Trim Router Basics - Start Here

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Жыл бұрын

To get the most out of your trim router, a new base plate that's bigger is a great place to start. It's also very handy to make it so that it's centered perfectly on the bit, and I show how to do that easily in this video.
I'm using 1/4" thick clear plastic, but you could also make it from plywood or even metal. You might want to find a different (safer) method to cut the outer diameter if you are making it from metal, though.
This base replaces the other base plate I made last year that was rectangular. Overall, a perfectly round and centered base plate is the most versatile.
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Пікірлер: 95

@JohnHeisz Жыл бұрын

@PMichaels Жыл бұрын

I wondered how you got such a perfect circle... That table saw trick is genius. Thanks for sharing!

@TheKidFromYTown Жыл бұрын

It isn't just the projects in your videos but the tips you often find in them too that makes your videos so interesting to watch. Thank you.

@JayBates Жыл бұрын

I always save broken router bits for this purpose. They make great alignment pins for various tasks. Great thinking with using the bit installed for making the plate perfectly centered.

@JohnHeisz Жыл бұрын

Thanks Jay :)

@AlexanderElse Жыл бұрын

That's a nice trick using the right size drill bit as the centre pin on the circle cut sled.

@murphymmc Жыл бұрын

Great tips, John. And who among us doesn't have a 1/4" drill bit that is too dull or damaged to resharpen. I have a few, now I know why I kept them.😉

@ConcreteLand Жыл бұрын

As usual, very impressive. It’s these little insights on how to do seemingly simple tasks that really help amateurs like myself.

@FormerlyKnownAsAndrew Жыл бұрын

Nice one John 👍🏼✌🏾

@dave0223 Жыл бұрын

John, the last bit of info was priceless Keep em coming, 12 years subscribed

@groggycl Жыл бұрын

Don't know why I am not getting reminded of your videos... If it wasn't for your Instagram post about new videos, I wouldn't know 🥴 Love your stuff, regards from Chile, Latinamerica

@chrisbidmead2338 Жыл бұрын

Nice one John!

@dogwoodtales Жыл бұрын

Yeah i agree that the latter method is better because there will be more stability when cutting the base round. The former method could easily result in an inconsistent round. Nicely done.

@hassanal-mosawi4235 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing those tips and the make!

@vasja_vasin Жыл бұрын

The second method with a drill bit is original. I enjoyed. Thank you.

@nobuckle40 Жыл бұрын

Thanks John.

@barry.w.christie Жыл бұрын

Nice and simple to follow instructions ... and great to see you come up with a better method of making this later on in the video 👍

@GregsGarage Жыл бұрын

It always makes me giggle when I see someone snapping off a tool like that! I like the method for re-centering. I have a feeling that will come in handy at some point in the future.

@bradleytuckwell4881 Жыл бұрын

Very nice work

@dianemoore2945 Жыл бұрын

That was a great idea to make the circle in the acrylic base! Never saw that trick before. Very helpful!

@jayhitek Жыл бұрын

Really like the improved method better. Great call in using the broken drill bit.

@larry78cj7 Жыл бұрын

Well done! Brilliant

@sportsman1824 Жыл бұрын

Ever creative.....

@sapelesteve Жыл бұрын

Well done John! Knowing how to do that will come in handy at some point. Thanks! 👍👍

@paulfrizzell31 Жыл бұрын

Good video My favorite tool is the router🙂

@wordsworthjlang Жыл бұрын

John, I think it's time for another guitar amp project. I know the guitar players out here would love it. You can commemorate the beginning of this channel!

@johnsrabe Жыл бұрын

As always thanks for sharing the process AND the revisions.

@GeraldJensen Жыл бұрын

I can see a lot of uses for this ... Thanks! I'm off to the shop ...

@48Connor Жыл бұрын

Nice work. My Milwaukee M18 router came with an oversized base, I would have assumed all brands did also

@thenext9537 Жыл бұрын

I saw that drill bit wonder on the press. It was like "I'm going this way, no I'm not, yes I am, ok fine maybe I stay". I see you. I am finishing a 8/4 walnut table, and wanted a matching lazy susan to go on top, that rounding trick is what I was looking for, but I'll have to scale it. That will go just fine I'm sure.

@barryirby8609 Жыл бұрын

You have better skills or nerve than I have, I would never drill a hole like that guide hole on my table saw, I am sure I would have drilled through and scarred my table. Same thing with the hole saw on the router base plate, I'm sure I would have hit the router and flung it all over creation or at least scratched it. Congrats, mad skills. OTOH, I bought an oversized base plate for a few bucks and saved my nerves.

