Do you sand after routing?
There isn’t only one right way; it depends on which you value more. If I were in your shoes, I would probably do the routing first, and then sand. Routing can sometimes leave burn marks on the work piece. Anticipating that, I’d probably go ahead and route first, knowing that I can sand to clean it up at the end.
Should you sand after routing?
Sanding a routed profile isn’t as easy as the flat areas, but a small sanding block made from soft foam can help fit the routed shape and make the job a little easier. Tim Inman: Sand those surfaces! The router will compress the surface fibers and “polish” them.
What causes the wood to burn when using a router?
Chris Marshall: If your router doesn’t haven’t have variable-speed control, it could be spinning the bits too quickly … and fast cutters held against wood equals heat buildup and burning. Try increasing your feed rate. The faster the cutter gets through the wood, the less heat it builds up.
How do I prevent burn marks on my router?
Make router burn marks disappear
- 1 Too much speed. Fast-turning large bits generate wood-searing heat.
- 2 Heavy passes. Take off no more than 1⁄ 8 ” of material with each pass—less on the final one.
- 3 Slo-o-o-ow pace. To avoid heat build-up, feed stock as quickly as possible without leaving chatter marks.
- 4 Dull bits.
Should you pull or push a router?
When looking straight down at the top of a router, the bit rotates in a clockwise direction. That means you should move the router from left to right, but—and this is important—that’s only true when the router is positioned in the middle between you and the workpiece.
Can you fix a plunge router to a table?
You can either fix the router in the plate with a few screws, or you can plug two fitting steel rods that are fixed in the table into the holes where the parallel guide is normally mounted (the holes are made for that purpose, so no worries there).