Feeding the Router

OPERATION

The “secret” of professional routing and edge shaping lies in making a careful set-up for the cut and in selecting the proper rate of feed.

DIRECTION (EXTERNAL)

See Figures 14 and 15.

When routing, the cutter rotates clockwise. Therefore, you should feed the router into the workpiece from left to right. When you feed the router from left to right, the rotation of the cutter pulls the router against the workpiece. If you feed the router in the opposite direction, the rotational forces of the spinning bit tend to throw the router away from the workpiece. This action could cause you to lose control of the router.

The router motor and bit revolve in a clockwise direction. This gives the tool a slight tendency to twist in a counterclockwise direction, especially when the motor revs up.

Because of the extremely high speed of bit rotation during a proper feeding operation, there is very little kickback to contend with under normal conditions.

However, if the bit strikes a knot, hard grain, foreign object, etc. that affects the normal progress of the cutting action, there will be a slight kickback. This kickback is sufficient to spoil the trueness of your cut if you are not prepared. Such a kickback is always in the direction opposite to the direction of bit rotation.

To guard against such a kickback, plan your setup and direction of feed so that you will always be thrusting the tool—to hold it against whatever you are using to guide the cut—in the same direction that the leading edge of the bit is moving. In short, the thrust should be in a

6 5

4	PROPER CUTTING SEQUENCE	2
	PROPER CUTTING SEQUENCE

1/4 in. to 1 in. (6.35 mm to 25.4 mm)

Fig. 14

ROUTER FEED DIRECTION

GRAINS	DIRECTION
ROUT END

direction that keeps the sharp edges of the bit continuously biting straight into new (uncut) wood.

DIRECTION (INTERNAL)

See Figure 16.

Whenever you are routing a groove, your travel should be in a direction that places whatever guide you are using at the right-hand side. That is, when the guide is positioned as shown in the first part of the figure, tool travel should be from left to right and counterclockwise around curves. When the guide is positioned as shown in the second part of the figure, tool travel should be right to left and

ROUTER FEED DIRECTION

GUIDE OUTSIDE

BIT ROTATION

THRUST

Fig. 15

clockwise around curves. If there is a choice, the first setup is generally the easiest to use. In either case, the sideways thrust you use is against the guide.

FEED GUIDE

GUIDE INSIDE

GUIDE

BIT ROTATION

FEED

Fig. 16