@antidexterous3902 Жыл бұрын

Great video. It gets me inspired to make a few more accessories for my router.

@johnbell4845 Жыл бұрын

Helpful? It was absolutely wonderful, so informative - Thanks so much 👏👏👏

@MCsCreations Жыл бұрын

Fantastic tips, John! Thanks a bunch! 😃 I think I'm going to cut the circle for a wall clock I'm going to make this way! Anyway, stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊

@David.M. Жыл бұрын

Thanks John!

@shmiggz Жыл бұрын

Great video John

@gregmize01 Жыл бұрын

This is cool! Thanks John!

@employed1000 Жыл бұрын

Tnx John, great idea.

@DracoPCC Жыл бұрын

Very nice, thanks :-) Happy Easter John

@scottcates Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Very useful.

@JimE6243 Жыл бұрын

More great ideas John. Thanks! JimE

@PeanutsDadForever Жыл бұрын

I always enjoy your videos John, thank you! 🇦🇺👴🏻

@stupimlico Жыл бұрын

Outstanding!

@jlizzoli Жыл бұрын

Great tip!

@user-th6rh8zp3t 2 ай бұрын

you're a genius 😅

@tensazero Жыл бұрын

Thank you for this. Was wondering if 1/4 acrylic was good enough. I'm going to leave mine rectangular as a drop in.

@ClintsHobbiesDIY Жыл бұрын

Attaboy John. Thanks.

@MorRobots Жыл бұрын

At 1:06 John you show the value of a spotting drill. Even with a brad point, the bit can walk.

@samsonhorvath3614 Жыл бұрын

Was gonna say when you first drilled center hole with router and not having router base clamp engaged, that it would introduce a small error. But second attempt was great idea.

@michaelfarmer537 Жыл бұрын

@4:15 my favorite part to watch! 😅

@babbagebrassworks4278 Жыл бұрын

A very light touch with a blowtorch will flame polish the edge. Quicker than final sanding.

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

Old school circle cutter, nice. Good job for the cnc if you can keep it from getting to hot and melting the acrylic. But if you had used the cnc, you would have gotten dragged for it, lol.

@rickschuknecht9068 Жыл бұрын

Very timely ... I have to do just that for a project in progress where I need a larger plate for the bottom of my hand held router. You might also consider that the size of the larger hole in that base that surrounds the bit needs to be a certain size if you are planning on using a router but collar that fastens to the plate itself with a threaded ring...like the collar kit from Rockler....

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

He does mention that you should make the hole as large as the hole in the original base or larger.

@JohnHeisz Жыл бұрын

If I need to use a guide bushing I'll put the original base back on, it has the right size hole for my bushing set.

@geoffreynicholson6704 11 ай бұрын

Hi John this is Geoff from the uk, I'm new to this and learning as I go and you really help, I found on amazon some cake making discs in varying sizes about 3 or 4mm thick already with a factory cut centre hole do you think they will be OK 😊 thank you again for your videos

@UKCG_2 Жыл бұрын

Good tip. Your procedure for creating a 1/4” shaft certainly works (I.e., chucking a 1/4” drill bit into a portable drill, resting the drill bit partially on a block of wood, and then hitting the end of the drill bit with a heavy object to snap the tip off), but wouldn’t it be better to firmly mount the drill bit vertically in a vise? A vise would do a much better job holding it firmly, as well as give the user a better chance of cleanly breaking the bit by striking it just above the vice jaws.

@davip5876 Жыл бұрын

Jolly voice 👍

@ThisRandomGuyYouDidntNotice Жыл бұрын

well, i'd be extremely cautious what you do with that circle cutting sled! while the blade is still spinning, if you rotate the circle even 1 degree before pulling back, it will catch the blade during your pulling motion and for sure it'll kickback. not saying that the sled is bad: just a reminder for the less experienced fellows :)

@Luke-yx5ve Жыл бұрын

Router table would've been a much nicer quicker way of doing it tbf but just having the blade that low with no guard is quite dangerous in itself

@Excalibure666 Жыл бұрын

Marking those holes off the lines triggered my OCD :) 0:52

@VaracolacidVesci Жыл бұрын

You need to check your OCD, it's triggering for the wrong reasons and not working properly. The lines are for center point not for holes. Most routers have the holes not square on the base (this is one of them). So impossible to align a center diagonal line in a square to them

@Excalibure666 Жыл бұрын

@@VaracolacidVesci if you align two of the opposite holes with lines, other two holes will be off the line equally as the four original holes are at the corners of rectangle.

