money or Time
By Andy W.
Thought I was getting a deal when I purchased the 1-1/2 hp P-C plunge router set with table. You get what you pay for. No problem with router but the table is VERY sub-standard. The fence adjustment is LOUSY. One wing nut holds each sliding fence and is almost impossible to get it square to the working surface due to the slop in the design. Too much wasted time is spent both aligning the fences to the table and to each other. The lightweight construction (cheap) allows the table to move around quite a bit when running material thru…be sure to clamp/bolt it down before use. The miter slot is rough and the slide is sticky. The only minor positive is the dust chute works adequately when connected to the shop vac.
In hindsight, I should have bought the router alone and looked elsewhere for a quality built piece of equipment. Now I’m forced to use it until I can build one that is suitable.
97 of 99 people found the following review helpful.
Porter Cable Drops The Ball
By Timothy S. Rumbinas
I am usually a big fan of Porter-Cable products, but this one is a dud. The fence is clumsy and hard to adjust, the miter gauge slot has substantial slop in it, and ridges in the table are rough and sometimes mark work. I bought it as part of a 3 piece kit – the “Ultimate Router Workshop.” The cost was less than as a stand alone piece, so I’ll probably keep it. If I had purchased it as a stand-alone item, it would be returnsville! If you’re serious about owning the PC 1 1/2 hp routers with both bases, purchase them separately and pony up the extra cash for a more refined table. You’ll thank yourself later.
54 of 54 people found the following review helpful.
Difficult to setup, but does the job
By Chris Midgley
This unit is made of light weight materials with inexpensive mechanicals that make it difficult to setup. The fence is hard to use, as it uses a simple L-bracket from the fence to the table with a twist-screw to tighten down – often changing the position as the screw is tightened. Forget using it without seriously clamping the unit down to some solid surface, as there isn’t enough mass to hold it in place. This said, once set up, the unit works fine and is very portable.
See all 31 customer reviews…
|