1. 2012-03-01 04:57:12

   Poker Table #3 - Getting ready to route

   Say hello to my new friend, the Bosch 1617EVSPK Router.
   

   And the 1/4" by 1" Spiral Upcut router bit.
   

   I'll be using these to make all my cuts while building the third poker table. However, unlike the jigsaw I used for the previous tables, I can't really do any free hand cutting with the router. I have to have a guide for the straight cuts, and I needed to make a jig for the circular cuts.

   I happened to have an extra piece of 1/4" cut plywood around, so I'll be using that for the jig. I drew a line down the center of the plywood, then set the router centered over the line near the end of the board and marked the screw holes.
   

   I drilled the screw holes, then drilled out a circle in the center for the bit of the router to come through.
   

   Then I just had to insert the screws through the bottom of the board into the screw holes on the router. Here it is all mounted.
   

   Now that I had the router mounted, I wanted to do a test circular cut with it. I first needed to mark up the cut line for when I do the actual cut of the rail, so I know where the extra wood is that I can use for testing out the router. I have a hole drilled into this metal ruler on the 1" mark, and then the 25" mark, so I can trace out a 24" line.
   

   Now I measured out 24" from the bit of the router along the centerline of the jig and drilled a hole there.
   

   I used the metal ruler to mark a test cut line. Put the jig in place centered on the same spot, and I'm ready to make my first cut!!!
   

   The cut went super smoothly!!!
   

   I am really happy with the smoothness of the cut surface. This is definitely the way to go for a more professional looking edge.
   

   I'll need to do one more test cut before I'm ready to actually cut out the rail. The one thing I didn't do with my test cut was see exactly where on the line the jig ends up making the cut. The cut is a full 1/4" and the line is much thinner than that. I don't know that it matters all that much, as long as it is consistent, but I want to know.

   BDA

   Posted by BAllard at 2012-03-01 04:57:12

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