I will affirm for anyone here that the safety concern discussed at 2:16 is very real. I attempted the precise scenario described about 6 months ago. I thought I could overshoot my line by just 1/8" and climb cut back to ensure I was accurate hitting my line. The work piece was ripped from my hands and simultaneously pulled my hands over the bit (which was thankfully buried in the wood). My hands were unharmed, but this accident broke my 1/4 spiral up cut bit in the process. Listen to Stumpy on this one, he's not exaggerating.

Like the hungry shark, the deadly router bit lurks just beneath the surface.

Just finished my router table. Thank you for this.

Another important technique, James. I appreciate you taking the time to help us out.

Great points. I’ve worked in a joinery shop for about 18 years and I’ve seen people losing fingers with some of these methods. Heed this advice and keep your fingers guys. Trust me it will be worth the extra effort

First of all, GO WINGS! And thanks for this tips vid. I need to build an adjustable juice groove jug for my cutting boards and this table routing method will be perfect!

You are the man!! 👍 You answered every single one of my questions for the exact cut I need to make. It will be my very first time using a router and table and I’m taking my time to read / watch everything about safety. 👍👍. I think you were reading my mind about some of the things I had planned to do. Thanks again! #SafetyFirst

another excellent series of safety tips. well done for your research, analysis and most of all, way and presenting, that really stores in memory.

Thank You for keeping us beginners safe , excellent information ! I am about to make several jigs that will require slots.

Thanks for the tip Stumpy! Always helpful

James, thank you again for the very useful tips. I second all the previous comments as to the importance of safety and I will raise you one compliment. I had not yet seen that style of clamp used as a makeshift stop block. As simple as it is, even obvious, I just had not considered the very same idea. Sometimes the real gold nuggets in your videos or any experienced woodworker video is the little tricks like that which can so easily go unnoticed. You provide unexpected value once again and for that I say THANKS STUMPY NUBS ! I will keep from having nubs another day.

Very informative and clearly explained. I feel much more confident attempting my first slot.

As always, excellent advice and very detailed tutorial.

Excellent advice, as always!

0:37 yes, blood stains usually lower the market value of most pieces.... except maybe violins...

Perfect timing, Thank you! I'm planning to do this tomorrow, and had been planning to do it the "wrong way". I will rethink my cuts and thank you if I still have all my flesh afterwards.

I'm glad you did this video, I often cringe when I see people wrongly using or misusing tools on You Tube videos. It is very obvious that there are many people who refuse to get training in the use of tools even hand tools. Sadly when I point these dangerous practices, some video makers get offended and snap back at me. I'm 68 years old with more than 45 years of successful woodworking experience, I still have all my fingers and thumbs, no injuries to account for. Safety is to be taken seriously by everyone.

Nice video. I use essentially the same technique for cutting truss rod slots in guitar necks, where you don't go all the way through the wood so the router bit is always hidden. This video has made me think of one or two ways in which I can improve the way I do it to make it safer and more effective.

It is good practice to ask yourself every time you use power tools ..... 'what could possibly go wrong?' In that way, you reminded of the speed and power of these appliances, and all present danger of serious injury. Always use a push stick, wear a dust mask, hearing protection, avoid doing anything when wearing lose clothing. Never use them when you are tired or slightly refreshed.

Excellent clear presentation. Thanks for those warnings, too.

Just found your channel. Love it!

Outstanding advice. It’s now, as suggested, filed away for the future.

Thank you for info. Trying to cut slots in sides and ends of dovetail drawers, been trying to decide how to cut slots for bottom, your info helped me decide what to do. Thanks

Thank you so much for your advices especially the safety ones !!!

Great advice as always! Thank you.

Once again a fine tutorial.

Excellent video. Thanks!

Mind reading Stumpy - redid my table saw wing so I could put my router in it - I just finished the fence a couple of days ago and I'm at the slot cutting stage - so perfect timing for me - now to find a good temp fence to cut the slots in my fence (what?) - lol - the bit marking on the fence for accuracy is something I would not have thought - thanks for sharing and producing great vids!

More great advice.Thank you.

another great idea.keep them coming

Such a simple, yet effective technique: thanks (as always) for uploading this! Also, your caution @5:00 about not making multiple passes in order to widen a groove was news to me so you might've just saved my fingers. Thanks!

Great video, Thank You.

Another helpful tidbit!

Excellent advise.

Great explanation. Thanks.

Thanks for the tip.

