On Tue, 19 Oct 2004 23:47:13 GMT, "Eric Scantlebury"
vaguely proposed a theory
.......and in reply I say!:

remove ns from my header address to reply via email

Freehand is way off, yes.

One hint that nobody seems to have mentioned is that when using a
template, you should always feed the router so that the rotation
forces the router _into_ the guide / template. The leading side of the
router does the cutting and pushing sideways.

You need to clamp two longish pieces of timber across the beam to stop
the router that way, then clamp etc two more pieces to those, and two
more on top of the last two, to stop the router _across_ the work. The
whole thing needs to account for the disatance between the edge of the
router base and the cutter. You have to measure or calculate that for
every cutter.

You will of still not have a rectangle, because the corners are
rounded.

I need to route a square approx. 1 inch by 5 inches by 1/8 inches deep in a
piece of 10 foot 1x8. I have never tried to do this before.

I have a porter cable 691 with a plunge base and I set the depth guage up
and tried to "free hand" it on a test piece of lumber. Well - let's just
say that free handing is out of the question.

How should I do this to get a "perfect" square? I kind of figure I need a
"4 sided edge guide". An edge guide won't work on all sides as it won't
extend long enough into the board for two of the sides.

I'm at a loss.

TIA
Eric


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Have you noticed that people always run from what
they _need_ toward what they want?????