▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR MORE RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS VIDEO▼ *Tools used in this video:* -The cool compact router I had on the bench that I know people will ask about: amzn.to/3zaraum (Not sponsored, just a handy little plunge router that I love.) ★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★ -Castle Pocket Hole Machines castleusa.com/ *Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!* (If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission) *Other relevant links:* -More videos on our website: stumpynubs.com/ -Subscribe to our e-Magazine: stumpynubs.com/browse-and-subscribe/ -Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/ -Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/ ★SOME OF MY FAVORITE CHEAP TOOLS★ -123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij -Mechanical Pencils: amzn.to/2PA7bwK -Lumber pencil: amzn.to/2QtwZjv -Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9 -Irwin Drill Bit Gauge: amzn.to/2AwTkQg -Nut/Bolt/Screw Gauge: amzn.to/2CuvxSK -Self-Centering Punch: amzn.to/2QvbcrC -Self-Centering Bits: amzn.to/2xs71UW -Angle Cube: lddy.no/10nam -Steel Ruler: lddy.no/10mv7 -Utility knife: amzn.to/3nfhIiv -Center-Finding Ruler: lddy.no/10nak -Bit & Blade Cleaner: amzn.to/2TfvEOI -Digital depth gauge: amzn.to/3mwRf2x -Wood Glue: amzn.to/3mqek6M -Spade Bits: amzn.to/3j8XPtD
I'm pretty sure i remember while reading the manual that came with my palm router, it informed me to let the router carry the cut and to basically go in the direction of the cut, as this would ensure you didn't go too fast or too slow.
Great video. For anyone programming a CNC for wood cutting, climb cuts are almost always the way to go. It help to reduce heat on the bit from dust bogging in the cutter and you get a very nice cut if you use the correct feed rate for your RPM, cutter size, and flute number. Just make sure to have the piece secured enough to handle the torque on the workpiece.
I got my first router less than a year ago and I was terrified of using it because it was so powerful and compact. But yes, thank goodness these type of videos exist to make me feel better and more confident using it.
I don't typically leave comments on videos unless something impresses me about either the presenter, or the quality of the work/project/technique. In this case, I felt it necessary to express to "Stumpy"/James how impressed I was with this presentation and perfect explanation of proper router technique. Like a tenured professor, James is on point with flawless teaching from his well honed craft. Simple, accurate and extremely helpful and practical are his videos. You won't find any obnoxious, over-puffed, bloviated filler as you see all over you tube, nor will James fail to be thorough in his presentation. Hats off to you sir, you have one dedicated subscriber here. Keep up the fantastic, most-helpful work.
For newbies to hand held routers: Until you've got plenty of experience with the tool, ALWAYS push against the cutter, just as you would a circular saw blade. If you lack the confidence with the tool and attempt climb cuts, it may just get away from you and, _best case scenario_ , will only scare the heck out of you. It's no exaggeration a router is the tool requiring the firmest yet simultaneously loosest grip of all power tools. Don't be afraid of it, just don't get cocky ;)
Thank goodness for this video. It was finally time for me to pay attention to this…some of my scariest moments with any tool have been from careless climb cuts on the router table
I am a new woodworker and I never heard of the rule of thumb method for routing. Thank you for explaining that. It makes it SO much easier to remember.
Hey UA-cam land....LISTEN to the man. On 12.19.21 I took the top of my middle finger off on my router table. I was feeding correctly but for a split second when repositioning the bit caught the workpiece in a climb cut direction and sucked my hand into the router bit. My hand was at least 6 inches away and it still got it. Just a split second finger gone. GREAT content !!!
What an excellent video! When I got my first router in 1969 Black and Decker was kind enough to cast an arrow on both sides of the base as a gentle reminder for the feed direction. Since then, I always took a Sharpie and drew arrows on the base of the router or the top of the router table. I use a straight tailed arrow and a curved arrow. Straight tail always indicates the direction of a push cut. A curved tail indicates the rotation of the bit. That has made things simple for me. You bring up an excellent point about taking light cuts. Gentle cuts. I wonder how many people don't know that several light (and even feather light) passes eliminates most burns on the wood. Best Wishes To You for a Healthy, Happy 2022!
The "rule of thumb" always works (whether you do free hand routing or on a router table)... Your index finger indicates FEED DIRECTION... With free hand, you feed the machine while on a router table, you feed the workpiece... I hope this will make the concept easier to understand for some of your viewers. Thanks James for a fantastic video as ALWAYS! 👍🖐️
Have several routers and have been using them for years, with no accidents, the trick is in knowing there is nothing safe about a router, but this is all good info for new users, GJ Stumpy.
One of those videos I wish I could give more than one thumbs up. Very well explained and something that is easy to get confused even for experienced woodworkers. Thanks!
Dad had us do quite a bit of edge work using molding planes by hand before we were allowed to use a powered router. By hand you can really feel what the cutter is doing and easily recognize when going with the grain vs against the grain and which is most appropriate. Many of those planes couldn't be reversed because of the profile so many light passes were required to get an acceptable result. I recognize that most people don't have access to molding planes, but it really helps to understand what that cutting edge is doing before putting power between the hand and the cutting edge. What's most important overall is to maintain full control of the router and with a firm but gentle hand in both directions let the cutter do its work.
