17 Woodworking Router Tips to Make Your Projects Easier

17 Woodworking Router Tips

There are some jobs that all of us dread because they are just plain difficult. Other jobs require a tool that you haven’t invested in yet. Luckily, there are millions of other woodworking professionals and enthusiasts out there finding ways to make projects easier. At Woodshopbits, we love finding these helpful tips and sharing them with you. Today, we found these 17 router tips from American Woodworker.com. If you’re like us, at least one of these tricks will have you saying, “ahhh, that’s a great idea.”

Router Tip #1: Don’t have a planer or your project uses a wide board that won’t fit through your planer? This woodworking tip uses a standard router and a wide 1″ router bit to do the job. Read more HERE Router Tip #2: Featherboards prevent serious injuries when you’re working on a router table. Using 2 featherboards will provide the best cut and accuracy. However, you’ve probably found how difficult it is to pass the entire length of stock through safely. This tip will keep you safe and give you a perfect cut at the same time. Router Tip #3: Don’t have a jointer, but need to join two boards? No problem! Here’s a solution that utilizes your router and a bottom bearing flush trim router bit to get the job done just as well. Router Tip #4: Routing smaller moldings can be tough. The stock can easily flex and make a mess of things. You’ll wonder why you didn’t think of this tip. Router Tip #5: You probably already know that a spiral router bit is the best for routing the edge of plywood or melamine. Using this type of bit will give you a nice, smooth, chip free cut. Router Tip #6: Since template router bits typically aren’t very long, you might not think that you can use a template for thick patterns. This simple ideas solves that problem. Router Tip #7: Save setup time making dados using this simple custom base plate. Router Tip #8: Do you get out-of-square edges when you’re cutting miter joints with your table saw? This tip will give you perfect miter joint edges every time! Router Tip #9: Squaring off the edge of a large top or panel can be impossible on a table saw because of the size. Find out how to do it perfectly with your router. Router Tip #10: Does your router sled sometimes produce misaligned joints? Find out how to make your sled more rigid so that your rails and stiles line up perfect. Router Tip #11: A table saw is great for many jobs. Cutting tenons on long boards isn’t one of them. This simple set up is ideal for cutting longer tenons. Router Tip #12: Avid woodworkers often have several baseplates for their routers that make different jobs quicker and easier. When making your own baseplate, use this trick to easily align the router baseplate holes. Router Tip #13: This tip will improve your router templates by giving them a safe contact surface on the template for the router bit. Router Tip #14: There are many different ways to level off plugs used to cover screw holes. This way uses your router and a custom router baseplate. It makes screw hole leveling super quick. Router Tip #15: Large table router bits can be intimidating to work with. Take the worry out of it by creating a box fence with a clear top. Genius! Router Tip #16: Tear out on a curved piece can be very frustrating. Use this sandwich clamp idea to make it safer and allow you to cut along the wood grain. No more tear out! Router Tip #17: Make a quick, no-fuss, mortising jig using some clamps and a plunge router bit. A rapid fire list of 17 Woodworking Router Tips!