Do I need a router?

[Evan Ryan]

I want to cut grooves in 1/2" plywood, and I'm getting terrible results using hand tools.

i don't have a table saw*, but I've got a circular saw, and I was thinking of trying that to cut grooves.
Or should i forget the circular saw and take the bus to the Borg and buy a Bosch 2.3 hp router and a spiral bit?

if I buy a router to get these grooves cut, I'd like to be able to use the router for dados in 3/4" plywood.

Also can I use a plunge router for these jobs, or do grooves and dados require a router table?


*a table saw with a dado stack purchase is way out on the horizon for a few more years.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I want to cut grooves in 1/2" plywood, and I'm getting terrible results using hand tools.

i don't have a table saw*, but I've got a circular saw, and I was thinking of trying that to cut grooves.
Or should i forget the circular saw and take the bus to the Borg and buy a Bosch 2.3 hp router and a spiral bit?

if I buy a router to get these grooves cut, I'd like to be able to use the router for dados in 3/4" plywood.

Also can I use a plunge router for these jobs, or do grooves and dados require a router table?


*a table saw with a dado stack purchase is way out on the horizon for a few more years.

great idea on all counts
That Bosch is a great choice, but forget the bus and order it online. Try reconditioned, only difference is warranty.

[pat warner]

Your questions cry out for a woodworking course of some sort.
I would advise against a router until you have a woodworking class of some quality.
The Bosch is a great router, lots of capability.
But you won't learn how to use it at the store.
And all routers are dangerous without tutored priors.

[Keith Weber]

A router will do a good job of making dadoes in plywood. A simple, straight piece of wood or plywood can be clamped to the plywood being routed to be used as a guide. Just be wary of the direction of rotation of your cutter. Your router bit will cut on the leading edge of the cut, not on the back. You want the router to pull into your guide and not away from it. Take multiple passes if it's a deep dado.

[Evan Ryan]

I have taken classes and they did include using a router table. But I have never owned a router and I don't think that I've ever used one not in a table. I do appreciate your concern and thanks to everyone who is giving me advice on here. I will def read all instructions, work safe and go slow. Power tools are not my favorite but I am comfortable with table saws, circular saws, drills and grinders.

[Mike Schuch]

I want to cut grooves in 1/2" plywood, and I'm getting terrible results using hand tools.

i don't have a table saw*, but I've got a circular saw, and I was thinking of trying that to cut grooves.
Or should i forget the circular saw and take the bus to the Borg and buy a Bosch 2.3 hp router and a spiral bit?j

if I buy a router to get these grooves cut, I'd like to be able to use the router for dados in 3/4" plywood.

Also can I use a plunge router for these jobs, or do grooves and dados require a router table?


*a table saw with a dado stack purchase is way out on the horizon for a few more years.

By grooves do you mean groves in the edges of the plywood or dados in the faces of the plywood? What are you trying to build?

A little instruction from a class or even a knowledgable friend might save you a lot of pain, agony and a couple fingers. A friend of mine is rebuilding a poker table. It took me about 10 minutes to go over the proper use of a router and how it is easy to loose control of a router if you make a climb cut instead of a normal cut. I demostrated on a couple feet of the edge then watched him for another couple of feet before turning him loose on his own. Pretty much the same thing my father did with me on each of his tools when Iwas young. Everyone has to learn proper use of what ever tool some how and it is much easier and safer to learn from someone that knows how to use the tool properly. There is no shame in getting proper instruction and asking for instruction is the sign of a wise person.

[Allan Speers]

Evan,

You might consider also getting a tracksaw system, one that offers an optional router attachment. Eurekazone & Festool do, I don't know about the others.

This makes it MUCH easier to do the type of jobs you listed, esp plunge dados. Additionally, Keith Weber's warning about bit rotation is very important, (make sure you understand this) but it is not a factor if your router is on a track. In fact, on a track, you can have the bit spin in the "wrong" direction on purpose, which actually gives a better finish.

Oh, and then you'll have a tracksaw for breaking down those big sheets of plywood.
- And right at the back of your truck, if you want. (and you will want.)