Thanks for settling this debate James. I haven’t seen the earlier video you referred to, but this one was clear, and easy to understand. You’re a great teacher. I’ll remember the thumb & index finger guideline. Sincerely, supremely satisfied subscriber.
Spiral solid carbide help greatly in climb cutting. It is imperative in some curved sections to prevent blow out of grain. Your cautionary approach makes your video excellent!
I have been making my head hurt trying to find UA-cam videos to understand how to route in the right direction. You’ve just explained it with clarity and brevity. Thank you SO much!!!
Being a machinist for 44 years, it works the same as machine tools. The force of the material and the force of the cutter meet head on. My only issue starting woodworking was to quit trying to measure everything so precise. I would sometimes beat myself up over 1/32”. Wood is much more forgiving than metal.
Excellent! Clamp the piece firmly -- always. Hang on tight, don't let the router take charge. Do that every time and you won't have to think if it's a climb cut. If the wood is questionable or the cut deep, make a thin test cut, and then small bites. Only work on the side facing you if possible. Stuck collet? Rap the nut lightly but sharply perpendicular to the shaft with a wrench or similar.
When doing a climb cut to avoid tear out I start an inch or so from the end of the board and cut back just that inch, then go forward another inch and cut back towards the first cut. Thus I can work my way along the edge an inch or so at a time making it much safer as the bit doesn't have a chance to gain traction. I hope that makes sense!
@@DieselRamcharger What @Cyril Heslop describes is breaking a long climb cut into multiple short cuts. He says he starts an inch from the end of the board and climb cuts towards the end. Then he backs up so that he's two inches from the end of the board and climb cuts towards the end again. Repeat at three inches from the end, four inches, and so on. Sounds reasonable to me.
I’ve had a workpiece fly out of my hand at the router table. Template routing a curve and not minding the change in grain direction. Almost got my hand. But the workpiece flew right into my project table top and had to be done over due to impact damage. Lessons learned that day, the hard way. This tip is valuable! Great content!
Excellent, clear, useful, good advice without histrionics. This was a great refresher for me and I wish I had seen a similar video when I started out with the router years ago.
James - You always have safety first, as should we all - and your explanations are easy to understand and always on point and interesting. Easily the best woodworking site out there. Thank You!
I was trying to some wooden utensils based on existing ones as a router template. Using a flush trim bit with bearing, I ended up splitting the grain as I rounded the curve, and wrecking my work piece. This video helps me understand what actually happened, when the split piece turned into a projectile (away from me, thankfully). Thanks for the video, you definitely go above and beyond to explain the science behind things, and I appreciate the always relevant measures toward safety.
You really do a great job with these safety/skill tutorials about power tools. Your other content, like the tour of the pseudo-Shaker chest of drawers, is just as good, but for the short, focused instruction you provide here, you are really the gold standard in my book.
Thanks, I'm a beginner with the router but have a lifetime of experience with machines - so could feel the climb cut was less stable, but didn't know when and why to use it. This video was absolutely clear and now I know to be especially wary of the climb cut when I set up my router table. Brilliant teaching, Stumps.
This video is a good refresher if you haven't used your router in a while (like me). I cut a slot on the router table, which went fine. But when I went to widen the slot a little, I moved the fence closer to me, instead of further away, resulting in the back of the spiral bit wanting to do the cutting. The workpiece flew out of my hands to the left, and it snapped the bit off. Lesson learned!
In machining we use the terms conventional milling and climb milling. Push cut as you explain it is equivalent to conventional milling. Conventional milling eliminates the milling cutter pulling the work into the tool causing an unintended deeper cut "bite" as it takes up any backlash in the axis drive train. This can break a mill and/or damage the work piece. Woodworking has the same dynamics and you add grain tear out dynamics for more fun! There are simple rules to follow and you covered them adequately. Thank you for acknowledging that multiple dynamics affect the wisdom of choosing climb or conventional milling. In general climb milling with a hand held router or in the router table is far riskier than conventional milling.
I don't use my hand held or router table much, but when I do, I manage to spend the first 20 minutes spinning the router bit, then visually flipping over my workpiece, 2, 3, 7 times in my head...before finally giving up, going back in the house and cleaning the lint out of my dryer screen. This video was a great help. "Which way does the wheel want to go? -- Don't push it that way..."
as others have said, very good video and explanation. I've been using routers for 60 years or more, (yeah, since I was a teenager) I certainly learned from time to time that I was climb cutting. Yes, it can make for a serious mistake if you don't know what you are doing. But I've also heard from so many people that one NEVER wants to climb cut, which I totally disagree with. If I'm cutting anywhere near 1/2 the diameter of the router bit cutter, for sure I'd never want to climb cut, but when cutting less than 1/4 of the router bit diameter, then I might. (of course that depends somewhat on the diameter of the bit. LARGE diameter bits I might say much less still) I have found that normally I rout in the Non climb cut direction, but for a final pass, especially where the grain is easily torn, I rout IN the direction of climb cut. It makes for a smoother cut! Normally this is when I'm only cutting 1/8" or so with the router in that pass. Not every time, but when there is potential for tear out, and it is convenient for me, that is what I will do. I hold onto the router firmly, and often will go over the work twice.
Spot on! It's as if you were predicting what I was thinking as the video progressed! The only other thing I would have mentioned would have been about routing the end grain of a board. The right side corners with chip out when pushing.
