# Seeking routing advice



## router king (Jun 9, 2016)

Hi,

I'm the proud new owner of an old Makita 3612BR router and I would like to start my very first small project.
Here's the situation: I have an 8x6.5" piece of over 100 year old walnut board, about 1" thick. The corners seem to be 90 degrees but one of the 8" sides it about 1/16" thicker than the other. On top of it, the piece is slightly curved. When it lies on a flat surface, the center shows a 1/16" hollow.
My question is, can I get it level with my router so it's perfectly flat? The final thickness is not critical, I can go down to 3/4". It may sound trivial to you guys but as a router newbie I don't know where to start.
Ed


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Ed.. if I guess right you want to flatten this piece and make the thickness uniform all the while removing a cup in the wood...

if so, you want a ski or on of Gaffboat's (aka Oliver) adaptable nifty guides...
let us know and we can carry on...
I believe a wide planer/straight/mortising bit is in your future...

.
















what you'll end up doing...

.


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## router king (Jun 9, 2016)

Wow,

That was a quick response. Those images makes a lot of sense to me, although I do not know what "ski or on of Gaffboat's (aka )liver) adaptable nifty guides" means. 
How is the board you are working on fixed to the bottom part of the jig?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

router king said:


> Wow,
> 
> That was a quick response. Those images makes a lot of sense to me, although I do not know what "ski or on of Gaffboat's (aka Oliver) adaptable nifty guides" means.
> How is the board you are working on fixed to the bottom part of the jig?


quick response...
musta been an accident...

a router ski...
for all intent and purpose the guy doing the routering is using a ski...
there are quite a few variations of them...
do a search here and you'll see what I mean...

Gaffboat's...........
the three bottom renderings are Oliver's design and if you study them they can be adapted to your mission...
hence Gaffboat's (aka Oliver) adaptable nifty guides" means.

the board that is being worked on is double stick taped or clamped down firmly and the router is moved about the surface of the board... that's not me BTW...

so can you answer the questions I had for you???
Ed.. if I guess right you want to flatten this piece and make the thickness uniform all the while removing a cup in the wood...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Gaffboat's (aka Oliver) adaptable nifty guides...

Visualize the red perpendicular boards that are to the top extending down to the table/bench and the jig carrying the router clear of your work piece...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Further to Stick's comments; if the Board's not lying flat on the work surface, ie it's rocking a bit, you might need to tuck shims under the two opposing corners that are causing the rocking.
The consequence of doing that is of course, once you've flattened the top side, you'll need to flip it over and redo the bottom...now the two faces will be parallel and of even thickness everywhere.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Gaffboat... (Oliver)
Router Forums - View Profile: Gaffboat

Coincidentally he's here, viewing a different thread!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> Gaffboat... (Oliver)
> Router Forums - View Profile: Gaffboat
> 
> Coincidentally he's here, viewing a different thread!


guess his ears aren't ringing yet....
make that burning...

@Gaffboat...


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Gaffboat... (Oliver)
> Router Forums - View Profile: Gaffboat
> 
> Coincidentally he's here, viewing a different thread!


Jeez! A guy can't have any privacy. So much for worrying about NSA spying, now I have to worry about the forum. Hmmm. Maybe I should wear a disguise while browsing. Let's see, dark welding goggles? Check. Shop apron on backwards? Check. Knit cap pulled down towards eyebrows? Check. Noise muffs in place? Check. Okay this disguise will work. Hey wait, I can't see anything and I've gone deaf. :help:


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

Gaffboat said:


> Jeez! A guy can't have any privacy. So much for worrying about NSA spying, now I have to worry about the forum. Hmmm. Maybe I should wear a disguise while browsing. Let's see, dark welding goggles? Check. Shop apron on backwards? Check. Knit cap pulled down towards eyebrows? Check. Noise muffs in place? Check. Okay this disguise will work. Hey wait, I can't see anything and I've gone deaf. :help:


Not only that, but you now look like Stumpy Nubs! So, cut it out.>


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Gaffboat said:


> Jeez! A guy can't have any privacy. So much for worrying about NSA spying, now I have to worry about the forum. Hmmm. Maybe I should wear a disguise while browsing. Let's see, dark welding goggles? Check. Shop apron on backwards? Check. Knit cap pulled down towards eyebrows? Check. Noise muffs in place? Check. Okay this disguise will work. Hey wait, I can't see anything and I've gone deaf. :help:


finish the compliment...
raid your wife's makeup...
get out you paint sprayer..
have at it till you don't know who you are...


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## 163481 (Jul 8, 2015)

I understand the concept of the sled but this image scares me a little. Reminds me of when I put a stick of reaction wood (didn't know it at the time) on the TS. The piece split lengthwise, both ends turned and bound (fortunately) the splitter and not the blade. Beginner's luck.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

it's quire safe done w/ a touch of common sense...
and you pay attention to what you are doing......


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

take a moment...

.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Lots of You Tube vids of router sleds in action (sled, skiis...pretty much the same concept).
The router is trapped in the sled. It can only slide back and forth in the channel. Just don't try and take off too much material with each pass.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

well maybe two moments...


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

All good suggestions but may I offer another. If you are new to routering and have a piece of board as valuable as the one you describe I would suggest practicing on a piece with less value before you tackle the walnut.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Garyk said:


> All good suggestions but may I offer another. If you are new to routering and have a piece of board as valuable as the one you describe I would suggest practicing on a piece with less value before you tackle the walnut.


Good suggestion Gary. T & G joints, rail and stile, and lots of other set ups should be perfected on scrap first and once you get it right you can save the scraps as dummy sticks to speed up the setup the next time you do it.


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## Bushwhacker (Jun 16, 2009)

Good idea Gary.


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## router king (Jun 9, 2016)

Guys,

Thanks for the huge response, overwhelming!
Stick, to answer your question, yes, you guessed right. I want to flatten this piece and make the thickness uniform all the while removing a cup in the wood.
I'll get one of those bits, build me that jig and start playing with some old pieces of wood until I get the hang of it. Then I do the real piece.

Thanks also for all those links. I'll download every single one of them.
Cheers, Ed


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Good luck with this, Ed! 
Above all else enjoy the journey; we've had some folks join, and absolutely make themselves nervous wrecks with worry that something won't be perfect.
Perfection is a long term goal (SWMBO says I'm not even close...  )


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> Good luck with this, Ed!
> Above all else enjoy the journey; we've had some folks join, and absolutely make themselves nervous wrecks with worry that something won't be perfect.
> Perfection is a long term goal (SWMBO *says I'm not even close.*..  )


you say that like you have a monopoly...


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## schnewj (Nov 18, 2013)

*Guess the "Warden" Has Your Number!*



DaninVan said:


> Good luck with this...
> Perfection is a long term goal (SWMBO says I'm not even close...  )


Bwahahahahhahahaha!


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

Stick486 said:


> it's quire safe done w/ a touch of common sense...
> and you pay attention to what you are doing......
> 
> Attached Thumbnails
> ...


I know there is lots of stuff going on behind the scenes here at RouterForums but these images and .pdf's posted [email protected] really need to made into a sticky thread easily seen by all, especially those who are new to the wonderful world of routering and new to RouterForums, and good for those who need an occaisonal reminder.


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## abrar (Aug 7, 2016)

*Router*

Your router is good you just doing easily


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