- The wood router is a simple and versatile tool used to cut and shape wood. It has a horizontal plane with a rotating shaft sticking out from underneath it. The shaft is powered by a powerful electronic motor that spins it rapidly. It has a sleeve called a collet, which holds in a router bit. There are many different kinds of router bits with different shapes for different purposes. The bit you use determines the sort of cut that the wood router makes in the wood.
- Routers are used on flat wood surfaces. The wood is usually braced in some sort of clamp to hold it still. Before using the router, a wood worker will draw the design to be routed on the wood. He may also attach another piece of wood to the piece he is working on to serve as a sort of guide rail for the router. By running the router along the guide rail, the worker can get exactly the design he wants without worrying about slipping.
- Wood routers are commonly used as a way to put fancy edges on tables and other furniture. The woodworker puts a curved bit in the collet and runs it along the edge of the table. This gives a uniform groove to the entire edge of the table. A router can also be used to make copies of a form. First, the wood worker uses nails to attach the original to a piece of wood. Then, she carefully runs the router against the new piece of wood, grinding it down until it has the same shape as the original. This is a straightforward way to get completely identical copies of a table leg or other shape.