Thanks, once again, for a great vid! I don't use my router all that much and always have to recollect the thumb rule. As you wisely suggest, this will be saved!
I just got a new router for Christmas and am looking forward to using it. You probably just saved me from ruining a project or worse! Love the channel. Many thanks and happy new year.
Thanks James, I hope you and yours have a wonderful Happy New Year. And looking forward to more great UA-cam videos. Thanks for all your efforts. Cheers, Tom
Thanks for another great video, your video always have the safest way of working with the equipment. The little tricks you add in make working with power tool a lot safer, can't wait to see your 2022 projects..
in school we're working mainly with climb cuts (against the direction of the cut) in the router tables, because the machines are so powerful they can pull the pieces and it's therefore a risk during operation just like you mentioned. We have a feeding machine that we MUST use when we're cutting conventionally (with the direction of the cut). With a CCW (right hand) rotation direction we're working mostly from right to left.
I always thought as for reading: Left to Right. If at the router table : inverse, right to left. Easy. I never understood the thumb rule UNTIL Stumpy explained it in this video. Finally I get the rule of thumb because Stumby said the extra word :” touch your thumb on the side you want to route”. Those extra words here and there is why Stumby is so good.
Thank you James for this video, very helpful! I never tire of your instruction. It's amazing to me how much knowledge you have about woodworking and your willingness to share that with others. Keep the videos coming!
I needed this video back in 2000. I was building an easel and routing sliding dovetails in a router table you're going the wrong direction. I have five little scars on my left thumb to prove it
Not exactly on topic, but I cut a ton of carbon fiber with a cut-off wheel die grinder, and I usually climb cut. One reason is that if the cutter grabs, you can allow the grinder to rise up and away from the work, rather than down (it tends to rotate away from the work with your wrist or hand being the pivot point). Another reason is that it directs the flow of dust and chips away from your face. it may be more risky, and take more of a practiced hand, but after years of doing it (on some very expensive work) it's worked well for me. as for routers on carbon fiber, it doesnt seem to matter much which direction you are going. maybe because we use abrasive bits rather than cutting bits.
This really helps to clarify how to use a router. A trick that I use is that it is a drill that only turns clockwise, except that it isn't a drill of course.
One of my early mistakes happened one day while I was using the router table to cut chamfers on some half by half material. I had no idea which direction to feed my stock through until the tool ripped the piece from my hands threw it against the far wall with so much force that I'm sure it could have cracked a rib. I've been very careful about router feed direction ever since.
Well explained Often I'll use a short (< 1") climb cut at the first corner of an edge to prevent the bit from grabbing the end grain of the adjacent edge.
climb cutting, I learned the hard way while trying to route some aluminum with a 3/4" by 1/4" shank straight bit......conventional is the way to go, but a very light climb cut will give a better finish on a final cut....at least if you are routing aluminum.....great video Dr. Nubs....cheers from Florida, Paul
James, thank you SO much for everything!! ❤ Being a new woodworker, I just took screenshots of 7 of the diagrams and printed them out to hang in my workshop! And at 3:28 : "Thump-rules", like this one, they're just genius! (And I also get a lot of great advice from reading the comments 👍 Good people attract good people!) PS: It might sound a bit weird if I also took one of James pointing at me, so I'll not tell you if I did! 😁 But IF I did, his friendly face would also be an inspiration to "get to work" - and a "Hmm... Now James is looking at what I'm doing, what would he advise me to do, and NOT do, right now??" before I dig into the piece of wood! 🤓 All of you: Stay safe and creative, and treat others the way you want others to treat your loved ones ❤
this is super, super helpful. i'm really glad i discovered this channel-you provide clear, succinct explanations and do so in an engaging and concise manner. thank you!
Bloody superb as always! Thank you for clear and simple explanations and diagrams! Wishing you a prosperous and year of full health to you and your loved ones!
I had a router (1970's,) when I was new to using those things, that would eventually allow the bit to work it's way down and out of the collet no matter how much it was tightened and locked in. I had to use a light climb cut in a couple of passes before pushing it in the normal direction so it wouldn't take too big a bite. I got a pretty good touch at it and thought that was normal.
A climbcut pushes the cutter out of the work and a conventional (push) cut, in the work. That is why finer freehand work seems more controllable using a climbcut. Great video.
Whenever I am using my handheld router, I start the motor with the bit about an inch away from the workpiece, then slowly move the router toward the workpiece until the bit starts cutting. I can feel which direction the router wants to pull, so then I know to push it the opposite direction. I will sometimes climb cut only *after* push cutting around a corner to clean up any small tear-outs or burn marks from the original push cut. Also, when I finish a cut, I move the router and bit away from the workpiece without lifting the router, turn the motor off, wait until the bit completely stops, then lift the router. Yeah, it takes longer, but I think it's safer. I've made enough scary mistakes to know that I need to minimize any chances of really hurting myself. I follow the same procedure of not moving the workpiece until the bit/blade stops with my miter and table saw as well. In fact, my owner's manual for my miter saw (Makita) recommended doing it that way, and I thought it made a lot of sense, so that's what I do all the time. I'd rather work a little slower and be a little safer. I know others might have a different opinion.
