Hey everyone! I've been teaching myself woodworking for about a year now, mostly focusing on creating things like cutting boards. I thought I had a good grasp on how to use a router, specifically palm routers, but I'm realizing I might not know as much as I thought. I'm trying to add a juice groove to my cutting boards and I'm confused about the right direction to push or pull the router. I've heard different theories about following the grain or going against it. Can anyone break it down for me? What's the best practice here?
2 Answers
When using a router, you definitely need to consider both the grain direction and the way the cutter spins. For adding a juice groove, it's generally okay to push in whichever direction feels comfortable because the bit will handle it. If the groove is wider than your bit, then you might need to be extra careful about how much wood you're removing at once. Just go slow and steady!
Honestly, direction doesn't matter as much as you might think! The router spins at such high RPMs that it usually just cuts cleanly regardless of grain. It's more important not to take too deep of a cut in one go, especially with hardwood. So, it sounds like you might've just been trying to cut too deep all at once, which can cause the router to jump and create a mess!
You're right! I had the depth set pretty deep. I'll try making shallower passes next time.