# Router as a saw?



## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

I just got a plunge router. Would I be able to get a bit to make it cut shapes or block letters? Do something similar to a band saw?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Kay

Yes you can do that with a 1/8" or 1/4" plunge router bit but you would best off to use a scroll/jig saw for that job...you will need to cut out the center parts of some of the block letters...and it will take a template(s) most of the time with a router..

The items below comes with router bits 
http://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-12...ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1236382887&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-12...ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1236385359&sr=1-1
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kaymm2 said:


> I just got a plunge router. Would I be able to get a bit to make it cut shapes or block letters? Do something similar to a band saw?


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

kaymm2 said:


> I just got a plunge router. Would I be able to get a bit to make it cut shapes or block letters? Do something similar to a band saw?


Kay, most of the "sign-making" templates are used to carve the letters into flat stock of varying thicknesses. If you want to cut the outside profile of the letters, so they would be free-standing, you'd need templates that trace that outside line, and would be somewhat limited with respect to the thickness of the letter stock. The thin stock could, for example, be affixed to a scrap surface with double-sided tape (e.g. carpet tape), and then (carefully) separated from the scrap surface after the routing operation was complete.

For thick (over 1/2" or so), free-standing letters, a scroll saw is probably the better tool.


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

Okay thanks. I was hoping I could use the router as a way to cut out shapes like hearts, clovers, etc from 3/4 poplar or pine.

I have another question. How about lubricating the posts on the router? I notice it's a bit sticky. What kind of lubricant should I use that wouldn't gum up with the saw dust.


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## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

I have found STP Oil Treatment to be a great product to lubricate the posts on a plunge router. Go easy as a little drop is all you need.


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Kay and welcome to the forum. We are pleased to have you in the forum.


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

Thanks, I'm a complete newbie when it comes to routers. I watched the router workshop on PBS all the time when I was a kid. I remembered how amazed I was at the amount of stuff you can do with a router. So after 15 years, I got one. 

I have very limited tools in my garage. A circular saw, router and drill is pretty much all I have in the way of power tools.

I'm making a box and the ends have to be straight to fit exactly. I did it the first time by sawing and sanding but it just did not fit right. Always off by a few mm. I find a handsaw and circular saw very inaccurate to cut some 2"x8"x 3/4" pieces of wood. I can never get the ends straight. 

Could I rough cut with a power/hand saw and then use a flush bit on the router to trim the ends to the exact size so that it's straight and sits flush when I nail them together? Would that be the way to go with the tools I have on hand?


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## CharleyL (Feb 28, 2009)

Kay,

The best way that I've found to cut out letters and shapes is with a scroll saw, but don't buy the cheapest one as vibration and arm flex will produce inaccurate results. A mid range like the DeWalt and a fine tooth blade will give you huge amounts of pleasure and the edges of the cut will be so smooth that you won't need to sand much, if at all. You can even cut with the table angled and two pieces of thin wood taped together to produce a heart with a tapered edge that will perfectly fit into the resulting hole in the lower piece of wood.

You can trim the edges of boards with your router and a flush trim bit (one with a bearing on the end) by placing a straight edged board under your project board and positioning it's edge exactly where you want to trim the project board and clamp the two boards together and to the work bench. Set the router depth so that the bearing rides against this straight edge board and then make the cut. It's best not to tryto remove more than about 1/8" of material this way, but the result will be a very smooth edge on your project board.

CharleyL


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

Getting the ends of box boards precisely square and all the boards precisely the same (or, corresponding ) lengths is difficult, even with a good table saw. To do this, I use what is called a "shooting board" and a hand plane on its side. The shooting board is just a flat board with a lip on one end to hook on the edge of the bench, and what amounts to a fence at the far end. The plane rides on a ledge at one side. The trick is that the fence can be shimmed to provide a precisely square end. And, the plane removes only a shaving, so board lengths are easy to match precisely. Getting that sort of precision with a clamped-on guide for your router would be difficult.


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## woodnthings (Jan 30, 2009)

*If you have limited tools use what you do have.*

Kay, we all started small and some of us... grew and grew... as the story goes, but you can use your circ saw in a safe way to square ends of stock and crosscut other sheet goods this way. Start with a 24" x48" piece from the HD. add 1x2 strips for the long rails, Square up the short rails after mounting them to a 1/4" base. "plunge cut the saw into the 1/4" base and that's your cut line. A 1" hole at the far end will serve for looking at the mark to lineup your cut. This is alot like a wet tile saw in principle, but it keeps your fingers safely out of the way and the weight of the saw is supported fully. Sketch is a little "rough" sorry. bill

Your quote:I have very limited tools in my garage. A circular saw, router and drill is pretty much all I have in the way of power tools.

I'm making a box and the ends have to be straight to fit exactly. I did it the first time by sawing and sanding but it just did not fit right. Always off by a few mm. I find a handsaw and circular saw very inaccurate to cut some (2"x8"x 3/4") pieces of wood. I can never get the ends straight.
PS
First of all we generally refer to the 2"x8", or 2"x6" using this dimension first, then the length. A 1"x6" is actually only 3/4" thick by whatever length in feet usually. So to use your example a 3/4" piece measuring 2" x 8", to avoid confusion. I know it's already confusing since framing or construction lumber sizes are not really what they measure!
To answer your original question about making different shapes and letters look into a pantograph or router duplicator which traces existing shapes and duplicates them with a router. There was a link on this in another forum. it's:www.copycarver.com/ Don't know much about it tho!.bill


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

This is cool. I saw a "saw sled" today at the hardware store. It was about $50. It's nice to know I can make one myself. 

