Safe way to cut stopped slots/mortises on the router table
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- You have to do a little thinking on this one......
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I liked the diagrams, makes things very clear.
very good tip indeed!
I have an example when I have to feed the piece on the router table from left to right.
1. I want to make a table top from 3 boards glued together.
2. I want to make sliding dovetail across these 3 boards, however the sliding dovetail in 2 outer boards will be half blind = stopped.
Then the stretcher will be slid into the dovetail prior to the glue up, thus making the end of the sliding dovetail stretcher invisible from the edges of the table top.
3. Middle board is not an issue because the sliding dovetail goes from end to end
4. One outer board can be fed from right to left with a stop block, to prevent the sliding dovetail end from showing at the edge of the board.
5. Another outer board has to fed from left to right to allow the dovetail bit slide into the piece.
Yes we could widen the "hole" starting the sliding dovetail to allow the dovetail bit to dive into the groove.
But if we know what to expect:
A. the piece wants to push away from the fence when fed left to right, so we can use featherboards to counter that.
B. the piece wants to shoot to the right, so we can use miter gauge in the router table T-slot, to "hold" the piece and move slowly from left to right.
Because I'm cutting sliding dovetail 2 inches from the ends of the long table top boards, their long edge is safely "held" / resisted by the miter gauge.
please let me know if you think this exception as described above is considered safe, or should we insist to use the stop block, and plunge into the starting point of the sliding dovetail, while "ruining its walls at the bit plunge entry area.
Thank you for explaining *why*. Having that understanding makes it easier to do the right thing in other situations.
If I may offer a suggestion: Raise the stop block. Look at the stop block 38 seconds into the video. See the sawdust building up at the bottom corner? That will keep your work from actually contacting the block - it will cram the sawdust against the block instead and your groove will be short (and the 2nd, 3rd and 4th cuts will only get worse). But wait, if you just raise the block, then a single clamp will allow it to rotate and contact won't be square to the work. Fix is simple: Use two clamps. Or, in a trick I learned some years ago, cut a small relief in the bottom 1" or so of the block giving the sawdust somewhere to go while the back half of the block stays tight to the table. As always, great video: simple to the point and sage advice.
Oh, and if you're making a through cut, use a smaller bit than your final groove and run it twice - once on each face. This guarantees a centered groove (but you knew that) .
....or route a toe space on the bottom face of the stop block and not fuss with squaring to the table.
James, this video was just what I needed. I’m new to woodworking and I’ve just spent loads of time making two boxes for Christmas presents. I’ve arrive at the stage where I need to insert hinges on each box. The hinges are located at the end of the short sides of the box, so I need to rout two slots on the top and bottom of each side. I was nervous about doing the left to right cut because of the horror stories I’ve seen on UA-cam. Your explanation was exactly what I needed to make my cuts. Thank you so much, you are quite brilliant. Peter
Very good explanation on how NOT to make the cut. Your visual aids were superb!!
Wow this was exactly what i was looking for. Thanks for confirming i was not overthinking stuff that actually DOES matter. I am making an LED light out of a wooden beam that needs multiple segments aligned. Getting the stop cuts by flipping the beams (front vs back side to the fence) will cause the grooves to misalign slightly, and it is really difficult to get the bit EXACTLY in the middle with my own made router table. The only problem is that the beam i'm going to cut is longer than my router table.... so i can't use a stop block like you showed. Since i need 3 or 4 passes, i kind of need some sort of hard stop/beginning. I'm still figuring out a solution for this
Thanks James, I knew from watching some of your previous vids, about the direction of travel on a router table, but didn’t know about the rotation of the bit pulling or pushing the workpiece, towards or away from the fence. The diagram really does help.🇬🇧
Always Very clear with your advice 👍👷🏻
Very nice, simple, clear graphics!!!!
The little things make all the difference. I appreciate these “little things” and even though I may not use the suggestions for awhile. The James Hamilton approaches help immensely as I create my own approaches to the world of wood. Thank you for sharing and teaching.
I try to always view your videos much of the topics you cover I’m aware of as I have learnt the hard way but it is very good to know the “why” behind it,that’s what you do so well.
Great and helpful diagrams here. Thanks!
Thank You For The Info!!! Much Appreciated!!! 🤔👍😎😃
You read minds?
80% of your tips, apply to my actual project; I love that.
Tanks a lot James
Thanks for this good tip regarding router bit rotation and the associated techniques.
I feel more confident when I can guess what you are going give as the best solution. Thanks for all of the great tips.
What a great technique! Absolutely valuable tip.
Great tip James. Thank you. Mike
Now all I need is a router table and a place to keep it. Great Video!!!!!
Always learn something here! Thank you!