Thanks for this. Preparing to build a pair of Tower speaker cabinets from 3/4" Red Oak and will need to use a router for some of it. Not a tool I have a lot of experience with and I need to cut circles with recesses for the speakers and round off the edges of the cabinets so they look less boxy. I'm more of a carpenter than a cabinet maker so I need all the help I can get. Thanks for the video! : )
I had this conversation with a certain female woodworking UA-camr a while back. She insisted that grain direction was the 'only' consideration. Even after explaining, while trying my hardest not to patronize, she still held on to her view that grain direction was the one and only factor. I must admit, I still have to think about it sometimes. You have hand held with the bit pointing down. Table mounted with the bit pointing up. Inner edges with possibly four different directions when machining a void. You mentioned mortices - is a blind dado always a mortice? - which is another time I have to stop and think. Which is the right direction for the first cut when the bit has full contact on both sides, and you are mainly trying not to wander away from the fence. You have no choice but to be move in both directions if you have to initially plough into the slot away from the end stops and then machine up to the end stops. I tend to take my time and not be too greedy in that situation.
Thanks for a great video! I've always had to really think about which way to go with the router, now with your "rule of thumb" trick it makes it easier. Also now know about climb cuts and when they can be beneficial, learned so much from this short video.
Thanks again James. In the wood room I teach kids that "router table + climb cut = crossbow", just not one you can aim. I'll add "eats your fingers" to that adage. :-) Happy New Year
Saved for future reference, thank you for your continued informative and interesting videos. Wishing you and your team a Very Happy New Year. May 2022 be a great year for you. 🎉🎉
My router is the one power tool that I am always maintain a healthy level of caution when using. Basically it scares the shit out of me - but in a good way. I'm never complacent. Also, thank you for this video, I always knew right away the direction I should be using the router, but never knew the terms "push cut" and "climb cut"
The Router in the header led me here, thinking it was a computer related. Good thing that I also have a router tool. Good videos, makes sense, the direction of cutter will make a difference.
This also applies to a CNC machine which really is an automated router. Most software will automatically determine the direction of the cuts so they are a push cut, but as mentioned, sometimes you might want to change the tool path, if the software allows it, so it is a climb cut. I see people discussing tear out, say when using pallet wood, and getting into this huge thread about what end mill is needed to solve the problem when just a change in direction may solve the issue.
maybe it was deemed to complex for this tutorial to mention but with a power-feed you can operate both a router table in reverse-feed situations AND a shaper with the motor reversed. I bring this up simply because setting a definite rule with someone when they're first learning the basics may restrict their thinking in later, more advanced scenarios. My growth as a woodworker has at times been stunted by my mentors telling me "...always...never..etc" when as I've gained experience I have discovered that in woodwork there is always a way to do something and it's very likely you already have the tools. I should add that I do very much enjoy your method of teaching and practice!
Thank you James, your focus on education, with simple and professional diagrams, with a clear narrative, gives great clarity to your presentation. Very enjoyable all round. I am learning about routing with a Festool OF1200 and the Festool router table. There seems to be a lack of educational videos on how to do freehand routing, and how to effectively use the locating pin, which is used to pivot the wood against the router bit. Would you consider a brief tutorial presentation on this topic, with some practical demonstrations. Not necessarily on Festool, as I think many other router tables also make provision for a “pivot pin”. Not sure of the correct name but I am sure you get my meaning. Thank you for consideration of this request.
▼EXPAND THIS SECTION FOR MORE RESOURCES RELATED TO THIS VIDEO▼
*Tools used in this video:*
-The cool compact router I had on the bench that I know people will ask about: amzn.to/3zaraum (Not sponsored, just a handy little plunge router that I love.)
★THIS VIDEO WAS MADE POSSIBLE BY★
-Castle Pocket Hole Machines castleusa.com/
*Please help support us by using the link above for a quick look around!*
(If you use one of these affiliate links, we may receive a small commission)
*Other relevant links:*
-More videos on our website: stumpynubs.com/
-Subscribe to our e-Magazine: stumpynubs.com/browse-and-subscribe/
-Check out our project plans: stumpynubs.com/product-category/plans/
-Instagram: instagram.com/stumpynubs/
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-123 Blocks: lddy.no/vpij
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-Pocket Measuring Tape: amzn.to/2kNTlI9
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-Self-Centering Punch: amzn.to/2QvbcrC
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Go Leafs Go
Happy new year Stumpy, thank you for all you share
The way I picture direction is to visualize a clock. An inside cut goes clockwise like the clock hands. An outside cut goes counterclockwise.
I'm pretty sure i remember while reading the manual that came with my palm router, it informed me to let the router carry the cut and to basically go in the direction of the cut, as this would ensure you didn't go too fast or too slow.
Great video. For anyone programming a CNC for wood cutting, climb cuts are almost always the way to go. It help to reduce heat on the bit from dust bogging in the cutter and you get a very nice cut if you use the correct feed rate for your RPM, cutter size, and flute number. Just make sure to have the piece secured enough to handle the torque on the workpiece.
As someone just getting started, I am so grateful for these types of videos that clearly explain how to be safe in complex situations. Thank you.
I got my first router less than a year ago and I was terrified of using it because it was so powerful and compact. But yes, thank goodness these type of videos exist to make me feel better and more confident using it.
I don’t use my router often, however this is a simple way to cut more safely. Greetings from Maine.
