Table made on the course.

A couple of weeks ago I taught for the first time my new router skills course, it went well, no one routed their fingers off!

I developed the course because I know that many woodworkers are unsure around the router, they are not aware of safe practice and lack confidence, so they do not get the most out of this very versatile machine. The course is specifically designed to address these issues. But it is also intended to be quite challenging, to stretch the students abilities, not just in routing but in other areas of the craft, I don’t like my courses to be kit building exercises!

We started with a day introducing the router, setting it up, trying different cuts and generally getting a feel for it so the following days could be approached with confidence. The remainder of the course involved making a circular table with an inlaid top, this was done almost entirely using the router, I don’t think there were many router skills we did not use.

Throughout the course our workshop drawing was used as a reference. This was an important non routing lesson learned during the week, the importance of an accurate drawing from which all dimensions and angles are taken. There was a slight faux par early in the course when two students cut away an important reference edge which I had planned to use for cutting tenons. However “necessity is the mother of invention” and we managed to develop a way round this. This was another non routing lesson learnt, do all you joint cutting and fitting while you still have straight edges to work from, start shaping only after all the joints are cut.

Everyone finished their table and all were pleased with the result, I think some students have already had orders placed for more? In fact they should be able to make them at home as they have the drawing, jigs and templates to work from.

Neil dry fitting his table legs.

David routing for the inlay in table top.

Alan, Neil and David with their finished tables.