Great lesson James, thanks for sharing it.
Great video, short and sweet, clear explanation and diagrams. What kind of person hits the thumb down on that!
James, once again you have come thru with excellent well thought out advice. Thank you so much!
Please consider making a video on the safe use of a starting pin on a router table. I haven't used the starting pin on my router table since I don't know the safe way to use it as simple as it seems. I have had scary moments with my router table going around curved profiles with a rounding bit where the wood gets grabbed by the bit and almost pulls my fingers into bit. I use push blocks with my router table but using the starting pin seems a little scary after my close call.
Thanks for the information James, good job.👍👍👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Smart, I would have not thought to do it like this
Thank you for sharing
Thanks for the diagrams and another great video!
Good advice, thanks James
Cool stumpy nubs u really make a lot of sense. weldon and thanks for sharing.
I always learn something here.....Great Job
As always great information. Stumpy your the man.
Simply brilliant. Thanks for share that tip!
I love your videos. I’m currently doing a project where I would like to make some mortises perpendicular to the long axis of my workpiece rather than in line as a standard mortise. My router table does have a miter slot. I was thinking of merely clamping the workpiece against the miter fence and moving right to left. Does that sound reasonable? Thank you. Reid
I have nothing to say really, but I appreciate your content, and wish to help with the yt-algorithms.
Always good advise. Thank you
Agree the best technique is to drop the piece over the bit. I disagree with using the push pad though. It is much easier and just as safe to hold the work piece to the fence with your hand while guiding it down. The bit is within the work as you lower it down. Of course it always helps to safer with a very shallow cut and take several passes. You can adjust the bit height and dial it in exactly.
Great tip. Thanks.
Muy instructivo este video. Un saludo
great as always! thanks again Stumpy!
Great advise, thanks
You could also make 2 cuts for each slot, one on each front and back face to ensure that it's centered no matter what, but that does require a smaller bit and some fiddly measurements to make a tight fit sooo.. pros and cons
If I was routing the slot the full length, two cuts would definitely be the way to go. But routing stopped slots on each end complicates it greatly.
I notice that your router table appears to have a T-slot. That allows you to use techniques more commonly used on a milling machine. Make a jig that fits in the T-slot to and will firmly hold your work piece along the lines of a vise on a milling machine table. Add stops at either the fence or in the T-slot to limit movement.
I inherited a pretty large milling machine when my dad passed away and I've been using it more and more for wood applications. I also use router bits in it for wood though for many straight or flat surfaces end mills are more efficient. Now if I were to do it over I would seriously consider a table-top mill-drill for my shop in place of a drill press. More expensive, but more versatile.
As usual, James lays it out, and shows you why. Only thing I would add: If you are trying to figure out a process for something, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS test on a scrap piece first. Think it through, decide on the best action, and then grab that scrap piece you milled exactly the same as your other project pieces and test it. What? You aren't making scrap pieces to test with? Always plan that in with your material calculations ...
Thank you for sharing! How does that then get affected by spiral bits - plunge with one direction I assume would pull the work piece down or push back against the plunge or does it not make a difference there?
It makes little difference in this situation
great video. I had this same problem the other day and decided just not to make the cut and do it differently. Is there any safe way to use a slot cutter or dovetail bit but cut a stopped slot on both ends like in this video?
I think you have to use the same technique - stop block and plunge - but there will be a lot of hand fiddling to get the inside of the joint fitted correctly (or close enough to get together) but the show surfaces can/will be clean - use the smallest diameter bit you can get away with. If its a low stress joint you could also cheat the ends with the tennon - just round them to the radius of the bit cutting the mortice (bandsaw, sander etc.)
Great info. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing that
"There are THREE ways to do it and two of them are bad ideas!" sounds like my old boss talking. He was very...wise! Oh, how is the new website and when will it be online?
Soon :)
Great tips!
Merci bcp!
Man, I don't have these expensive profile bits for door joinery frames. I have never tried but is it a good idea to shape a dovetail profiles for a small kitchen cabinet doors for example? If it is can you make such a video? I know that the dadoing will be extremely hard for such a joint but maybe installing some kind of back profile could fix it.
Hi
A good short video, I have tried to subscribe to your newsletter at least 5 times over 2 years and am still waiting to receive my first. Any tips on how I can actually get it?
I’m pleased I thought of that! 😀
76 and still learning.
Thanks for making the video. I won't waste Hard Wood Scraps again. 3 so far, ok. Scraps from 3 yrs ago. I know it's still money. lol
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😊👍
Can't argue with you there!
If I do a climb cut I have a feather board so the work stays pushed against the fence
But, what if you're using a dovetail bit?
Then I would use some feather boards to keep it against the fence while cutting left to right.
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