I don't typically leave comments on videos unless something impresses me about either the presenter, or the quality of the work/project/technique. In this case, I felt it necessary to express to "Stumpy"/James how impressed I was with this presentation and perfect explanation of proper router technique. Like a tenured professor, James is on point with flawless teaching from his well honed craft. Simple, accurate and extremely helpful and practical are his videos. You won't find any obnoxious, over-puffed, bloviated filler as you see all over you tube, nor will James fail to be thorough in his presentation. Hats off to you sir, you have one dedicated subscriber here. Keep up the fantastic, most-helpful work.
Was going to comment something to the exact same effect. Perfect delivery of useful content.
Amen, friend!
Agreed
Best tutorial I've ever seen for router usage. I saved it before you even suggested. Thanks James.
That rule of thumb is a pretty great way to remember! Thanks friend.
For newbies to hand held routers: Until you've got plenty of experience with the tool, ALWAYS push against the cutter, just as you would a circular saw blade. If you lack the confidence with the tool and attempt climb cuts, it may just get away from you and, _best case scenario_ , will only scare the heck out of you. It's no exaggeration a router is the tool requiring the firmest yet simultaneously loosest grip of all power tools. Don't be afraid of it, just don't get cocky ;)
Thanks James. There's no one better at explaining techniques than you. Your videos are never confusing and I appreciate them .
Thank goodness for this video. It was finally time for me to pay attention to this…some of my scariest moments with any tool have been from careless climb cuts on the router table
This guy is always a sane and practical lesson.
I am a new woodworker and I never heard of the rule of thumb method for routing. Thank you for explaining that. It makes it SO much easier to remember.
You are a legend! But you are humble, which makes you even more a legend!!!
Hey UA-cam land....LISTEN to the man. On 12.19.21 I took the top of my middle finger off on my router table. I was feeding correctly but for a split second when repositioning the bit caught the workpiece in a climb cut direction and sucked my hand into the router bit. My hand was at least 6 inches away and it still got it. Just a split second finger gone. GREAT content !!!
What an excellent video! When I got my first router in 1969 Black and Decker was kind enough to cast an arrow on both sides of the base as a gentle reminder for the feed direction. Since then, I always took a Sharpie and drew arrows on the base of the router or the top of the router table. I use a straight tailed arrow and a curved arrow. Straight tail always indicates the direction of a push cut. A curved tail indicates the rotation of the bit. That has made things simple for me. You bring up an excellent point about taking light cuts. Gentle cuts. I wonder how many people don't know that several light (and even feather light) passes eliminates most burns on the wood.
Best Wishes To You for a Healthy, Happy 2022!
And light passes not only eliminate most burns on the wood, but they're safer, and they make for cooler bits, making expensive bits last longer.
Great tip
The "rule of thumb" always works (whether you do free hand routing or on a router table)... Your index finger indicates FEED DIRECTION... With free hand, you feed the machine while on a router table, you feed the workpiece... I hope this will make the concept easier to understand for some of your viewers. Thanks James for a fantastic video as ALWAYS! 👍🖐️
Have several routers and have been using them for years, with no accidents, the trick is in knowing there is nothing safe about a router, but this is all good info for new users, GJ Stumpy.
Nothing better than seeing these. More people who learn from the top down will not be climbing into an ambulance.
Cheers and Happy New Year to all!
Love the “Rule of Thumb” tip!
Thanks for sharing these valuable tips!
One of those videos I wish I could give more than one thumbs up. Very well explained and something that is easy to get confused even for experienced woodworkers. Thanks!
You and Norm Abrams agree on this. I learned from him years ago from his show and I agree with both of you. Great lesson!
Dad had us do quite a bit of edge work using molding planes by hand before we were allowed to use a powered router. By hand you can really feel what the cutter is doing and easily recognize when going with the grain vs against the grain and which is most appropriate. Many of those planes couldn't be reversed because of the profile so many light passes were required to get an acceptable result. I recognize that most people don't have access to molding planes, but it really helps to understand what that cutting edge is doing before putting power between the hand and the cutting edge. What's most important overall is to maintain full control of the router and with a firm but gentle hand in both directions let the cutter do its work.
Thanks for settling this debate James. I haven’t seen the earlier video you referred to, but this one was clear, and easy to understand. You’re a great teacher. I’ll remember the thumb & index finger guideline. Sincerely, supremely satisfied subscriber.
Spiral solid carbide help greatly in climb cutting. It is imperative in some curved sections to prevent blow out of grain. Your cautionary approach makes your video excellent!
I have been making my head hurt trying to find UA-cam videos to understand how to route in the right direction. You’ve just explained it with clarity and brevity. Thank you SO much!!!
Being a machinist for 44 years, it works the same as machine tools. The force of the material and the force of the cutter meet head on. My only issue starting woodworking was to quit trying to measure everything so precise. I would sometimes beat myself up over 1/32”. Wood is much more forgiving than metal.
Best video for a long time! Best advice: try first on a bit of scrapwood under so safe and controlled environment as possible!
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Excellent!
Clamp the piece firmly -- always.
Hang on tight, don't let the router take charge. Do that every time and you won't have to think if it's a climb cut.
If the wood is questionable or the cut deep, make a thin test cut, and then small bites.
Only work on the side facing you if possible.
Stuck collet? Rap the nut lightly but sharply perpendicular to the shaft with a wrench or similar.
