# Push or Pull the router



## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

What is the opinion of other router users. 

(1) "When routing the edge and of the material with the use of the side fence attachment, Rout on the right hand side and push the router away from you".

or

(2) "When routing the edge of the material with the use of the side fence attachment, Rout on the left hand side and pull the router towards you".

I personally use method No 1

I would be interested in you opinion

Tom


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

I like to pull the router to me ,it seems to give me better controll,
Learning Herb


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

Hay Tom , Why don't some one make kits for people who are learning the router brass bushing way, Ithink that would be really cool .A person could buy a kit and make something , And the kit would tell and show you what bushing and how to use it , Don' you think that would be a neat idea,
Learning Herb


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Hiya Tom. Based on the fact that you cut from left to right free hand, method 2 would be indicated. I have seen Norm Abrahm cutting opposite to this with the explanation of less pull into the work. When using the fence as a guide is there a right or wrong way? This same question came up under cutting dado's and I suggested having the guide above the work and cutting left to right. My reasoning was your router is flipped and the cutter is rotating in the opposite direction compared to when it is table mounted. And table mounted routing is done from right to left.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Herb, its your lucky day! One of the best projects you can build is your own router table. To make life simple for beginers, Rousseau sells mounting plates, a template and guide bushing set, and a kit for centering your router on the mounting plate. Some double sided carpet tape, 4 small allen screws for leveling, a 1/2" straight cutting bit and you are ready to go. Installing the mounting plate into your table top is a breeze. If you have any doubts of the quality of these products, this is what was used on the New Yankee Workshop for 10 years. I think it would be great if Oak Park offered a similar kit for the vacuplate. The two piece guide bushing with the removeable collar takes all the guess work out for first time users. By the way, make sure you keep the template and guide bushing handy, you will be making tables for your friends before you know it!


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

Mike, I have a rockler router table, And been useing it for a long time ,I;m not bad when it comes to using the router with or with out the table,Have done a lot of routing work on it , But what I'm new at is brass bushings work, I need a lot of help with that,
Learning Herb


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

template tom said:


> What is the opinion of other router users.
> 
> (1) "When routing the edge and of the material with the use of the side fence attachment, Rout on the right hand side and push the router away from you".
> 
> ...


 Don't read..... I this is not what Tom was talking about
go on to the other follow-up messages......

Ed
 If I understand what you are asking it would be (1).

I've attached a drawing of what I think you are asking and the "A" = (1)

If this is not what you are saying then sorry I'm lost here.....

ED


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Learning Herb said:


> Hay Tom , Why don't some one make kits for people who are learning the router brass bushing way, Ithink that would be really cool .A person could buy a kit and make something , And the kit would tell and show you what bushing and how to use it , Don' you think that would be a neat idea,
> Learning Herb


It sure would Herb
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

reible said:


> If I understand what you are asking it would be (1).
> 
> I've attached a drawing of what I think you are asking and the "A" = (1)
> 
> ...


Ed 
From your drawing enclosed it is the exact opposite to what I am saying.
'A' shows the router being pushed whilst 'B shows the router being pulled.
In both instances they are wrong in my opinion as the cutter will have the tendancy to want to take the fence away from the edge.
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Learning Herb said:


> Mike, I have a rockler router table, And been useing it for a long time ,I;m not bad when it comes to using the router with or with out the table,Have done a lot of routing work on it , But what I'm new at is brass bushings work, I need a lot of help with that,
> Learning Herb


Herb
Have you had a look at my home page where you will find an article on the use of the brass bushing
Tom


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

aniceone2hold said:


> Hiya Tom. Based on the fact that you cut from left to right free hand, method 2 would be indicated. I have seen Norm Abrahm cutting opposite to this with the explanation of less pull into the work. When using the fence as a guide is there a right or wrong way? This same question came up under cutting dado's and I suggested having the guide above the work and cutting left to right. My reasoning was your router is flipped and the cutter is rotating in the opposite direction compared to when it is table mounted. And table mounted routing is done from right to left.


What you are saying is No 2 is correct????? 

No1 Will provide more pull into the work and give less tendancy for the fence to wander away from the side of the material.
Norm in my opinion is correct.
You ask.
When using the fence as a guide is there a right or wrong way? 

Yes.!!!!! The fence should be on the right hand side of the material and pushed away from you.

In each photograph it is clear that the router is being pushed from the operator. You are increasing the rigitity in your arms as you push (giving more control).
Pulling the router towards you you will decrease the rigidity.
Try it both ways and you will feel the pull away from the edge when you pull it towards you. (the wrong way). (Fence on the right hand side)

Fence on the left hand side will have the same effect the same effect Pulling it to you is ok pushing away from you will pull the fence away from the side of the material.

