How to Use a Plunge Router the Right Way
Woodworking is a craft that has changed a lot over the thousands of years it has existed. Trees have stayed the same but woodworking practices and tools have changed drastically, especially the latter. One of the main tools used in woodworking today are routers.
These power tools help you mill and shape wooden workpieces and come in two different versions, plunge and fixed-base routers. The former is a more versatile solution as it allows you to move the base of the tool up and down which is why it's also a more popular wood router tool. It also works a bit differently than its more limited counterpart.
How to Use a Plunge Router
Get to Know
The first thing you need to do in order to use a plunge router properly is to get to know its parts and how it actually works. A plunge router is made up of a baseplate or soleplate, speed adjustment dial, motor, housing, collet nut, plunge release lock, depth adjustment rod and gauge. Most woodworking plunge routers have the above components while some also come with template guides and dust collection accessories.
Preparation
Before making the cut you need to set up your router accordingly which involves adjusting the tool's cut depth and bit speed. In order to make precise cuts with an electric plunge router you should tinker with the depth adjustment rod, just make sure the plunger release lock is unlocked. To set the bit speed you should use the speed adjustment dial for which you don't need to unlock anything. The speed and cut depth depend on the type of wood you're working on and its thickness.
Cutting
1. When the router is ready to be used and placed on the table you can start making cuts. This is done by plunging the router into the area you want to shape. Just make sure that you have full control over the router as you plunge in so that its movement isn't erratic and you get the desired result.
2. What you should do after having the router plunged into the workpiece is to steadily start moving it. Make sure to have your hand on the handle as you move the router according to what you want your workpiece to look like.
3. Avoid pressing too hard down or moving too fast, especially around corners and when making curves. Once the cutting is done, you should use a piece of sanding paper to smoothen out the sharp edges and give the uneven surface a more uniform look.
Uses of a Plunge Router
Mortising
With plunge routers, you can make mortises, all you need to use is an up cut spiral bit, a 1.5 cm guide bushing and combine a jig with a 5 mm spacer to keep the jig parallel to the workpiece. The scribed lines of the jig need to be centred on your mortise layout lines.
Circle Routing
To make a circle with a plunge wood router tool you need to make use of a trammel arm that can rotate around a fixed point on a workpiece. Also known as circle routing, it can help you cut out perfect circles without the need to use a saw.
Doweling
The same jig you use for mortising can be used for doweling but you need to bore two 1.5 cm holes. Multiple tops need to be made with different amounts of space between the holes that will match different setups. Using the jig requires setting it up the same way you would set it up for mortising and then making the holes to the depth you want them to be.
Stopped Dadoes/ Grooves/ Flutes
Also known as field cuts, making stopped grooves, flutes and dadoes simply requires you to use an edge guard or a clamp-on straightedge which needs to be made by the manufacturer of your electric plunge router. Just add stops on the ends and you're ready to go.
Inlay
A steady hand is what you need in order to make inlays but in order to prevent your hand from veering off you should make use of bearing-guided bits or guide bushings. You just need to make use of a kit that lets you make the shape of the inlet if it's for decorative purposes.
Sign-Making
The same steady hand goes for sign-making as it requires you to either sketch the lettering on the workpiece or use a sign-making system. The latter makes it easier but you still need to be careful even if the plunge base has a guide bushing.
Interior Pattern Routing
An electric plunge router allows you to make closed patterns in a workpiece's interior, all you need is a template that you need to follow in order to create the pattern. The use of either a top-bearing pattern bit or a guide bushing is also a must as well as a collet extension if you want to make cuts deeper than the depth the bit can reach.