When doing a climb cut to avoid tear out I start an inch or so from the end of the board and cut back just that inch, then go forward another inch and cut back towards the first cut. Thus I can work my way along the edge an inch or so at a time making it much safer as the bit doesn't have a chance to gain traction. I hope that makes sense!
when you climb cut you conventional cut. got it.
@@BTW... read what he said again.
Don't you end up with rough spots between where all of the different one inch work sections are?
@@DieselRamcharger Sorry if you didn't get what I said, I can't think of another way of putting it.
@@DieselRamcharger What @Cyril Heslop describes is breaking a long climb cut into multiple short cuts. He says he starts an inch from the end of the board and climb cuts towards the end. Then he backs up so that he's two inches from the end of the board and climb cuts towards the end again. Repeat at three inches from the end, four inches, and so on. Sounds reasonable to me.
I’ve had a workpiece fly out of my hand at the router table. Template routing a curve and not minding the change in grain direction. Almost got my hand. But the workpiece flew right into my project table top and had to be done over due to impact damage. Lessons learned that day, the hard way. This tip is valuable! Great content!
Excellent, clear, useful, good advice without histrionics. This was a great refresher for me and I wish I had seen a similar video when I started out with the router years ago.
James - You always have safety first, as should we all - and your explanations are easy to understand and always on point and interesting. Easily the best woodworking site out there. Thank You!
Excellent job on explaining an important part of router safety. Thanks.
THANK YOU for making this tutorial!! It cleared up several points of confusion that I had after trying to learn this from several other sources.
I was trying to some wooden utensils based on existing ones as a router template. Using a flush trim bit with bearing, I ended up splitting the grain as I rounded the curve, and wrecking my work piece. This video helps me understand what actually happened, when the split piece turned into a projectile (away from me, thankfully). Thanks for the video, you definitely go above and beyond to explain the science behind things, and I appreciate the always relevant measures toward safety.
Thank you for always making me a better woodworker James. You're amazing! Live long and prosper, especially in 2022.
You really do a great job with these safety/skill tutorials about power tools. Your other content, like the tour of the pseudo-Shaker chest of drawers, is just as good, but for the short, focused instruction you provide here, you are really the gold standard in my book.
Thank you for the refresher on this, I actually printed your diagrams out years ago and keep them near by when Im routing
Thanks, I'm a beginner with the router but have a lifetime of experience with machines - so could feel the climb cut was less stable, but didn't know when and why to use it. This video was absolutely clear and now I know to be especially wary of the climb cut when I set up my router table. Brilliant teaching, Stumps.
The “hold out your right thumb and pointer finger” moment definitely triggered a lot of electrical engineering/physics students 😂😂😂
Thanks again Jim - Good advice, well presented; "Stumpy Nubs - the most reliable addition to your shop!"
This video is a good refresher if you haven't used your router in a while (like me). I cut a slot on the router table, which went fine. But when I went to widen the slot a little, I moved the fence closer to me, instead of further away, resulting in the back of the spiral bit wanting to do the cutting. The workpiece flew out of my hands to the left, and it snapped the bit off. Lesson learned!
In machining we use the terms conventional milling and climb milling. Push cut as you explain it is equivalent to conventional milling. Conventional milling eliminates the milling cutter pulling the work into the tool causing an unintended deeper cut "bite" as it takes up any backlash in the axis drive train. This can break a mill and/or damage the work piece.
Woodworking has the same dynamics and you add grain tear out dynamics for more fun! There are simple rules to follow and you covered them adequately. Thank you for acknowledging that multiple dynamics affect the wisdom of choosing climb or conventional milling. In general climb milling with a hand held router or in the router table is far riskier than conventional milling.
@@BTW... St. Louis, MO
Thanks, Jim! Your talks on safety are invaluable.
I don't use my hand held or router table much, but when I do, I manage to spend the first 20 minutes spinning the router bit, then visually flipping over my workpiece, 2, 3, 7 times in my head...before finally giving up, going back in the house and cleaning the lint out of my dryer screen. This video was a great help. "Which way does the wheel want to go? -- Don't push it that way..."
Another great video and an important one. I now really understand the cuts a router can make and when to use which! Thanks James!
as others have said, very good video and explanation. I've been using routers for 60 years or more, (yeah, since I was a teenager) I certainly learned from time to time that I was climb cutting. Yes, it can make for a serious mistake if you don't know what you are doing. But I've also heard from so many people that one NEVER wants to climb cut, which I totally disagree with. If I'm cutting anywhere near 1/2 the diameter of the router bit cutter, for sure I'd never want to climb cut, but when cutting less than 1/4 of the router bit diameter, then I might. (of course that depends somewhat on the diameter of the bit. LARGE diameter bits I might say much less still) I have found that normally I rout in the Non climb cut direction, but for a final pass, especially where the grain is easily torn, I rout IN the direction of climb cut. It makes for a smoother cut! Normally this is when I'm only cutting 1/8" or so with the router in that pass. Not every time, but when there is potential for tear out, and it is convenient for me, that is what I will do. I hold onto the router firmly, and often will go over the work twice.
Thank you for breaking this down. I hope many would-be stumpy nubs are never brought into existence thanks to this video.
This newbie to router use greatly appreciates your video on the subject
Excellent overview! Nice to clear up a lot of confusion on climb vs. push cut and when to use them. Well done!
One of the most stacked shops I've seen! And you know how to use them, this helped me alot!
