# Router table end grain jig - far too simple!



## PerranOak (11 May 2009)

So, I now have a router table - scary!

I made what I thouhgt would be a useful jig to rout end grain which was simply a board with a piece underneath to slide in the groove on the table.

All made-up, nice and square, firm in the groove, held the pice firmly against it and, hey presto!, it went bonkers!  

What happens it that as the bit hits the piece, it pushes it away giving a very non-square end! I can't seem to hold the piece firmly enough. 

I realise thatthis is too simple a jig but I wonder if I make something that the work piece rests on - so I could clamp it down - then the piece will no longer rest on the table surface. also, if the base it rests on is too thick, there will not be enough of the bit left above this to cut the piece.

Darn this complex stuff! Any comments welcome, please.


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## Chems (11 May 2009)




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## johncs (11 May 2009)

PerranOak":106ytvft said:


> So, I now have a router table - scary!
> 
> I made what I thouhgt would be a useful jig to rout end grain which was simply a board with a piece underneath to slide in the groove on the table.
> 
> ...




Close. 
Jeff has some good videos including this

That's a tablesaw sled, but something very like it would work on a router table.

There are other plans too, some simple, some complete. Google and Youtube are your friends.


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## OPJ (11 May 2009)

Sounds like this is due to the rotating action of the cutter, wanting to drag the board in. Always make sure your back fence is _behind_ the workpiece during the cut, for maximum support. Chems has found some good images there.


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## Chems (11 May 2009)

johncs":3o4kj3tj said:


> Jeff has some good videos including this



Get rid of that before the safety police arrive!


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## Dave S (11 May 2009)

In the short term, stick some abrasive paper to the face of the jig which contacts the workpiece - that will help prevent it from slipping. And take small cuts - that will help too.

Ultimately, a jig which clamps the workpiece, such as shown above, will be most secure.

Dave


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## mailee (11 May 2009)

I would agree with all of the above. I made a sled out of laminate for my table and added a toggle clamp and have had no problems with slippage. When making the jig move the fence to a position exactly parallel to the 'T' track and place some double sided tape on the sled carrier where it will meet the slider that runs in the track. This will then ensure it is at a true 90 degrees to the cutter. Then it is a simple matter of screwing or glueing the sled to the slider. Ensure that the right angle backing piece is behind the work as it is fed into the cutter and attach a toggle clamp to hold the work in place. HTH. :wink:


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## PerranOak (12 May 2009)

That's ace, thanks very much all!

I'll try the short-term fixes for now but I can see that I'll have to make a proper sled. However, these sleds are better quality than my actual projects - I still have a long way to go!

One thing still bothers me. How do you stop tear-out even with a fine sled?


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## Chems (12 May 2009)

Make sure you have a sacrificial piece of wood behind your workpiece so that breaks out and not what your doing. 

Have a look here http://www.woodworkingonline.com/category/podcast/ for good free videos, there are a couple on using router tables.


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## PerranOak (13 May 2009)

Chems":1ifdte4e said:


> Make sure you have a sacrificial piece of wood behind your workpiece so that breaks out and not what your doing.



Thank you (I'll look at those vidos too) but doesn't that mean that the sacrificial piece has to have perfectly flat and with exactly parallel sides otherwise it will not let the work-piece sit right!?


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## Chems (13 May 2009)

Bit of MDF should do it. I just use what ever scrap piece comes to hand.


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## johncs (14 May 2009)

Chems":3l05nspc said:


> Make sure you have a sacrificial piece of wood behind your workpiece so that breaks out and not what your doing.
> 
> Have a look here http://www.woodworkingonline.com/category/podcast/ for good free videos, there are a couple on using router tables.



Zero clearance insert. Basically, you make a replacement insert for the saw, and cut the slot by raising the spinning blade through it.

Again, Google is your friend.

<later>  
What was I thinking of? I'm sure you can use one with a router in some situations, but what I said really is for tablesaws.


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## PerranOak (14 May 2009)

Chems":1u5mfe4c said:


> Bit of MDF should do it. I just use what ever scrap piece comes to hand.


Hmm. I don't get that, must be a bit thick.

If the scrap is not square and you hold the workpiece to the square-edge of the sled then it will not be square on the table.

Thanks johncs but I don't have a table saw yet.


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## OPJ (14 May 2009)

PerranOak":ue7mg71s said:


> ...doesn't that mean that the sacrificial piece has to have perfectly flat and with exactly parallel sides otherwise it will not let the work-piece sit right!?



You are correct; your sacrificial piece also needs to be parallel along its length. If it isn't, however, then you should be able to slip some masking tape in behind to shim it out. :wink: That is, provided that you are securing it with screws coming through the back fence.


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## Chems (15 May 2009)

johncs":x93aharj said:


> Chems":x93aharj said:
> 
> 
> > Make sure you have a sacrificial piece of wood behind your workpiece so that breaks out and not what your doing.
> ...



I find it very odd when someone comes running in an gives a reply with out reading the rest of the thread. We are talking about routers not Table Saws.

Reading is your friend.


The reason I said MDF was because MDF is normally very flat from the off.


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## johncs (15 May 2009)

Chems":109t6t6j said:


> johncs":109t6t6j said:
> 
> 
> > Chems":109t6t6j said:
> ...


Calm down there, if you'd read the thread more closely you'd see I had read the thread.

It just didn't save me from becoming a little confused when I returned later.

I also discovered & adjusted my error before I saw your response.


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## Chems (15 May 2009)

:wink:


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