5 cool and useful router techniques!

If you are new to woodworking, you may not know the great things a handheld router can do for your work. When you attend our classes, you get to know routers and I know you will love them. Here are some of the more common things routers can do for your!

• Edge profiling
  Roundovers, chamfers, ogees, coves, and other decorative edges. This is probably the most common use. We do this in our beginner classes to introduce the router to you!

• Making dadoes and grooves
  A router can cut incredibly clean channels for shelves, drawer bottoms, cabinet backs, splines, etc. With a straight bit and a guide, you can get very precise results. There are 10 ways to do everything in woodworking and the router is one way to do dadoes. We also use the table saw to make dadoes!

• Mortising and joinery
  With the right jig, a router can make mortises, rabbets, box joints, dovetails, and even hinge recesses. It's particularly useful when you need repeatable joinery. ( A jig is anything that holds the wood while you do something to it ) We use routers a lot to make dovetail drawers in class.

• Flush trimming and pattern routing
  A flush-trim bit with a bearing lets you copy one piece from another. This is fantastic for making multiple identical parts, trimming veneer/laminate, or following a template for curved shapes. We also use the router to make circle table tops in class.

• Flattening and surfacing
  With a router sled and a wide bit, you can flatten slabs, butcher blocks, cutting boards, and other large pieces that won't fit through a planer.