cutting a mitre slot in a router table?

[mike s]

hi
i am making a router table and i want to route a mitre slot parallel to the bit
my question is how far should it be from the bit?
thanks

 

[sparkus88]

Hi Mike it partly depends on how big the fence part of your mitre gauge is. On my router table I put the slot approx 4-5" from where bit would be. HTH

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

On mine I decided based on the fence of the mitre your using.

 

[Benchwayze]

The distance will depend on how much 'projection' from the mitre-guide you feel happy with. However, wherever you put the slot, it's going to be 'parallel' to the bit. Just as a fence or slot on a drill-table would be. I.e., your fence could be pivoted from just one end, as opposed to sliding from front to back, and it would still register accurately to the workpiece.

Or am I missing something?

John :?

 

[9fingers]

Hmm! Interesting geometrical problem - you want to make a line parallel to a point???

Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

Hmm! Interesting geometrical problem - you want to make a line parallel to a point???

Bob

Persicerly :wink:

:lol:

John :mrgreen:

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

I was thinking the same.

Make it parallel to the back edge of the table as that may very well be the edge you use to "sight" the fence parallel too.

As a rule you will not be using the fence when using a mitre, if so only the first few cm or so with an axillary piece to set the depth. Which basically means the channel need not be parallel to anything but is handy to be fare'ly to the fence or back edge when using feathers and so forth.

 

[Benchwayze]

Hud,

I did once think of having a circular table, when I saw a Video by Kelly Mehler. He used a 30 gallon oil drum, as a router table support, and I thought a circular table would be great! Ah well... The fancifulness of youth eh? :lol:

John

 

[mike s]

hi guys
thanks for the replies
ignoring the parallel bit, how far should the slot be from the table? 4 inches? 6 inches?
i dont have a mitre sled that will be suitable for the table so i will make a sled
how far is the mitre slot from the bit on your table?
thanks

 

[9fingers]

Following a demonstration at a woodworkers bash where the demonstrator showed how there was no need for a track in his opinion, I made a table without and so far have not found the need to install one.

Bob

 

[mike s]

how do you hold feather boards?

 

[9fingers]

His theory was that everything runs against the fence either directly on on a sled.
Feather boards are only used (by him) to hold work down onto the table.

I'll try and find if there were any photos taken - they are on another forum - and try to post a link

Like you I was preparing to set T track into my table design but this demo convinced me otherwise.
Bob

Some photos here http://www.ktproductions.co.uk/woodwork ... march2010/ hosted by Jimi

specifically no 17, 18, 19 & 20

However the only sled in view is the one on the floor which was for mitreing in photo 17

 

[Benchwayze]

hi guys
thanks for the replies
ignoring the parallel bit, how far should the slot be from the table? 4 inches? 6 inches?
i dont have a mitre sled that will be suitable for the table so i will make a sled
how far is the mitre slot from the bit on your table?
thanks

Mike,
The router table I have is a 'Tufnol' one by Trend. It's part of their old Router-rack' system. There is no channel on it at all, and the mitre guide they used to supply (as an optional extra) was registered along the edge of the table. I suppose the edge is about 6" (150mm) from the centre of the table aperture. Never used it as it happens, and I am thinking of mounting it on my drill-stand.

Most things I use the router for can be achieved quite easily by hand holding the router.

Regards
John

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Mines about (an im guessing) 5 inch away from the centre of the collet.

 

[Benchwayze]

That would seem to be about right Hud.

I decided I will definitely use my router table as a Drill stand table instead. Don't know why I didn't do it years ago!
I can also fit one of the old Bosch upright routers in the stand, so I can use the router in overhead mode if I feel so inclined.

I'll try and post some pics.

Regards
John