# Router planing jig



## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

I had a board glued up for a shelf, but one of the boards was thicker than the others. And the finished glue up is wider than my planer. So I made a planing jig for my new Triton router. 

Both worked great - the router and the jig. I took shallow cuts to flatten the top side, then flipped it and made a couple of shallow passes on the other side. The final result is a flat panel that is about 11/16ths inch thick. It will support either the cable box or the Blu-Ray player in the entertainment center I am working on.

I used a Freud 1 1/2 inch two flute cutter to do the cutting.

Now I have a way to flatten anything as wide as 24 inches and up to 45 inches long. May be a few more cutting boards in my future. Christmas will be here before you know it! :surprise2::grin:


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Pretty sweet new toys, ain't they? Good looking jig mate, its absolutely wicked how well it integrates into your workbench


----------



## BenWo (Mar 30, 2017)

That's cool, certainly on my to-build list.


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Thanks for this ... I am definately making one of these!


----------



## woodchux (Jul 6, 2014)

Your great idea created another "Necessity is the Mother of invention" item. Thanks for sharing, and be safe.


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Is that 3/4" MDF, or 1/2" MDF? Looks more like 3/4" ... ? Thoughts on using 1/2" stuff?


----------



## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Chris Curl said:


> Is that 3/4" MDF, or 1/2" MDF? Looks more like 3/4" ... ? Thoughts on using 1/2" stuff?


Thicker is better to prevent the center from sagging. You'd lose 1/4 inch in cut depth but gain rigidity, always a good trade


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*It's only a span of 30" between supports*

It's maximum planing width is 25" in the OP's post. So, a span of 30" max without supports. With 3" sides you can use 1/2" without any "sag" unless you bear down with all your weight.


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

My problem is that I am using this bit, and there is not much clearance, even at the lowest setting, there is just a little over 3/4" cut depth total. Add a 1/2" sled, and there is not much cut depth left. Now add on the clearance needed to be above (not touching) the piece being planed, and there is very little left to actually cut the wood. So if I use a 3/4" base, there is basically no cut because the bit does not hang down low enough.

For reference, I have 2 routers, a Ryobi plunge, and a Harbor Freight fixed.

(Roman Carbide DC1261 1-1/2-Inch Bottom Cleaning, 1/2-Inch Shank)











https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005W18EIW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I suppose I could not put the bit all the way down in the chuck, but my understanding is that you are suppose to leave only a tiny space (like 1/8" - 1/16") between the bottom of the bit and the base of the chuck, if you know what I mean.


----------



## RogerInColorado (Jan 16, 2013)

Chris, I think you should be able to lower your router motor such that the collet is fully exposet below the base. I know all of my routers do that. That is what allows a bit to be changed using wrenches and not require the base to be removed to do it. In addition, if you remove your collet and then insert the shank of the bit into the collet just so it is totaly engaged by the collet, you will have a better idea of how much shank exposure is OK. There is no benefit in inserting more shaft into the collet than the collet can grip. The thing you actually need to pay attention to is to not let the bit bottom out in the collet. What you may be encountering is that the hole in your sub-base is too small to allow the collet to pass through. In that case, just make a new sub-base with a hole big enough for the collet. Polyethelyn or polypropolene cutting boards make a really "slick" sub-base and you can get a couple out of a single board. They don't have to be a half inch thick, either. Three eigths is fine.

If you are usin template bushings, thats a board of a different species.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Which is the problem router?*



Chris Curl said:


> My problem is that I am using this bit, and there is not much clearance, even at the lowest setting, there is just a little over 3/4" cut depth total. *Add a 1/2" sled, and there is not much cut depth left. Now add on the clearance needed to be above (not touching) the piece being planed, and there is very little left to actually cut the wood. So if I use a 3/4" base, there is basically no cut because the bit does not hang down low enough.
> 
> For reference, I have 2 routers, a Ryobi plunge, and a Harbor Freight fixed.*
> 
> ...


I recommended a 1/2" thick base in my post above... plenty good for that span.

Which router are you planning to use for the planing sled? I would think there is more vertical travel in the fixed base, I donno?


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

I am using the Harbor Freight router (the fixed base one). At the max, the edge of the collet nut is pretty much even with the base.

I have done 2 things that I think have helped:

- I am inserting the bit less now, about 1/4" from bottoming out.

- I made a new sled using some 30" long laminate flooring planks I had collecting dust in the garage. They are closer to 3/8" thick, but stiff and straight. I am also using some 1" thick ply for the walls, which reinforces the laminate and helps keep it from sagging. That gives me about 24" span, which is more than I need for this job.

The laminate is also good for this application because it is finished, so there is less friction and router slides more easily across the sled.

So now I can get the bit to protrude up to about 3/4" below the sled. It is working out very well so far.


----------



## terryh (Nov 11, 2013)

I made a large router sled when I needed to flatten the top of the Douglas Fir dining table I built a while back. I used a 1" dia straight plunge bit with a 1/2" shaft. It worked ok but the fact that the bit has a 90 degree corner resulted in a bit of tear out on each pass. After a lot of sanding everything came out ok but if I was to do it all again, I'd use a large diameter dish carving bit to avoid the problem.


----------



## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Tha is a beautiful table! There is no tearout with this bottom cleaning bit I got. I am very happy with the results. And the 1 1/2" width makes it go quickly to.

Roman Carbide DC1261 1-1/2-Inch Bottom Cleaning


----------

