Wood Router

An Overview

If you're thinking of building your own woodworking shop, one of the things your eventually going to want to have is a wood router. The woodwork router one of the most useful and versatile pieces of equipment your ever going to own. Wood routers are typically used for making a variety of cuts and patterns on the edges of boards. They also have uses for cutting trenches using a square or rounded router bit such as in stair building. Different wood router bits are available to allow you to do some pretty amazing things.

Types Of Routers

There are two basic types of woodworking routers – fixed base and plunge type. You'll need to know the difference between the two before your buying decision, depending on the woodworking you intend to do. A plunge router allows you to adjust the depth of your cut while the router is running. This type of router is usually heavier and more expensive. The main advantage of a plunge router is being able to cut a bit deeper with each pass across the wood. The base is a sort of plunger mechanism that allows you to cut deeper as you place more pressure on the unit. The fixed base router is just what it sounds like, the base cannot be adjusted while the router is in use. Obviously, without the extra mechanism, the router will have less weight and is generally more affordable than the other type.

Woodwork Router Considerations

There are a few other things to consider before you choose a wood router. Obviously, no matter what, go for the best quality that you can afford. First you'll need to consider what type of projects you are going to be doing. Are you going to try and earn an income with your woodworking tools? If so, you'll want to spend a little more on something that can accommodate a wide range of different jobs, perhaps you should consider cnc wood routers. Also consider a router table as an addition.

 If you're going to use it only for personal use every once in a while, you may not want to make quite as big an investment. The amount of use you plan on getting out of your machine is a major factor in what type you will buy.

It may be a good idea to rent a wood router when you need one at first. This will give you an idea of the types of things you will be using it for and how often you actually need one. The last thing you want to do is purchase an expensive piece of equipment, only to let it lay around and collect dust because you never use it.