@VaracolacidVesci Жыл бұрын

@@Excalibure666 they are not in a rectangle position, and you can clearly see that. If they where in a sqaure or rectangle all of them would be on the same side of the line, but some are on the inside while others on the outside (not opposite) leading to a clearly non isometric figure if you align 2 holes to 2 of the lines the center would be off center which negates all the purpose of the jig

@bullfrogpondshop3179 Жыл бұрын

Nice build. I like some of those techniques you use to keep the base plate centered. However, I couldn't trust a hole saw to cut a hole perfectly concentric with the quarter inch pilot.

@JohnHeisz Жыл бұрын

the inner hole doesn't need to be perfect.

@bullfrogpondshop3179 Жыл бұрын

@@JohnHeisz You are right. Sorry, this build was very similar to a base plate I made recently that did need to be perfectly centered for use with router bushings. I guess I had that in my head while watching your video. 🙂 I can see myself using the broken drill bit in router trick in the future!

@jimsjacob Жыл бұрын

That was great! I’ve seen others stay with the squared base plate. Does the round version allow for more options?

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

As I find, some times I have to turn the router slightly to keep all the chips form flying into my face or getting on my arm as I route. SOme of it gets hot.

@martywong Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the video. Can I ask what table saw blade your using to not cause chipping of the perspex?

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

Use one with a high tooth count. 60tpi is good.

@davidfellows8714 Жыл бұрын

@@KipdoesStuff I expect you mean 60 teeth total on a 10 inch saw

@martywong Жыл бұрын

@@KipdoesStuff I'll give that a try. Thanks Kip.

@richs5422 Жыл бұрын

I need to do this for my trim router. Acrylic is stronger than polycarbonate, but more prone to cracking and breaking. Might go with polycarb. Thoughts anyone?

@viracocha03 Жыл бұрын

What was that little circle jig you used for that template?

@jabrwok Жыл бұрын

He used his compact-compass to mark the circle, and the original baseplate to mark the screw-hole locations. Here's his compact compass video (kzfaq.info/get/bejne/a9WneNqU18jJYqs.html).

@EitriBrokkr Жыл бұрын

I only had a claw hammer...now my screen is cracked. Can I fix it with construction adhesive?

@brizbg Жыл бұрын

What are the advantages of a circular base compare to a square one?

@daifeichu Жыл бұрын

With a square one you have the chance of it coming off of a fence that the router is riding against. A round plate lets you turn the router and not have to worry that the cut won't be off.

@VaracolacidVesci Жыл бұрын

Circle bases can ride with out the worry of ever become uneven agains your guide. An square one can sometimes tip a bit and make the router bit to move from the line and "bite" your work piece

@natarajansugumar5671 Жыл бұрын

What is the impact in fitting this round acrylic base instead of the original fittings by the manufacturer.?

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

More surface area for stability when routing and it is the some distance form the bit to the edge in 360 degrees. Some plates from the manufacturer are lest than ideal.

@aleksandrkravchenko8706 Жыл бұрын

Клас!!!!

@iannarellemackenzie901 Жыл бұрын

Its safer to use polycarbonate - Acrylic shatters too easily

@scottwilkins6966 8 ай бұрын

I enjoyed the video, but the title doesn't match the subject very well. "Trim router basics - Start Here" sounds like it would teach a complete newb (ME!) how to use their trim router. Making yourself a new baseplate seems a great thing to do...but how do I turn it on, insert a bit, use it safely? Surely these are the actual basics.

@johnl3487 Жыл бұрын

Fusion 360 and a 3D printer..

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

lol, we both know that would be a 9 or 10 hr print.

@Jehty_ Жыл бұрын

Can you tell me the name of this magical 3D printer that can make perfectly round circles?

@sdspivey Жыл бұрын

Why do you want the base to be round? Being square would give more stability when routing on edges, the larger the better.

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

WHen routing against a fence, a small turn using a square base could throw off the router a lot.

@JohnHeisz Жыл бұрын

The main reason to make it round is so that you can accurately center the bit. It's very difficult to do that with a square plate.

@sdspivey Жыл бұрын

@@JohnHeisz But if you're only routing on edges, which is what small routers are mostly for, then a square base is better. Centering is not even warranted as a base that's off center would work better.

@VaracolacidVesci Жыл бұрын

Or use the router with a circle jig and make the circle with the router and the center point ... then it will always be a perfect circle and perfectly 90 on the edge of the base

@KipdoesStuff Жыл бұрын

He has made many circle cutting jigs, this one is the simplest though.

@VaracolacidVesci Жыл бұрын

@@KipdoesStuff i know he had make some. but this is NOT the place to use the saw.