On 24/07/2017 12:30, jkn wrote:

oh, a supplementary...

After the earlier discussions I was thinking of using the router 'bit
down', with a side piece of the same thickness to ensure the router
is stable. However I do have a router table and so could use the
router 'upside down' in that.

Yup, slotting cutters are much easier and safer to use in a table.

This would give the benefit of being able to use the fence; however
the slots need to be quite long (the wood is ~600mm wide) and I guess
I would need to extend the table so that the wood is stable at the
extremities.

Depends on how bit the table is - as long as you can hold it flat on the
table with it tipping, then its fine if it overhangs either end at some
point in the cut.

You can also make yourself a feather board and clamp it to the fence of
the table to help you "hold down" the work.

(I s'pose I could do half the slot in each direction and turn the
wood over - but since the slot is not symmetrical in the wood I would
have to do some height adjusting which I am reluctanct to do.)

No, try and work from one side only if you can. its easier generally to
have a "reference face" that you work and measure from.

Does the team think that this would still be preferable to clamping
two bits of wood down and going in from the top? I guess with the
table and fence I would not need to fit a 'depth bearing' on the
arbour?

If you have a table, then use that. As you say the fence will let you
set the depth. If the cutter you get has a bearing on it, then you can
just set the face inline with that by placing a ruler across the fence
gap and against the bearing.

Thanks, and sorry for all the beginner's questions...

No problem - we were all beginners once, and at least this way you don't
have to make all the mistakes we made.

Oh, and and to answer some questions that have come up - I have no
power saws at all. I did once do a thing similar to this with a tenon
saw but it was a mighty faff and I have a lot more to do now... I
would (marginally) prefer to buy a router bit/s than a saw, if only
for the space taken up)

Yup a router with the slotting cutter is perfectly good way to do it,
especially as you have a table (you can do it freehand, but its easier
to make mistakes with that type of setup). The only real downside of
that type of cutter is they are more "one trick ponies" than straight
fluted cutters which have a wider range of uses.


--
Cheers,

John.

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