mistermikev Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 so was bull spitting with some folks on facebook about a blank of old wood this guy was going to use as a neck blank. he was showing pics of tons of holes in it and how he had pulled out vintage cast nails - some 3" long. setting aside the fact that this neck blank potentially has voids in it... would you feel comfy running a router through it? I have done some dangerous things with a router... not proud - had some scary close calls. Not saying I'm mr safety... I am far from it. This however strikes me as insanity - but I could be wrong. I know folks run routers on metal all the time. going from low density to high density wood with a router can choke it, slowing it down, and basically turning the blade into a baseball bat hitting that wood and throwing the work piece. As woodworkers we encounter this all the time with figured wood and tearout. transitioning from wood to metal unexpectedly, with a router, to me seems like a great way to add dodging lethal projectiles to your woodworking activities. I have never actually done it, but I have accidentally bumped a piece of aluminum with my router bit on my plane jig... just barely touched it... and it def got my attention. ever happen to you? would you run a router through a piece you pulled nails out of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Routing is a lot safer hand held than it is on a table - Your arms take the shock of the kickback so it's a lot easier to manage. My little triton router has so much clear plastic covering that the top of the router is pretty much sealed, so there is nowhere for projectiles to go other than down towards the ground up the dust shoot. I'm not saying I would route through a nail hole, I wouldn't, but I avoid router tables as much as I possible can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 43 minutes ago, ADFinlayson said: Routing is a lot safer hand held than it is on a table - Your arms take the shock of the kickback so it's a lot easier to manage. My little triton router has so much clear plastic covering that the top of the router is pretty much sealed, so there is nowhere for projectiles to go other than down towards the ground up the dust shoot. I'm not saying I would route through a nail hole, I wouldn't, but I avoid router tables as much as I possible can right on. while lots of folks swear by a router table... for me, I just don't care for them. There are some cases where admittedly they can be more consistent/better in some ways... but I am just more comfortable with holding the router as opposed to the workpiece. safer - I don't think I'd go so far as to say one is overall safer than the other, but in certain scenarios - def. for the record... I'm not as concerned about nail holes as nails. very much appreciate your input AD. Hope you are feeling better too (I lurk). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 I disagree, I don't think a router is a particularly dangerous tool. My main router has a deadmans switch and it turns off as soon as you let go of it so it's really rather difficult to keep the thing switched on and put your other hand near the spinning bit. Tables on the other hand always have the bit spinning up, unguarded and needs to be manually switched off. I use my little trim router table for making control covers against templates but that is pretty much it, I'm terrified of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ADFinlayson Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 Yeah thanks man, I'm not feeling too bad. could be just coincidental head-cold symptoms. No fever or persistent cough, my mum is the same. Hoping we've dodged it but continuing to be a recluse to be on the safe side. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 10 minutes ago, ADFinlayson said: I disagree, I don't think a router is a particularly dangerous tool. My main router has a deadmans switch and it turns off as soon as you let go of it so it's really rather difficult to keep the thing switched on and put your other hand near the spinning bit. Tables on the other hand always have the bit spinning up, unguarded and needs to be manually switched off. I use my little trim router table for making control covers against templates but that is pretty much it, I'm terrified of them. well, dead man's switch: if you accidentally let go of it (on switch) while balls deep in a route I think you'll reconsider whether or not it can be unsafe! IMO anything has some potential but... fighting the urge to completely agree that hand held is more safe because that's really my underlying belief. welp, the closest thing I have to a router table is my carve top binding jig. It makes me a bit uncomfy sometimes because there is nothing to stop one from pulling their hand right into it. that said - I'm extra careful using it. I have used a router table in a professional setting but it was always with a feather board and guard for doing cove moulding and similar. Like anything else they can be safe... but my concerns with them would center more around A) the grip you have on the wood vs the grip on a router and B ) an exposed blade and slipping esp if the bit grabs the piece. For those reasons I am not comfy using a table but I know anything can be safe/unsafe depending on what yer doing and how yer doing it. Either scenario - table or hand held... going from wood to steel - seems to me things are going to change so fast you aren't going to have time to react before any potential damage is done - dead man's switch or not. That said I'm always totally prepared to be completely wrong. I have never routed thru anything with metal in it so have zero experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 5 hours ago, mistermikev said: for the record... I'm not as concerned about nail holes as nails. Yes. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiKro Posted March 19, 2020 Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 No I would not route a piece of wood without knowing if it has metal. Even on my saw or cnc. The blades or endmills costs and peace of mind make buying the tool to detect metal well worth it. That is why they make a tool to locate metal in wood. It is the same wand as used by the TSA to check your body for metal at the airports. just my 0.02 cents worth on this. MK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted March 19, 2020 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2020 3 hours ago, MiKro said: No I would not route a piece of wood without knowing if it has metal. Even on my saw or cnc. The blades or endmills costs and peace of mind make buying the tool to detect metal well worth it. That is why they make a tool to locate metal in wood. It is the same wand as used by the TSA to check your body for metal at the airports. just my 0.02 cents worth on this. MK tru dat. can make short work of a nice bit. probably not a bad idea to have a metal detector handy. this has never happened to me, just going off of a post I saw on facebook and wondering if I'm just a worry wart (I am, but perhaps not for THIS reason!). thanks for the reply. 4 hours ago, ScottR said: Yes. SR thank you for chiming in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workingman Posted April 11, 2020 Report Share Posted April 11, 2020 In addition to making it hard, and thus dangerous, to control the router, it could cause the router bit to fracture throwing off a sharp piece of metal at high speeds. This could also happen when using a power saw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted April 12, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2020 On 4/11/2020 at 12:51 PM, Workingman said: In addition to making it hard, and thus dangerous, to control the router, it could cause the router bit to fracture throwing off a sharp piece of metal at high speeds. This could also happen when using a power saw. that is certainly another frightening possibility. a router thru reg wood is adventurous enough for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 On 4/11/2020 at 2:51 PM, Workingman said: In addition to making it hard, and thus dangerous, to control the router, it could cause the router bit to fracture throwing off a sharp piece of metal at high speeds. This could also happen when using a power saw. Wow. Look who showed up! Long time no see. Hope you've been doing well. SR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Workingman Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 Hi, doing as well as can be expected in the difficult times. I will be smoking a pork butt tomorrow if it doesn't rain. Hope you are well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottR Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 21 minutes ago, Workingman said: Hi, doing as well as can be expected in the difficult times. I will be smoking a pork butt tomorrow if it doesn't rain. Hope you are well. Mmmmmm, smoked pork butt. SR 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 I bet it’s hard to get a really good hit off that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 ahh, rest easy. for once I am not the one posting silly stuff. I opened this thread, started scrolling up and saw 'smoked pork butt' and wondered how in the world the conversation could have led to that... so in conclusion: smoking pork butt IS the ultimate symbol of 'doing well'. i concur. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 its impossible not to swing when its teed up so well. Back to the original thoughts - metal detector. No sense in that kinda risk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistermikev Posted April 15, 2020 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 3 hours ago, komodo said: its impossible not to swing when its teed up so well. Back to the original thoughts - metal detector. No sense in that kinda risk. hehe, tru dat! joking in my threads is always encouraged. also... tru dat. metal detector if ever any possibility of hitting metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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