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Episode 3 of I Can Do That – Season 4 features one of my favorite tools in the shop – the router. While routers are great for adding round-overs and decorative edges to pieces of wood, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
It took me a couple years of woodworking before I really started to get comfortable with handheld routing (using a router without a router table), but two pieces of advice really helped me:
- Make multiple passes. It may take marginally more time, but you’ll increase your accuracy and the router will be easier to maneuver.
- Get a router with a plunge base. The first router I got was a fixed-based, 1-3/4 HP Porter Cable model. I used it to do round-overs and cut some chamfers, but it wasn’t until I purchased a plunge base for it that I started to reach for it more. The plunge base made the router more user-friendly and easier to adjust. Plus, it made stopped dadoes and grooves less harrowing. It was well worth the money I spent, and I haven’t reached for the fixed base since.
In this episode of I Can Do That, we talk routers and making two essential router joinery cuts: a dado and a rabbet. Plus, you’ll learn how to make circles and arcs with your router, too. Check it out!
