Jig/work method for through routing small stock ?

[Eastie]

Has anyone come up with a jig (or work method) for use on a router table that allows you to route a through channel in thin stock starting in a couple of cm from one and finishing before breaking through the other end ? - i.e. similar to feather boards that have the cut out down the guts to secure them to a table/fence with a wing nut & bolt.


I've thought of making a jig with a wind down action out of old G clamps so as to control the cut by winding the timber down onto the cutter (20+mm deep cut), but this seems over the top ?

[mikmaz1]

hi eastie ,
how about taking your router out of the table and attaching the side fence that came with your router. if you do have to keep it in the table , attach stops to your fence for the length of cut needed. also drill starter holes the same diam as slot.(easier for a starting & finishing point)
seeyasoon mik.

[derekcohen]

Eastie

I would also recommend using your router hand held. It sounds as if you are wanting to route thin strips. If so, I would clamp them in a vise sandwiched between boards. These are needed to provide surface area for the router to move along securely. Use your fence - or, better still, use a double fence (one on each side of the router) - and then route the centre of the wood strip. You can use stop blocks to limit the run.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[derekcohen]

Originally posted by derekcohen:
Eastie

I would also recommend using your router hand held. It sounds as if you are wanting to route thin strips. If so, I would clamp them in a vise sandwiched between blocks (something like a 4x2 or 4x4). These are needed to provide surface area for the router to move along securely. Use your fence - or, better still, use a double fence (one on each side of the router) - and then route the centre of the wood strip. You can use stop blocks to limit the run.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[soundman]

Sounds like you want to cut slots mate.
Hand held is the go.
If the job is to be small pieces. rout then cut the pieces from the larger stock.

now the rout
As mentioned before use you standard fence.

Mark out the ends of the slot start with real light cuts stopping just short (half a mm ) from your mark toll you are thru the material then edge up to the mark to finish

Of coure keeping the job well secured & the machine well in hand & go steady.

Very nice work can be achieved.
Use more care with plastics & composites.

cheers.

[Eastie]

Ok, after some careful deliberation and lubrication I came up with a method tha was going to work. I woke up the next morning and forgot what it was.

What I did do though was sort of a combination of some of the above. After coming to terms withthe imperial system I shelled out a few pennies on a drill bit the exact size of the router bit.

I managed to drill the start and end holes about 1mm back from each end and slightly filed out the holes to stop the router bit grabbing on startup.
Next fixed the timber to a sled with bench dogs and clamped it to the table to prevent it ufoing on startup.

Worked a treat and took about the same bloody time as it would have to remove the router, install the baseplate, .... http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/biggrin.gif

Thanks all for the ideas http://www.ubeaut.biz/thumbupwink.gif