How clamp down long piece of wood to allow routing along its length?

[Helixfarm]

Hi all

Probably dumb question, but wanted to know how best to clamp wood to trestle table to allow me to run a hand held plunge router down its length. It is a 2.1m long piece of oak that will be a stile of a door and I need to cut a groove along its length so that I can insert the tongue of a T+G board into it. I went out and bought a track and guide for the router, but realised that I can only use that if the work piece is flat with the edge of the table. I am now thinking about buying a Zyliss Profi-King on EBay and clamping both stiles onto the long planks which form the table I am working on. I should then be able to balance the router on top of the two stiles and using a side guide, run the router the length of the wood. No doubt there is an easier way that I am not thinking about, so any advice would be very welcome. Thanks.

 

[TheUnicorn]

to clarify, are you routing the face or the edge?

 

[Deadeye]

Not completely understanding your setup. Are you trying to route your groove in the narrow edge of the board? If so, the safer, easier and cheaper solution is to buy a bearing-guided grooving cutter (hey dude!) and lie the board flat. The width of the board then supports the router.

https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Groovers_62.html

 

[Sideways]

Two tips to consider.
One is to use two lengths of the timber to give a wider surface for the router to sit on stably.
The second, and I can't promote this idea strongly enough, is to buy a set of long fence rods and a second side fence for your router. With the stock trapped between two fences adjusted to be a snug sliding fit, you can rout edge rebates or groove any face without the risk of a wobble ruining the cut.

 

[RobinBHM]

just clamp the 2 stiles together

if thats not enough then clamp some thicknesses of mdf or plywood to the door stile

sometimes screwing a length of timber across the router fence to make it one helps

the other thing is to have the stiles overlength and thus avoiding the router doing a wiggle as it gets to the end of the cut

 

[Tris]

Flip the whole thing upside down.

Use a stout piece of MDF and screw the router to it, plunge through the board and out to the required depth.
Turn the board over and clamp it to your trestles. Clamp on a suitable piece of 3x2 as a fence (measure carefully a few times, been there already)
Rout your oak carefully and steadily. Some DIY fingerboards can help keep things steady if needed

 

[Stevekane]

Clamping both Stiles together makes for a wider base and if you have access to a Workmate bench they are great for both clamping and securly holding jobs like this on edge, dont worry about the length or level, just get the pieces clamped in the workmate and you can clamp the outboard end together and prop it up on a trestle or bench.

 

[TheUnicorn]

if using the method mentioned by tris, ie a makeshift router table, you can screw one end of the fence to the table (making a hinge point) and the other end can be set to any angle (distance from router bit) and locked in place with a clamp, the fence doesn't need to run in parallel as it would for say a table saw fence. If that hasn't made sense search youtube for 'makeshift router table'

 

[Jacob]

You need a bench with a vice.
If just a table - clamp two blocks to the table and clamp the workpiece to them?

 

[Helixfarm]

Not completely understanding your setup. Are you trying to route your groove in the narrow edge of the board? If so, the safer, easier and cheaper solution is to buy a bearing-guided grooving cutter (hey dude!) and lie the board flat. The width of the board then supports the router.

https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Groovers_62.html

Thank you! I didn’t know those existed. Sounds like a good approach. I will buy one and experiment. Groovy!

 

[Helixfarm]

Two tips to consider.
One is to use two lengths of the timber to give a wider surface for the router to sit on stably.
The second, and I can't promote this idea strongly enough, is to buy a set of long fence rods and a second side fence for your router. With the stock trapped between two fences adjusted to be a snug sliding fit, you can rout edge rebates or groove any face without the risk of a wobble ruining the cut.

Thank you. I see Makita has a side fence with long rods. I will investigate to see if a second side fence can be purchased/made/attached.

 

[Helixfarm]

just clamp the 2 stiles together

if thats not enough then clamp some thicknesses of mdf or plywood to the door stile

sometimes screwing a length of timber across the router fence to make it one helps

the other thing is to have the stiles overlength and thus avoiding the router doing a wiggle as it gets to the end of the cut

Thank you. Very helpful. I feel I need to practice with some scrap wood as the oak is ver expensive and any wiggling at the end of the groove will be costly!

 

[Helixfarm]

Okay. Thank you. So, if I have understood correctly, this would be a makeshift table router (the bit sticking up out of the flat wood)? I would then push the oak stile along the bit to cut the groove. I assume I would need a groover type bit which cuts a groove to the side. May be a bit too technical for me at this stage but will have a further think. Thanks.

 

[Helixfarm]

Clamping both Stiles together makes for a wider base and if you have access to a Workmate bench they are great for both clamping and securly holding jobs like this on edge, dont worry about the length or level, just get the pieces clamped in the workmate and you can clamp the outboard end together and prop it up on a trestle or bench.

Thanks, yes, I have an old Black and Decker Workmate. I will experiment with it. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Jacob]

Okay. Thank you. So, if I have understood correctly, this would be a makeshift table router (the bit sticking up out of the flat wood)? I would then push the oak stile along the bit to cut the groove. I assume I would need a groover type bit which cuts a groove to the side. May be a bit too technical for me at this stage but will have a further think. Thanks.

If it's a small router (600w ish and light weight) you fix the workpiece and move the router.
If it's a big heavy one, (2kw ish etc) you might fix the router and move the workpiece, spindle moulder style.

 

[Helixfarm]

If it's a small router (600w ish and light weight) you fix the workpiece and move the router.
If it's a big heavy one, (2kw ish etc) you might fix the router and move the workpiece, spindle moulder style.

Thanks. Small, I am afraid. I will investigate moving the router approach.

 

[Helixfarm]

Flip the whole thing upside down.

Use a stout piece of MDF and screw the router to it, plunge through the board and out to the required depth.
Turn the board over and clamp it to your trestles. Clamp on a suitable piece of 3x2 as a fence (measure carefully a few times, been there already)
Rout your oak carefully and steadily. Some DIY fingerboards can help keep things steady if needed

Many thanks. I see I can get creative with this!

 

[Helixfarm]

if using the method mentioned by tris, ie a makeshift router table, you can screw one end of the fence to the table (making a hinge point) and the other end can be set to any angle (distance from router bit) and locked in place with a clamp, the fence doesn't need to run in parallel as it would for say a table saw fence. If that hasn't made sense search youtube for 'makeshift router table'

Many thanks. Will look that up on YT. Lots to be looking into.