How to's
17 Woodworking Router Tips to Make Your Projects Easier
Posted by David Pickard on
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...
Fold Away, Bench Top and Floor Router Table Ideas
Posted by David Pickard on
DIY Router Tables Router tables provide a great way for woodworking enthusiasts to convert a potable router into an invaluable custom woodworking tool. You can do some awesome projects by mounting a portable router to a table and making it a stable and more permanent woodworking tool. Depending on the size of your router and the workspace you have available to you there are several options when choosing a router table. There are portable options as well as floor tables that will provide a more stationary function. Take into consideration type of projects you do and which size table will...
Clamping Rough Wood Stock
Posted by David Pickard on
If you plan on clamping rough wood stock together, you need to follow a few simple guidelines along with having the right clamps. With regards to the clamps, don't be fooled by those cheap bar clamps. If you apply much torque, the bar will bend and your clamping job will not produce tight joints. Purchase heavy duty bar clamps like the Jorgenson clamps shown in the picture on the left. You would be hard pressed to apply enough torque to bend the bar and with the twist clamp handles, it is easier to apply significant torque to produce...
Durable Work Surfaces
Posted by David Pickard on
Take a look at this shop-built miter saw table! Are you looking for a good durable work surface for your router table or miter saw table. Try covering it with Formica or a plastic laminate. This will give you a surface that will last decades and it is much more durable than melamine or a simple plywood or MDF surface. It is very simple to put Formica on a plywood or MDF. Simply apply contact cement to the surface and the Formica, let it sit for 15-20 minutes until it feels dry but tacky. Carefully, place the Formica on...
Router Table Extension
Posted by David Pickard on
Why do most table saws have an extensions on them but you very seldom see an extension of a router table or shaper cutter? A small table top on a router table makes it very difficult to manage a larger or longer workpiece often making it unsafe as well. Router table tops need to be large enough to support your work. This is the same reason extensions are added to table saws. If you are building your own router table, don't settle for the normal sized table. Add an extension similar to the router table in the picture or design...