[David Eisenhauer]

You can use either a plunge or fixed base router, but I would buy a plunge router if that is the only one you will have any time soon and you will not need to use a router table. As stated above, set up a guide that is offset the amount required to result in your router bit being centered where you want it and figure out the rotation of the bit so that you are actively "pushing" the router into the cut rather than the router wanting to "pull" itself ahead. I recommend a 1/2" carbide bit as plywood is hard on bits. You will need some type of table to put the ply on and clamp it securely so as to eliminate movement and any buckles in the plywood. Practice on some scrap before cutting the real thing. Pat Warner (responded above) has some excellent books on router use. Use hearing and eye protection.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Do yourself a favor and forget about using a router with and edge guide & a bit that comes close to the thickness of the plywood to cut dados.
Same pretty much goes to using a stacked dado blade unless it's a Dial-a-Width type.
The odd sized thickness of the plywood will drive you nuts and leave you with loose sloppy joints and wacky out of square projects.

Get a good plunge router & pick up a set of brass guide bushings & build a self centering jig. (just google router dado jig)
Just make sure you get the right sized guide bushings and - spend the extra couple bucks to get the centering setup for the bushings.
IIRC, the Bosch uses odd sized bushings - you need to use Bosch bushings or buy and adaptor to use Porter Cable (the "standard") size bushings.

I've got a circular saw, and I was thinking of trying that to cut grooves.

You won't want to try that more than once or twice.....
I parachuted twice in my life. I did it twice because I was so scared the first time my mind blanked out the experience . I went back for a second jump just so I'd remember the experience!
Using a circular saw to cut a dado is sort of like that.....
I have a very expensive and precise Festool track saw & I won't use that for a dado again unless there's absoultly nothing else to use......even a stacked dado blade that's oversize.....it's a pretty miserable experience..

Also google Pat Warner and visit his website. It's a treasure trove of excellent information.

[Evan Ryan]

By grooves do you mean groves in the edges of the plywood or dados in the faces of the plywood? What are you trying to build?

Rabbets on the edges and dados for shelves, I forgot they're called rabbets.

I'm building a cabinet for vinyl records and I want vertical dividers, so I want grooves that will capture the dividers.

I usually build plywood cabinets with pocket screws and I've always wanted to be able to rabbet in the back and dado in shelves.

[Curt Harms]

I agree with Rich about the self centering router jig except for small pieces. The jig I use has to clamped to the work piece and I can't figure out a way to clamp the jig to small pieces so router table it is. The benefit of the type of jig that is essentially 2 parallel pieces is that you can use the shelf that will fit the dado to set the dado width. I use a 1/2" top bearing pattern bit and let the bearing ride on the jig's 'jaws'. Way fewer problems with poor fitting dados. For rabbets I prefer a rabbeting bit but they can certainly be cut with a straight bit as well.

[pat warner]

" I've ever used one not in a table. I do appreciate your concern and thanks to everyone who is giving me advice on here. I will def read all instructions, work safe and go slow".
*********************************************
Respectable attitude.
And in your case, I would recommend the hand router.
At least you can see what's goin' on.
But before you commit project stock, practice routing on scrap.
Learn the arithmetic of positioning and do this with very little cutter extension, say <1/8".
Might take all day too, but there
are just too many surprises without priors.

[Tom Jones III]

For a different answer you might try to ask this question over on the Neander forum. Although hand tools and plywood don't really mix well, if you only had to cut one dado, I might try cutting the sides with a circular saw using a guide, then using a hand powered router plane or any number of other hand tools to clean out the dado.

One thing nobody has asked, do you have to use plywood? Hand tools would be much more pleasant to use and do a better job on solid wood.

[Lester Sak]

I want to cut grooves in 1/2" plywood, and I'm getting terrible results using hand tools.

You mentioned not having luck using hand tools. Have you tried a router plane? Lee Valley has a very nice one: http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/pag...182,41192&ap=1. You can read a very thorough review here: http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/rev...outerplane.htm

I just bought the Bosch MRC23EVSK router and it's an excellent tool. But if you do decide to go the power route, definitely respect the tool. I nearly took the tip of my finger off with a router in my table almost 2 years ago. Healed well, but still numb.

[Evan Ryan]

Thank you for all the great advice. I'm in a bookstore about to buy one or two router books. Patrick Warner is represented.

plywood is where this project is economically. If it was a hardwood proj I'd def stick with hand tools.
I end up doing a lot of plywood projects. Which is ok, because hardwood and hand tools takes time to get to pro grade for clients*.

i will come back to this thread and update, and of course any more advice is appreciated.

*mother in law wanted night stands in an odd size that she couldn't buy. Great. I'm on it.
at the wood store, I thought why not use real maple, glue up panels, plane em down, gorgeous.
nope. Tear out. I resharpened all my planes several times, reground bevel angles, learned to use a scraper, read tons of threads on here. She got beautiful plywood night stands and I have 12 maple panels.