Operational Use Tips
Feed Direction
Always feed the workpiece against the cutter rotation, as shown. Feeding the workpiece with the cutter rotation is called "climb cutting". Climb cutting is very dangerous, because the cutter will grab the workpiece and thrust it the same direction as the cutter rotation. Even small router bits will overpower your ability to hold onto the workpiece during a climb cut.
Do not use this router table until you understand proper feed direction and bit rotation. If climb cutting is still unclear, ask your retailer for help, give us a call, or reference a book on router table usage.
A typical
routertop (top view)
router bit rotation
Fence
workpiece
Proper feed direction
!Never Climb Cut!
Avoiding Fence Traps
Fence traps occur when the work piece is fully "trapped" between the router bit and fence. Fence traps pose two real concerns: the possibility of climb feeding, and human exposure to the router bit. As
A classic trap resulting in a climb
cut. Always avoid this
stated earlier, climb cutting should be avoided as loss of control of the operation is a possibility!
The top drawing shows a classic trap to be avoided. What appears as a normal feed direction (working from right to left) is wrong, and will instead produce a climb cut. Because the work piece is trapped it can easily be pulled from one's grip and thrown with great velocity. Feeding the stock from left to right will eliminate the climb cut but not the danger. It will be difficult to keep the stock tight against the fence as the bit's rotation will thrust the stock away from the fence. Also, your body will be dangerously exposed to the
Fence
NO!
b |
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i | n |
t | |
| rotatio |
workpiece
This feed direction will result in a climb cut because the stock is trapped between the fence and the router bit.
spinning router bit. The bit guard will not protect you against flying stock, nor guard against this level of exposure.
Not a trap as long as the router bit does not
cut all the way through the stock.
The second drawing is not a trap, as long as the router bit cuts only partially into the stock. In other words, the router bit must not completely cut through the workpiece. In this cut, the bit will grab and push the stock toward the fence. This is good, as the fence will control the workpiece better than your hands. Typical dado cuts resemble this
| Fence |
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OK for |
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dadoes | t rotatio | |
only | ||
| b |
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| i | n |
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workpiece
Here the feed direction is correct because the router bit does not cut all the way through the stock.