Spot on! It's as if you were predicting what I was thinking as the video progressed!
The only other thing I would have mentioned would have been about routing the end grain of a board. The right side corners with chip out when pushing.
Thanks, once again, for a great vid! I don't use my router all that much and always have to recollect the thumb rule. As you wisely suggest, this will be saved!
I just got a new router for Christmas and am looking forward to using it. You probably just saved me from ruining a project or worse! Love the channel. Many thanks and happy new year.
Thanks James, I hope you and yours have a wonderful Happy New Year. And looking forward to more great UA-cam videos. Thanks for all your efforts. Cheers, Tom
Excellent video. Never felt comfortable using a hand held router but liked it in a table. Will give it a go. Thanks.
Thanks for another great video, your video always have the safest way of working with the equipment. The little tricks you add in make working with power tool a lot safer, can't wait to see your 2022 projects..
This video does a much better job of explaining this subject than your previous one. Thanks James and Happy New Year to you and your family.
in school we're working mainly with climb cuts (against the direction of the cut) in the router tables, because the machines are so powerful they can pull the pieces and it's therefore a risk during operation just like you mentioned. We have a feeding machine that we MUST use when we're cutting conventionally (with the direction of the cut). With a CCW (right hand) rotation direction we're working mostly from right to left.
Thank you for giving us all these nice tips and tricks. This makes perfect sense, thanks for clarifying.
Another great video, thanks, these types of videos are so making my woodworking safer and better.
I always thought as for reading: Left to Right. If at the router table : inverse, right to left. Easy. I never understood the thumb rule UNTIL Stumpy explained it in this video. Finally I get the rule of thumb because Stumby said the extra word :” touch your thumb on the side you want to route”. Those extra words here and there is why Stumby is so good.
Thank you James for this video, very helpful! I never tire of your instruction. It's amazing to me how much knowledge you have about woodworking and your willingness to share that with others.
Keep the videos coming!
I needed this video back in 2000. I was building an easel and routing sliding dovetails in a router table you're going the wrong direction. I have five little scars on my left thumb to prove it
Not exactly on topic, but I cut a ton of carbon fiber with a cut-off wheel die grinder, and I usually climb cut. One reason is that if the cutter grabs, you can allow the grinder to rise up and away from the work, rather than down (it tends to rotate away from the work with your wrist or hand being the pivot point). Another reason is that it directs the flow of dust and chips away from your face.
it may be more risky, and take more of a practiced hand, but after years of doing it (on some very expensive work) it's worked well for me.
as for routers on carbon fiber, it doesnt seem to matter much which direction you are going. maybe because we use abrasive bits rather than cutting bits.
This really helps to clarify how to use a router. A trick that I use is that it is a drill that only turns clockwise, except that it isn't a drill of course.
One of my early mistakes happened one day while I was using the router table to cut chamfers on some half by half material. I had no idea which direction to feed my stock through until the tool ripped the piece from my hands threw it against the far wall with so much force that I'm sure it could have cracked a rib. I've been very careful about router feed direction ever since.
Well explained Often I'll use a short (< 1") climb cut at the first corner of an edge to prevent the bit from grabbing the end grain of the adjacent edge.
climb cutting, I learned the hard way while trying to route some aluminum with a 3/4" by 1/4" shank straight bit......conventional is the way to go, but a very light climb cut will give a better finish on a final cut....at least if you are routing aluminum.....great video Dr. Nubs....cheers from Florida, Paul
James, thank you SO much for everything!! ❤
Being a new woodworker, I just took screenshots of 7 of the diagrams and printed them out to hang in my workshop! And at 3:28 : "Thump-rules", like this one, they're just genius!
(And I also get a lot of great advice from reading the comments 👍 Good people attract good people!)
PS: It might sound a bit weird if I also took one of James pointing at me, so I'll not tell you if I did! 😁
But IF I did, his friendly face would also be an inspiration to "get to work" - and a
"Hmm... Now James is looking at what I'm doing, what would he advise me to do, and NOT do, right now??"
before I dig into the piece of wood! 🤓
All of you: Stay safe and creative, and treat others the way you want others to treat your loved ones ❤
Thanks for keeping it simple. As a newbie, this is the type of info I cherish.
this is super, super helpful. i'm really glad i discovered this channel-you provide clear, succinct explanations and do so in an engaging and concise manner. thank you!
Great tips James! Thanks for making this less confusing!
I want to get a router so I can start building hobby guitars and this video is exactly what I needed to see. Thank you!
Thanks for yet another practical and useful video. I need to enhance my router skills and this should help.
Bloody superb as always! Thank you for clear and simple explanations and diagrams! Wishing you a prosperous and year of full health to you and your loved ones!
Thanks James! Sure appreciate all of your knowledge and willingness to share with everyone!
Happy New Year to everyone!!
Only wood sensed youtuber that I actively follow well done Dr. Nubs
the rule a thumb is nice, I always like confirmation (two references), this helps. this is so easy, why I am confused by it is a mystery. thanks!
oh my word where has this video been since i started wood working. thank you!!!
Another useful, accessible and exceptionally well thought out and conveyed video. Thank you kindly!
I had a router (1970's,) when I was new to using those things, that would eventually allow the bit to work it's way down and out of the collet no matter how much it was tightened and locked in. I had to use a light climb cut in a couple of passes before pushing it in the normal direction so it wouldn't take too big a bite. I got a pretty good touch at it and thought that was normal.