I have a 7-1/4 circular saw. Is 1-1/2 enough clearance? What kind of wood should I use for the sled? Is pine okay? Basically I'm making a poorman's mitre saw right? 

This will save me a lot of time!! Thanks.


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

Ralph Barker said:


> Getting the ends of box boards precisely square and all the boards precisely the same (or, corresponding ) lengths is difficult, even with a good table saw. To do this, I use what is called a "shooting board" and a hand plane on its side.


Like this? This is also interesting. I don't have a planer yet but if this lets me clean up some edges I might get one.


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## woodnthings (Jan 30, 2009)

kaymm2 said:


> This is cool. I saw a "saw sled" today at the hardware store. It was about $50. It's nice to know I can make one myself.
> 
> I have a 7-1/4 circular saw. Is 1-1/2 enough clearance? What kind of wood should I use for the sled? Is pine okay? Basically I'm making a poorman's mitre saw right?
> 
> This will save me a lot of time!! Thanks.


Kay see the "revised" Saw Sled in previous post. The saw must cut into the 3/4 base as well as the 2x6 work stop for a complete thru cut on your work piece,(see side view and end view), but don't worry that's ok. You must secure the work piece against the stop and hold it down securely, since the saw rotation is trying to lift the work off the table. 
That's why I recommended 1 1/2" space under the guide base. If you want to cut thinner stock say 3/4, just place another 3/4 stock on top to act as a hold down. The 1/4" sled base is just a suggestion, you may want to use 1/2" depending on your saw's depth of cut. You may not want to lower the blade fully either to prevent cutting into the table too far. This MAY be a bigger project than you are willing to tackle and at $50 the hardware store sled may offer other features. You be the judge.bill


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> PS
> First of all we generally refer to the 2"x8", or 2"x6" using this dimension first, then the length. A 1"x6" is actually only 3/4" thick by whatever length in feet usually. So to use your example a 3/4" piece measuring 2" x 8", to avoid confusion. I know it's already confusing since framing or construction lumber sizes are not really what they measure!


Thanks the info. I remember buying some 1x3x4 poplar. I measured it and it was 3/4" x 2-1/2" x 48".  Kinda weird. So they're actually not what they say it is. And they mix in inches and feet.


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

woodnthings said:


> This MAY be a bigger project than you are willing to tackle and at $50 the hardware store sled may offer other features. You be the judge.bill


The premade one was made of metal and had the option to do angle cuts. I think I might consider buying one now hehe. 

However, the shooting board seems like another nice jig to make. I can use the saw sled to make rough cuts and then the shooting board that Ralph suggested to trim the edges.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

kaymm2 said:


> Thanks the info. I remember buying some 1x3x4 poplar. I measured it and it was 3/4" x 2-1/2" x 48".  Kinda weird. So they're actually not what they say it is. And they mix in inches and feet.


Yep, the references are to the "rough" dimension prior to being surfaced to the dimension that you're actually buying, since you're being charged for the wood being removed in the planing process, too. You'll also see this being expressed in "quarters" - 4/4, 6/4, 8/4, etc., (read as four-quarter, six-quarter, etc.). Again, these refer to the rough dimensions cut at the mill. S2S (surfaced two sides) lumber loses 1/8" on each side, or 1/4" total.


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

This saw guide seems simpler to make. I think I can do this.


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## woodnthings (Jan 30, 2009)

Yes, Kay, These are definitely easier to make...but the(A) saw blade is always exposed and therefore a safety factor. I recommended the saw sled, since you were dealing with smaller pieces, and (B) you were "starting out" rather than an experienced woodworker. and (C) a circular saw is on my list of the more dangerous hand power tools for reason (A) and kickback potential. and (D) rarely but not out of the realm of possibility a small chip wedges the blade guard in the up position and not realizing it exposes a rotating blade. Experience has been my instructor for more than a few things! The long "ripping guide" in the photo is definitely a good idea however. Just support the work evenly, clamp, nail or screw the guide to the work piece so it can't move during the cut. And when making the rip guide the final cut on the guide will trim the bottom support to the cut line of your saw and the blade you use for that, and therefore is also the measuring or set-up line. More advice, best to you, bill


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## kaymm2 (Mar 6, 2009)

You do raise a good point. I'm always edgy around my circ saw. Safety is my #1 concern. With a sled, could I lay it on the ground and cut my pieces or would I still have to put it on a bench? In my case I have an imitation workmate. 

I'll see if I can build one myself. But the hard part for me would be to having all the pieces line up accurately. I just might buy one. One of the things I do most is cross cutting and i'm never accurate.




woodnthings said:


> Yes, Kay, These are definitely easier to make...but the(A) saw blade is always exposed and therefore a safety factor. I recommended the saw sled, since you were dealing with smaller pieces, and (B) you were "starting out" rather than an experienced woodworker.


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## Ralph Barker (Dec 15, 2008)

kaymm2 said:


> Like this? This is also interesting. I don't have a planer yet but if this lets me clean up some edges I might get one.
> 
> [photo of shooting board]


Yep, exactly. The key is to make the front edge of the fence such that it can be shimmed to achieve exactly 90°. That often takes a little testing to get it exactly right.

The nice thing about getting a good plane (or, several over time) is that will also introduce you to the wonderful world of _sharpening_, since virtually none of them come sufficiently sharpened from the factory.


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