practising a form

**Skew ChiDAMN!!** · 15th October 2009, 02:21 AM

Originally Posted by gwambygine

I just love the optimism you show in my ability to use a machine that scares me witless, and with which I have no skill and less knowledge.

One option to make a router much, much safer than hand-held is to table-mount it. Basically, fixing the router upside-down under a table with a small hole in it, which the router bit pokes through. This holds the router securely so all you have to do is hold the wood flat on the table and guide it... preferably with your fingers well out of the way!

This doesn't necessarily involve big money... just a square of MDF will do, perhaps twice the size of your largest box in both directions. You can fit table legs underneath, or make it a big box, or perhaps just screw a wooden strip under one edge so that you can clamp it all in a bench vice.

To get a dead straight cut you can simply clamp or screw a board in the appropriate position on top of the table to use as a fence.

**rodney** · 16th October 2009, 06:28 PM

[QUOTE=Skew ChiDAMN!!;1048736]One option to make a router much, much safer than hand-held is to table-mount it. Basically, fixing the router upside-down under a table with a small hole in it, which the router bit pokes through. This holds the router securely so all you have to do is hold the wood flat on the table and guide it... preferably with your fingers well out of the way!
QUOTE]

A damn gooｄ suggestion. I know what you mean when you says it scares the hell out of you, wait until you start using the big router bits for making door frames.

There are plenty of great suggestions on this forum, I am sure a search will reveal a ton of suggestions, I think the router forum has a lot of ideas.

The table and fence I use is based on the free plans from Gifkins, http://www.gifkins.com.au/Gifkins%20...%20version.pdf. This was actually one of the first projects I did and I would put it up there as the most used tool.

The best resource for router bits, as you will soon start amassing a collection is from carbitool, CARB-I-TOOL. You can buy directly from them by requesting a quote via e-mail and then doing a bank transfer.

Good work. hope your finger has recovered.

**gwambygine** · 16th October 2009, 07:46 PM

Andy and Rodney,
Thanks for the tips.
Yes and I agree. Routers and router table it is then. Then only thing I will own up to is that these projects require dedicated time to come to grips with, and that requires that I stop making box's till I feel confident with the process. Damn. Guess I will prioritize this.. Rodney thanks for the PDF link to Roger Gifkins plans. I've downloaded it. You may or may not know that as soon as I start down that track it will become blindingly obvious that I need a Gifkins dovetail jig. Ah and I was so thinking that the planer thicknesser I just bought was the last largish outlay I was going to make for some time..........

Doh!

Best
Maxine

**David H** · 16th October 2009, 09:49 PM

Maxine
Take the time to watch video on Rodger Gifkin's site. He makes dovetail making look easy with his jig and after buying one myself his jig is exactly that, easy to set up and use and will consistently turn out perfect looking dovetails. But then you also have to look at which templates you get as well or maybe just lash out and get the lot $$$>
Money well spent and he also sells a box making kit which includes cutters of choice and also a slot cutter for doing bases and lid inserts. Again you need to have his router table which you could knock up in no time at all as it is quite simple to make. So long as you can mount your router under a good thick flat board the gifkin jig will make your dovetails look proffesional. Sounds like we all like spending your money.
Regards
David

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