Rabbets on a router table

[Clay Crocker]

Sounds to me like you were running the workpiece vertically against the fence and passing it between the fence and the bit? NEVER run the workpiece between the router bit and the fence. As you found, it will yank the workpiece out of your hand; consider yourself lucky that you weren't hurt. When you feed the workpiece between the bit and the fence your router becomes the propulsive force behind a wood hurling rail gun!

[Dave Cullen]

Dave, it may be a description issue but I read your post to say that you were passing the work between the fence and the cutter. If so, don't do that. It's not safe.

If I understand correctly, you want a 1/2-in. thick tongue so you are making a 1/4 in. deep rabbet. The rabbet is what you cut away, not what is left.

Right - tongue, not rabbet. And yes, I was passing the board between the fence and the bit. The allure of doing that is that the tongue thickness is the controlled dimension. If the work is flat on the table then the controlled dimension is the bit height and the tongue thickness is dependent on the workpiece thickness.

The bit is a 2 flute straight cutter. I think I'll try again with an upcut spiral bit and scoring the plywood before hand. And NOT climb cutting.

Thanks for the ideas.

[Shawn Pixley]

Do not run the board between the bit and the fence. This is very dangerous. I understand the appeal, but resist.