Router project ideas for student

[Richard Findley]

Hi Guys

I'm normally found over on the turning part of the site, being a turner and all. One of my regular turning students asked me recently if I could teach him some of the basics of joinery, sawing, planning that sort of thing, (I have a joinery background) so I gave him a lesson, which he really enjoyed. He now wants a router lesson, which is no problem, what I'm after is some ideas for a little project that covers some/most of the basic router moves, ie edge moulding, grooving and template following, but would be a fairly quick/easy project and would give him something to take home at the end (not asking much I know!! :wink: ). Any ideas?

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts

Richard

 

[AndyT]

How about a tea tray. It would not need much material and could be useful afterwards. I'm thinking of a frame of four sides with a groove for a plywood base. It would need edge moulding on the tops and bottoms of the sides, grooving, (to let the base in) and template work to make nice curvy handles on the ends. The finger holes would need plunge routing and could be working inside a template. You could even rout dovetails or a rebate to join the corners.

 

[Richard Findley]

Thanks Andy. Any other suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

Richard

 

[marcros]

what about a box of some form- jewellry or otherwise.

It would/could involve cutting joints, grooving for a bottom, or rebating, rebating for the top, inlaying, rounding over, using a template to rebate for the hinges and even using a slitting cutter to seperate top and bottom. If time was tight, timber could be prepared before hand and finish applied at home so your student focusses only on the router parts.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Richard,

How about a picture frame?

Thanks,
Neil

 

[andersonec]

If you want some interesting router shaped picture frames, go here,

http://www.woodworkingseminars.com/wp-c ... ldings.pdf


Andy

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Twisted spindles

My first thought was a box of some sort.

 

[Richard Findley]

Thanks all for your suggestions. It was only a half day lesson but we got the basics of routing covered, including using bearing guided cutters, fence work and guide bush work as well. In the end he went away with a bread board which featured a stopped "crumb" groove, the word "Bread" routed twice using my Milescraft jig thingy, and round over edges.

He went away happy and much more confident with his router.

Thanks again,

Richard