Been there, got the scar. Routing a slot in a 2x4 and hit something hidden in the block of wood. The router bit grabbed and pushed the bolted down fence back enough that the bit came through the side of the wood and into my finger. The nurse couldn't understand why I couldn't bring in the missing bits for her to see if they could be stitched back in place :-O

Thanks for the great information. I have some slots to cut to make the router dado jig you show in another video. My question is, when using the technique of setting the piece down onto the bit to start your slot, what kind of bit should I use? In other words, should I use a straight-cut bit, or a plunge bit? What’s the difference? I would like to use this technique because I don’t have a drill press at the moment.

I have a nice 4" scare on my hand to verify what Stumpy is saying is true. It is never a good idea to make a climb cut. it Does not matter how strong you think your are, that router is always going to be a lot faster and stronger. I was lucky to not lose my thumb and only have a nasty scare. Thanks Stumpy.

Just used the last technique to cut a slot in a cutting board in making, thanks!!

I've had to route slots often, and I have come to use stop blocks as a matter of course. They're not that hard to set up. Also, if there is enough room to clamp a stop block on the workpiece side opposite the fence, I will do that, too. Essentially the workpiece is held in on all four sides.

+1 on stop blocks and drilling holes.

Great advice. The only thing I'd add is if you need high accuracy at the ends of your slot, start in the middle of the slot and router to the first end, then flip the work over and router to the other end. Or am I missing something?

Thanks James. Always informative. Because I leave my left and right fences apart for dust collection purposes, I can't put the marks to indicate the width of the cutter so I would need to use the stop blocks only. Perhaps, depending on the size of the piece, I could mark the table surface?

Classic Norm A move.

Excellent video again, have you done any items on a juice groove on a chopping board I am struggling with this at the moment.

Is the standard straight cut flute bit safe to use for this cut?

Hello, this might seem strange, but I know nothing about a router, however it seems like one should be able to achieve what I would like to do. I have something that was originally one piece, and now broken into two pieces of wood, broken across and I have glued them together, this is around 9/16” thick and about 3 1/8” wide with two 3/8” holes where it broke across. I am thinking of adding splints/splines across the break, one either side on the outer edges and one ( wider ) through the center. If I can support the jointed items, is it quite possible to put grooves like these ones here, but not go all the way through and then can glue wood in and then shave/file and finally sand to shape using a router to make the place for the additional strengthening pieces to go please ? If this makes any sense Thankyou

I've listened to you on other things like diamond plates, and I'll take this even more seriously because when I get my router table set up, I want to cut wood on it - not myself. Thank you!

If you look into my shop at me you will see those big ends but my wook working still goes on and I am in the grove.

Thanks for the upload. So have a separate question. Where did you find the lead pencil you are using in the video. I have been looking for something just like that and have been unable to find just what I’m looking for. Thanks ahead of time buddy!

By the title, I was kinda expecting a pantorouter build video

Thanks for this video! Quick question: when the bit is at half depth, and you have finished the cut, what is the best way to get the work piece off of the table? Lifting straight up? Holding it in place with one hand and turning off the router with the other? Thanks!

👍

how would you cut the same type slot at a 10degree angle?

Do you have a video showing how to rout a slot on a surface with a handheld router? The surface is much too large and heavy for a router table.

thanks good info Safety matters, from one who will always know to be careful because of being in a hurry at the wrong time! God Blessed Me, and it is only a reminder/irritation rather than being a 4 fingered feller!

Is it unsafe to widen the slot by moving the fence FARTHER from the bit and taking another pass? I would think that would be the best of both worlds... Start your slots using a drill press that is slightly larger than a bit that is smaller than your finished slot size then take a second pass to remove the bulb end

Use to go to show and tell meetings at a Woodcraft store. One of the one of the participants was a doctor/ amateurs woodworker. He come to a meeting one evening with most of the fingers on one hand gone. He did it with a router. I asked him what happened he said he didn’t know. I always know what happened when I hurt myself. I did something foolish or down right stupid. I think he was a surgeon. I wonder if he still is?

Why not start inside the mark, then flip the piece? That would let you sneak up on both ends.

I really like your videos, but I have to point out a few inconsistencies on this one. At 1:05 you say you prefer this method over using a router with a parallel guide due to it being faster and more accurate, but then at 3:45 say high accuracy doesn't even really matter. What you do at 1:27 is insanely dangerous. You should simply have used a plunge router with a parallel guide and a up spiral bit and the risk of an accident would decrease to almost zero.

Or you could just drill two holes in the workpiece and connect them with a jigsaw.

So, I guess I can do this instead of buying a plunge router?

Well, I asked several times and you never answered. Today I was able to pause the video sufficiently to find out exactly the mechanical pencil you were using. For those interested, it is this one and I just ordered one. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000GAXKGU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1