Then trim one edge, making sure it’s perpendicular to the flat face. First, flatten one face of the board, on a jointer if you have one. We have a more comprehensive guide to milling lumber if you’re curious, but it’s a simple process. Any waves or bows in the rails will transfer onto the surface of the slab that you’re flattening, which defeats the entire purpose of this setup. For this project in particular, having straight edges and faces is crucial. Working with flat, square boards is much easier and more accurate than having to deal with warps, waves, and curves. I clamp them to my workbench so I can adjust to the width of the board.Ģ. Pro tip: For more flexibility, I don’t permanently attach my rails to a base, either.(More details on leveling and shimming in the “Setting up and using the router sled” section below.) If I ever need to work with a thicker or thinner slab, I add plywood shims under the rails or board being flattened to raise or lower their relative positions, then secure them with either hot glue. I decided on this depth because I’ve never worked with anything deeper than that, and my router can plunge a little over an inch. I made my rails 5 feet long and 2 inches tall, with a sled that is 36 inches long. The largest board I’ve flattened has been 4 feet by about 16 inches. Your rails need to be taller than the board you’re milling, but you can’t make them too tall or your router bit won’t reach low enough to actually touch the top of the slab. The most challenging dimension to determine is the height of the rails, which establishes what thickness of board you can flatten. And if you’re looking to try your hand at dining tables, you’ll probably need to go 8-by-4 (a full sheet of plywood) for the base. For coffee tables, you’ll need something more in the 3-by-4-foot range. For end tables, you can probably get away with a sled that’s 2 feet square. This requires some prognostication on your part about what size projects you’re going to build in the future. Decide how big you need your router sled to be. 1 (8-foot) 1-by-6-inch board (or plywood or scrap wood)ġ.If you do not, or are otherwise uncomfortable with anything described here, don’t attempt this project. If you’re using power tools, you must know how to use them safely and correctly. At minimum, that may include safety glasses, a facemask, and/or ear protection. Before proceeding with this or any other project on our site, ensure you have all necessary safety gear and know how to use it properly. Warning: DIY projects can be dangerous, even for the most experienced makers. However, it’s pretty easy to build a DIY router sled, allowing you to customize it exactly to your needs and space. Various companies sell metal versions of these tools, and they may be a good investment if you do a lot of flattening. After all, not many of us have the space, budget, or power supply required to purchase industrial-sized milling equipment. But sometimes it’s the only option available. It can take hours, depending on the slab and the size of your router and bit. Repeat until you’ve surfaced the entire board.īy no means is this the best way to flatten a board. To use the sled, push the router, equipped with a flattening bit, back and forth, trimming off a thin slice of the board below. Set up two parallel rails a few feet apart, place a board between them, and put a sled on top of the rails for your router to sit in. A router is an essential tool for any woodworking shop, and a router table can make it a safer and more efficient tool.Figuring out how to make a router sled is a straightforward project. Router tables are available in many configurations, from simple benchtop tables to complete, stand-alone workstations that include storage and dust collection systems. A router is an essential tool for any woodworking shop, and a router table or jig can make it a safer and more efficient tool. Download our router table and hand-held router jig plans and get started building with our step-by-step instruction today.
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