Post #777006 by Prikli Pear on Fri, Jun 16, 2017 11:02 AM

Thanks, Mauka! Yes, there's something to be said for the voyage of discovery. At the same time, knowing how not to do something before actually doing it cuts down on the amount of cursing and wasted lumber. Experience may be the best teacher, but it's also a cruel one! :wink:

I appreciate the kind words, Pidders! Using a router is simple to learn and just takes practice to master (not that I'm a master by any means!). One tip is to not put too much strain on the motor, that is, make multiple shallow cuts on repeated passes rather than one deep cut on a single pass. Bigger, more robust routers can handle the workload better, but small, cheap ones can burn out. My trim router's about as cheap as one can get, and I could feel it getting hot in my hand despite my cuts being only 1/8 of an inch deep. So I gave it a break every 10 minutes or so, which had the added benefit of averting cramps in my hand and back! Also, always use sharp bits. Dull bits cut slower, put more strain on the motor and leave shredded, fuzzy edges that you have to go back and sand down, meaning more work.