New Makita router

[sprintcyclist]

I bought a Makita router today after months lusting for one.

Have not powered it up yet, reading through the manual. It is a complex thing to use.
Very nice tool. I like my Makita gear.

[cods]

can we expect to see some fantastic works of art from you sprint???..

I trust you have nerves of steel...lol

[Texan]

I look forward to seeing your work.

[Neferti]

I bought a Makita router today after months lusting for one.

Have not powered it up yet, reading through the manual. It is a complex thing to use.
Very nice tool. I like my Makita gear.

What exactly does it do?

[billy the kid]

It routes.... ...cuts...trims...shapes....

[Texan]

I bought a Makita router today after months lusting for one.

Have not powered it up yet, reading through the manual. It is a complex thing to use.
Very nice tool. I like my Makita gear.

What exactly does it do?

Do you know how the edges of a cutting board are usually beveled instead of just being a plain 90 degree angle on the edges? A router is used to shape the edges. They are used on furniture, picture frames, or just about anything. That's the tool they used to put in these drip grooves and hand holds in this cutting board.



My dad did mostly framing, but he dabbled in trim work. I really need to get him to teach me more wood working before he gets too old to do it. I'm hoping to build a shop for home projects. I'm not much of a carpenter, but I know a lot more than my brother and I suspect I will be inheriting most of his tools someday. He has a table router, table saw, drill press, belt sander, radial arm saw, band saw, jig saw, etc..... I have a list of projects I'd like to tackle. I'd like to tackle working with epoxy resins, Lichtenberg artwork, epoxy river cutting boards, tables, custom doors, cabinets, etc........

[Gordon]

I bought a Makita router today after months lusting for one.

Have not powered it up yet, reading through the manual. It is a complex thing to use.
Very nice tool. I like my Makita gear.

Seriously, what kind of a bloke reads the manual first.

[Neferti]

Thanks guys. I had no idea what a Makita router did, now I do.

[Valkie]

As a trade of many many years.

I find it quite important to state that one should not play with a power tool unless you have some training in its use and the dangers associated with it.

For example.
A friend of mine (a very good builder) once employed a man who said he knew all about building tools.
He seemed to be OK with the framing nailer, but when this tool broke down he grabbed the concrete nailer to finish the job.
Just in case the nail went through the wood, he put his hand behind the frame.
Guess What? It went through the wood, his hand and into the wall, just missing my friend in the process.

I have seen what happens when a guy tries to brush down the circular saw table, with the saw going.

I have actually untangled a drill from a guys overalls after he somehow got it tangled and nearly drilled into his femoral artery.

I have another friend, a nurse.
The stories she tells me, particularly recently with people at home trying to emulate work they have seen on TV.

Falls off ladders
Electrocution
Burns
Cuts
Lost fingers
Crushed toes
Damaged eyes, the list goes on and on.

If you don't know how to use a tool safely
Don't touch the bloody thing.

[sprintcyclist]

Thanks guys. I had no idea what a Makita router did, now I do.

Neither did I. I spent some time working out what joinery is, then how to do it .
Then how to use a router to do that. Then what sort of router would suit me.

Joinery is joining 2 pieces of wood without using steel screws, nails or bolts.
Classic style woodwork used before screws were readily available. Or used in top end furniture.
Apparently these joints are amazingly strong.