The cutter should always be 'Cutting into the material as you go'

If you were to try it both ways with a large cutter but please take care 
Tom


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Ok Tom. What you are saying is making sense to me now. With the fence on the right side I can see how the clockwise rotation would help pull the fence tight to the work piece.
When you go to cut a dado across a board, IE a cabinet end, you will use a clamped straight edge as a guide. Following the logic that you want the cutter to pull you towards your guide, it should be on the left side and you should be pushing away from you. Correct?


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

I guess I jumped the gun here...... If you are using a guide and using the convention that the feed direction is counterclockwise then the direction of cut is clear. The uncut wood will pull the router against the guide. This is a must if even part of the cutter is exposed.

In this case the router is held with both hands and away you go.... This is not what I pictured you to be asking...... sorry. And yes from the pictures I'm with what you said and how you are doing it.

For some reason I was thinking about another discussion at another time and place...... What I was picturing was something that I've seen done and tried myself. I am not saying this is the way to go but it does have some things going for it. If the cutter is fully engaged you can then cut "backwards" by holding the edgeguide (with attached fence) against the edge and support the router as the cut is made. This is what I pictured and what I displayed in my sketch..... The "A" is done with the push away from you movement, left hand pushing the guide against the edge and right hand guiding the router. This can only be done with an edgeguide....... and this is not the normal way of doing this operation.

Again I am sorry if I confused anyone.

Ed


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## thebig0 (Oct 24, 2004)

I use both, saves turning the wood around. 
See attached diagram.
regards, Lionel.


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

thebig0 said:


> I use both, saves turning the wood around. Attached a handy guide to stick on the wall.
> 
> regards, Lionel.


 How about a bit bigger image like 640 x 480?????? I can't see what the post looks like?????????? maybe it just my eyes..... to many hours looking at this computer screen

Ed


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

Tom ,No I haven't. Please post the web site and I'll take a look,I really have to find some way to learn this wonderful way to use the router. Thanks again.
Learning Herb


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

Tom ,What is your web site so I can take a look at it, I need some thing to try to teach me this great part of routing, Thanks again.
Learning Herb


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## cfm (Nov 4, 2004)

template tom said:


> What is the opinion of other router users.
> 
> (1) "When routing the edge and of the material with the use of the side fence attachment, Rout on the right hand side and push the router away from you".
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> ...


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## Learning Herb (Sep 11, 2004)

Tom What is your home page address.So I can check it out ,
Learning Herb


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## reible (Sep 10, 2004)

Learning Herb said:


> Tom What is your home page address.So I can check it out ,
> Learning Herb


 I'm not Tom but I did bookmark his page:
http://www.wa1.quik.com.au/tod/
so unless he changed it the last few days that should get you there....

Ed


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Thanks Ed
Tom


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

I have a tendency of using both methods.
I tend to stand in the middle of the workpiece and start pulling the router towards me then push it away as it passes the midway part.
I use whichever way feels right at that time.


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Dewy said:


> I have a tendency of using both methods.
> I tend to stand in the middle of the workpiece and start pulling the router towards me then push it away as it passes the midway part.
> I use whichever way feels right at that time.


 Dewy

That's got me guessing
Is it start or stand in the middle????
are you working on the external edge?
Tom


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

External Tom.
Anticlockwise around the outside of a piece and clockwise when working inside.


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## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

Sorry, missed the amin part of your question Tom.
I _stand_ in the middle and start at the end with endgrain so that any breakout will be covered up when the complete piec ehas been trimmed.


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

reible said:


> I'm not Tom but I did bookmark his page:
> http://www.wa1.quik.com.au/tod/
> so unless he changed it the last few days that should get you there....
> 
> Ed


I must apologise to everyone as I have lost my web page (not very good at computing) but should anyone like a copy of my 'Introduction to the use of Template Guides' I will forward a Copy (Adobe) if you email me
Tom


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## Julie (Sep 11, 2004)

You guys have confused me.
~Julie~


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Julie said:


> You guys have confused me.
> ~Julie~


Julie
It is safer to push the router rather than pull it. The cutter should always feed into the material. Routing outside of the material with such accessories such as the side fence attachment rout in a an anti-clockwise direction also with the use of cutters with bearings routing say the external edge of a table top for instance again rout in an anti-clockwise direction. 
When using template guides with a 'Male' template rout in an anti-clocwise direction pushing the router away from you. When routing with a template guide and using a 'Female' template rout in a clockwise direction again routing away from you. When routing small objects when using the female template it is possible that you will be pushing and pulling to complete say a small elliptical shape. This could also be the same when using a male template to rout say the external edge of the same trinket box. Greater care should be taken to control the router when pulling it towards you.
Tom


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