Hi James. Brilliant as usual. All the best for the new year and here’s hoping for a healthier 2022 for us all. 🌞
A climbcut pushes the cutter out of the work and a conventional (push) cut, in the work. That is why finer freehand work seems more controllable using a climbcut. Great video.
Whenever I am using my handheld router, I start the motor with the bit about an inch away from the workpiece, then slowly move the router toward the workpiece until the bit starts cutting. I can feel which direction the router wants to pull, so then I know to push it the opposite direction. I will sometimes climb cut only *after* push cutting around a corner to clean up any small tear-outs or burn marks from the original push cut. Also, when I finish a cut, I move the router and bit away from the workpiece without lifting the router, turn the motor off, wait until the bit completely stops, then lift the router. Yeah, it takes longer, but I think it's safer. I've made enough scary mistakes to know that I need to minimize any chances of really hurting myself. I follow the same procedure of not moving the workpiece until the bit/blade stops with my miter and table saw as well. In fact, my owner's manual for my miter saw (Makita) recommended doing it that way, and I thought it made a lot of sense, so that's what I do all the time. I'd rather work a little slower and be a little safer. I know others might have a different opinion.
Thanks James. It’s always good to hear and re-hear this info.
Thanks for this. Preparing to build a pair of Tower speaker cabinets from 3/4" Red Oak and will need to use a router for some of it. Not a tool I have a lot of experience with and I need to cut circles with recesses for the speakers and round off the edges of the cabinets so they look less boxy. I'm more of a carpenter than a cabinet maker so I need all the help I can get. Thanks for the video! : )
I had this conversation with a certain female woodworking UA-camr a while back. She insisted that grain direction was the 'only' consideration. Even after explaining, while trying my hardest not to patronize, she still held on to her view that grain direction was the one and only factor. I must admit, I still have to think about it sometimes. You have hand held with the bit pointing down. Table mounted with the bit pointing up. Inner edges with possibly four different directions when machining a void. You mentioned mortices - is a blind dado always a mortice? - which is another time I have to stop and think. Which is the right direction for the first cut when the bit has full contact on both sides, and you are mainly trying not to wander away from the fence. You have no choice but to be move in both directions if you have to initially plough into the slot away from the end stops and then machine up to the end stops. I tend to take my time and not be too greedy in that situation.
How does it matter what that other person has dangling between their legs for the topic of the conversation?
@@Engineer9736 I hope it's not dangling. Lol. That would be a sight.
This content is just too good man, congrats and thank you.
Thanks for a great video! I've always had to really think about which way to go with the router, now with your "rule of thumb" trick it makes it easier. Also now know about climb cuts and when they can be beneficial, learned so much from this short video.
Those graphics are very helpful for newbies to routers, like me. Thanks!
Yep, a similar principle applies when milling in a machine shop. Especially when using older equipment.
Thanks again James. In the wood room I teach kids that "router table + climb cut = crossbow", just not one you can aim. I'll add "eats your fingers" to that adage. :-) Happy New Year
Saved for future reference, thank you for your continued informative and interesting videos. Wishing you and your team a Very Happy New Year. May 2022 be a great year for you. 🎉🎉
My router is the one power tool that I am always maintain a healthy level of caution when using. Basically it scares the shit out of me - but in a good way. I'm never complacent. Also, thank you for this video, I always knew right away the direction I should be using the router, but never knew the terms "push cut" and "climb cut"
your videos are very relaxing, I fell a sleep every time! keep up the good work
The Router in the header led me here, thinking it was a computer related. Good thing that I also have a router tool. Good videos, makes sense, the direction of cutter will make a difference.
This also applies to a CNC machine which really is an automated router. Most software will automatically determine the direction of the cuts so they are a push cut, but as mentioned, sometimes you might want to change the tool path, if the software allows it, so it is a climb cut. I see people discussing tear out, say when using pallet wood, and getting into this huge thread about what end mill is needed to solve the problem when just a change in direction may solve the issue.
maybe it was deemed to complex for this tutorial to mention but with a power-feed you can operate both a router table in reverse-feed situations AND a shaper with the motor reversed. I bring this up simply because setting a definite rule with someone when they're first learning the basics may restrict their thinking in later, more advanced scenarios. My growth as a woodworker has at times been stunted by my mentors telling me "...always...never..etc" when as I've gained experience I have discovered that in woodwork there is always a way to do something and it's very likely you already have the tools.
I should add that I do very much enjoy your method of teaching and practice!
Thanks so much for the great video. As usual, great information presented in an understandable and professional manner!
Gracias por la explicación. Interesante y muy instructiva. Feliz año desde Galiza (Spain)
Thank you James, your focus on education, with simple and professional diagrams, with a clear narrative, gives great clarity to your presentation. Very enjoyable all round.
I am learning about routing with a Festool OF1200 and the Festool router table.
There seems to be a lack of educational videos on how to do freehand routing, and how to effectively use the locating pin, which is used to pivot the wood against the router bit.
Would you consider a brief tutorial presentation on this topic, with some practical demonstrations. Not necessarily on Festool, as I think many other router tables also make provision for a “pivot pin”. Not sure of the correct name but I am sure you get my meaning.
Thank you for consideration of this request.