# Directionally challenged



## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

When cutting grooves using a pattern or template, it seems that just about every router's manual has the little drawing telling you to cut with the right side of the base against the guide, going clockwise against an "inside" guide and counter-clockwise against an "outside" guide. This is completely opposite of the "right hand rule", and just about every video I see as well as my own experience tells me it's backwards?


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## BearLeeAlive (Mar 22, 2010)

That is correct Gene, as the cutting in the clockwise (looking down) direction of the bit will pull the router into the template. Often with some tough grains, doing a climbing cut (the opposite direction) will minimize tear out, and a final pass to clean things up the recommended direction will result in a smoother cut.

I have not heard of the 'right hand' rule.


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## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

BearLeeAlive said:


> That is correct Gene, as the cutting in the clockwise (looking down) direction of the bit will pull the router into the template. Often with some tough grains, doing a climbing cut (the opposite direction) will minimize tear out, and a final pass to clean things up the recommended direction will result in a smoother cut.
> 
> I have not heard of the 'right hand' rule.


Thanks for the reply Jim. Not sure though which you are saying is "correct", the manuals or pretty much everybody else lol.

I don't have linking priveleges yet, but if you look at the thread "Feed Direction, Complicated" in this sub forum, post 18 has an illustration of the "right hand rule".

Thanks again


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## xvimbi (Sep 29, 2009)

I am looking at the manual for my Bosch 1617, and it has such a diagram (Fig. 15). Indeed, moving the router around the outside of a work piece is shown in the counter-clockwise direction, and moving it around an inside opening is shown in the clockwise direction.

To me, both do correspond to the right-hand rule. When the thumb point towards the fence, the index finger tells the direction of router feed.

So, I don't quite know what kind of diagrams you are looking at. Can you clarify?

Cheers! MM


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## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

xvimbi said:


> I am looking at the manual for my Bosch 1617, and it has such a diagram (Fig. 15). Indeed, moving the router around the outside of a work piece is shown in the counter-clockwise direction, and moving it around an inside opening is shown in the clockwise direction.
> 
> To me, both do correspond to the right-hand rule. When the thumb point towards the fence, the index finger tells the direction of router feed.
> 
> ...


Hmmmm...I found a copy of your manual and it does show exactly what you said.....*but* look at the next page - it shows exactly the opposite in the next drawing :blink:


Here's what a Craftsman manual shows, my Ridgid manual has a drawing similar to this as well:










This does not pull your router into the guide, it is opposite of the right-hand rule.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

swampergene said:


> When cutting grooves using a pattern or template, it seems that just about every router's manual has the little drawing telling you to cut with the right side of the base against the guide, going clockwise against an "inside" guide and counter-clockwise against an "outside" guide. This is completely opposite of the "right hand rule", and just about every video I see as well as my own experience tells me it's backwards?


Hi Gene:

Actually, the right hand rule works, except your thumb is the router bit. Stick out your thumb. If the bit is facing up your fingers show the direction of the cut. If the bit is facing down, you'll have to invert your hand to see how the bit is going to cut. 

my 2 cents worth


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## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

allthunbs said:


> Hi Gene:
> 
> Actually, the right hand rule works, except your thumb is the router bit. Stick out your thumb. If the bit is facing up your fingers show the direction of the cut. If the bit is facing down, you'll have to invert your hand to see how the bit is going to cut.
> 
> my 2 cents worth


Hi Ron 

I do understand that, but most times when the right hand rule is quoted it is often included with something to the effect of "this will pull your router into the guide". In the Craftman illustration I posted, if you relaxed your grip on the router, it would walk away from the guide. 


I always set up my work like this for an "above the work surface" guide, template, or pattern:










or this for a "below the work surface" edge guide:


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi Gene:

Well, your Craftsman Fig 11 is as clear as mud but it covers the ground. Nothing much more can be said about it. I would daresay the person who wrote the manual definitely was an office type.



swampergene said:


> I do understand that, but most times when the right hand rule is quoted it is often included with something to the effect of "this will pull your router into the guide". In the Craftman illustration I posted, if you relaxed your grip on the router, it would walk away from the guide.


Gee you're pretty good. I can't even make that out in the drawing 8-(

Time to get my eyes checked -- again!

All I can say in my defense is that when I look at my right hand, my finger nails are the carbide tips of the bit and that's what's grabbing the material to be removed. If my finger nails are grabbing the wood, the fence or guide (whatever) better be there to slow me down. In your pictures, the fence is limiting the router's travel when it is on the left. When you're using a straight edge guide the pull against the router is, again, limiting the router's travel. Each picture shows the same action but with two different devices. 

Does this make sense?)


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## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

allthunbs said:


> Hi Gene:
> 
> Well, your Craftsman Fig 11 is as clear as mud but it covers the ground. Nothing much more can be said about it. I would daresay the person who wrote the manual definitely was an office type.
> 
> ...


Yes, and I think we are actually on the same page :yes4:

With a portable router, my thoughts are that like my pictures you use the "pull" of the router to keep it against the guide (or as you say to limit it's travel). This would mean that when standing behind and looking down on the router the guide should be to the left of the baseplate. I know the Craftsman pic isn't too clear but they show the opposite and even tell you to keep the guide to the right side. If my illustrations were drawn according to their manual, the vertical arrows would point down....the only thing keeping the router against the guide would be hand pressure against the router.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Feed Direction
http://www.routerforums.com/portable-routing/12131-feed-direction-complicated.html

=========


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

swampergene said:


> Yes, and I think we are actually on the same page :yes4:
> 
> With a portable router, my thoughts are that like my pictures you use the "pull" of the router to keep it against the guide (or as you say to limit it's travel). This would mean that when standing behind and looking down on the router the guide should be to the left of the baseplate. I know the Craftsman pic isn't too clear but they show the opposite and even tell you to keep the guide to the right side. If my illustrations were drawn according to their manual, the vertical arrows would point down....the only thing keeping the router against the guide would be hand pressure against the router.


Ok, hold on a minute here, we're making assumptions. (he who assumes is lost) We're assuming that they mean to use an edge guide or do they mean a fence? I wouldn't think they'd refer to a fence but since they provide an edge guide in the box, they must be referring to that. Boy this logic stuff can be taxing. IF, they're referring to the edge guide, it would make sense. However, if they were using a pattern or a fence, then it might be misconstrued. Worse yet if they were referring to a table mount :wacko:


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## swampergene (Feb 10, 2010)

allthunbs said:


> Ok, hold on a minute here, we're making assumptions. (he who assumes is lost) We're assuming that they mean to use an edge guide or do they mean a fence? I wouldn't think they'd refer to a fence but since they provide an edge guide in the box, they must be referring to that. Boy this logic stuff can be taxing. IF, they're referring to the edge guide, it would make sense. However, if they were using a pattern or a fence, then it might be misconstrued. Worse yet if they were referring to a table mount :wacko:


I would think that they are refering to a curve guide fence or template being that what they show is a curve being cut in the middle of a board. Very similar to what I'm doing actually in making slot car tracks...'cept to me, they're going backwards.

:jester:

I can even offer a simple example. If I were to route the first slot for this track using an inside template,










this is how I would do it:










Maybe not so simple as this is both an inside and outside template .


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Hi Gene, I'm with you. I interpret the Craftsman drawing the same as you did.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

Hi Gene:



swampergene said:


> See the right hand rule works. You're always pulling the router into the cut.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

allthunbs said:


> Hi Gene:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## sunrisejj (Jul 17, 2010)

very helpful post


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