Here at Router Bench we are not too concerned about the brand of Router.  We are more concerned about the routers output and capability.  It is far better to use a cheaper brand of Router in your Router bench with more capability than a better brand with less capability.

The things to look at are the router collet size. This determines the size and range of Router bits you can use. A 1/4″router cutting bit can never be as good as a 1/2″ router cutting bit purely because of the strength of the shaft.  A 1/4″ router cutting bit is probably 50x as likely to bend than a half inch router cutting bit. This means that the type of projects you can tackle with the smaller shaft are limited in scope. I have seen quarter inch style and rail router cutting bits but never a quarter inch raised panel router cutting bits.

The next thing to look at is the power output. An underpowered router is not going to last in any usage at all.  Also beware of the “24 hour armature” It is told in the industry that DIY tools have a 24 hour armature because thats how long they last when any serious work is being done with them.  Always remember a DIY tool is engineered for use by a home owner who generally is believed to need to drill 3 holes a year with his drilling machine. The standards for a Router will also estimate very low usage. These machines are not designed to be run for a few hours at a time.

The next thing is the router speed. The higher the better. If the router is trying to spin a large router cutting bit like a raised panel cutter, It needs power and speed. The faster the cutter spins the cleaner the cut. Its simple mathematics. If you think about it the wood is far more likely to splinter and burn if the router is dragging.

Using a router bench it is a simple task to build own furniture. Before you accuse me of bad english, This article is being written to target the phrase “build own furniture” because statistically a large number of people search for it. So throughout this article I will replace build your own furniture with build own furniture.

Before you build own furniture you need to decide what it is you want to build with your router bench. You will need to draw up some plans, work out a cutting list and decide if you need to joint wood with your router. I will do a few articles over the next few days with some downloadable plans so that you can do a build own furniture project with your very own router bench.

A few ideas I have are a bookshelf, a simple coffee table with a glass inlaid top, a round lamp table made with mdf. We will also in the coming weeks design and build a router bench at home. When we start the process you will need a few supplies, To make it easy for you we will video the process as well.

Today I want to introduce you to what I consider the essential tools for any router owner. If you want to create Router magic in your workshop the following router tools are essential. I am going to break the router tools up into three categories. Absolutely essential. In my opinion without these the router is almost as useful as an Angle grinder in a wood shop.

Essential Router Cutting Bits

The first three router tools are bits. These three Router Cutting bits were always the most used in my workshop. I would have been lost without them.

1. The first Router Cutting Bit to buy is the 1/2″ straight Router cutting bit. This bit is used for everything from planing your timber to cutting shapes and circles. This is probably the staple Router Cutting Bit for most occassions. The bit is stable as it is not stepped and is extremely difficult to bend. I did see that happen once.
Get your 1/2 inch Straight Router Cutting Bit here

2. The Roman Ogee also known as the classical Router Cutting bit. The Roman ogee is the most popular shaping bit in the world. I am guessing if you have a classic wooden desk the style on the edge has a little lip and then rounded. That is the ogee. Finishing table tops in this traditional fashion is continued today.
Get your Roman Ogee Router Bit here

3. The Bevel or laminate trimming Router cutting bit is next. Bevelled edges need not be big, Just trimming an edge makes a cabinet side less harsh, less likely to splinter and easier on the eye.
Buy your Bevel Trim Router Cutting Bit here

Essential Router Jigs and Templates

4. Cutting the perfect round table top is easy with a circle cutting router jig. Cutting a perfect circle is nigh impossible with any tool but the router. A Circle cutting jig makes this a really simple task. Mount your router to the jig. Affix the jig to your workpiece, Start your router and cut. Dependant upon the thickness of your stock multiple cuts will be needed. Never cut more than about a quarter inch in depth at a time. Jasper 270J Model 270 Router Circle Cutting Jig

5. A Router edge guide is a way of ensuring absolute accuracy when trimming edges and more. Be very wary when purchasing an edge guide. The slightest wobble gives you a less than stellar finish. Check out the Porter-Cable 42700 Edge Guide

6. When you start making your own jigs a Router Template Guide Bush or two will be very handy. In essence your jig is always undersize for any items the need to be shaped externally. Lets say you want to make a jig for a rocking horses head. You would cut it slightly slmaller than your finished article. Select a guide bush that allows your cutter to pass through it and cut many shapes from the same template. I know a business that uses unskilled labour to cut the same components over and over from just such a jig. Check out this 7-Piece Router Template Guide Set Now

Router Bench and Accesories

7. Now Personally I consider this the most important part of the whole deal besides the actual router and the router cutting bits. My Router Bench is the one Router tool I could not do without in my workshop. Once you have worked with a router Bench you rarely unmount your router. I have designed and made many jigs for my router bench over the years. There are very few router operations that I do with a hand held router anymore. Buy the TD Industrial 10012 Heavy Duty Router bench today

8. The best investment ever made in my workshops was a Micro Adjustable Router Table fence. The adjustment is so fine that we were able to shave millimeters off of the timber when using the routerbench as a jointer. It is as simple as adjusting one part of the fence back 1/8th of an inch, using that half inch Router cutting bit and running the stock face down against the edge. Perfect preparation for joining to planks to make a board.Get your Micro-Adjustable Router Table Fence

9. A Router bench without hold downs is a ship without a rudder. The feather board has undergone some changes since I made my first one in 1986. They now come in various plastics that last way better than the wooden ones we made. Check out the ProGrip Feather Board Kit

and 10 I am going to leave up to you, Why don’t you tell me and the other visitors what your favourite Router Tool is in the comments.

I found this video on You Tube that I think is worth watching, Rather than using traditional featherboards on a router bench this guy has a unique idea that I believe has some merit

I am an ex cabinetmaker. I used to do Kitchens, bedrooms and even bathrooms. My workshop was very small and I was not in the position to purchase spindle moulders and the like. I grew to love my Router Bench. In my opinion a small woodworking shop without a router bench is not a place to work. In fact even a large shop with all the big equipment should have a router bench for developing new products.

The Router bench as a developmental tool

In the big shop when development of a new product is envisaged, shutting down the main equipment to setup for a one off job destroys productivity. Using a router bench on the other hand gives you a lot of flexibility. Changing cutters is a one minute job versus a 15 minute job on a spindle moulder. Router cutting bits are now readily available for most purposes. I have built complete pieces of furniture with little more than a router bench, a table saw and a thicknesser planer.

The Router Bench doubling as a jointing plane

The most important task when laminating table tops in solid wood is ensuring that your straight edges are straight. This job is normally reserved for the jointing or surface planer. An inexperienced operator may plane timber at a curve or even cut steps in the plane with a jointer. A Router bench correctly set up can eliminate these problems. The reason is that the boards can be planed side on placing the flat surface on the table. I will do a more in depth article about using the Router Bench as a Jointing plane in the near future.

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This site is live yet incomplete. The facts are that a lot of work needs to be done on this site about the Router bench. It is my opinion that the router bench is the most versatile tool in a small workshop. I know that when I am working in my workshop I could not do without my Router Bench.