New tip

[Rob]

Someone may have thought about this before, or not. I'm slow sometimes.

Wanting to route a decorative edge around a board, I've always clamped it to my bench, routed until I hit the clamps, then move the board and route some more, repeat until all edges are routed. Couldn't think of a good way to keep the board still and route around the whole edge non stop.

Last night I spotted my double sided carpet tape. Eureka, cut off a couple boards smaller then the piece I'm routing, use double sided tape to mount the scrap on the bottom of my work piece, and use my sanding pad to hold everything. Worked great. You'll need to mount them so the piece doesn't tip while routing. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. Like I said, I'm slow sometimes.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

GOOD TIP!

Thank you!

 

[JimmyC]

That is a good tip Rob :icon_thum, it saves set up time and routing the edge can be one continous movement.

 

[DIYGUY]

Here is one that is even easier - find some old carpet padding. The foam type - typically around 0.25" ~ 0.375" thick. Forget about those expensive router pads in the catalogs - you can source a lifetime supply with one trip to a dumpster. Call a local rug installer and ask him to save you some from his next job. If you get it from a low-traffic room it will be as good as new.

Just put your board down on top of it and make sure you route CCW. As Jackie Gleason used to say "... and away we go!!"

 

[russellellis]

thats a good tip. sometimes, when i have work too large for "router mat", i end up clamping it too. and it always takes so long when youre doing multiple pieces.


btw, the router mat i use is mechanics tool chest drawer lining. a heck of a lot cheaper than real router mats. a guy down the street from me uses heavy duty area rug anti slip pads.

 

[G_ville_worker]

Good tip.

When I got my first router I promptly went out and purchased a router mat. Last time I got duped on that. Same thing as cabinet liner.

 

[Trent Mason]

Cool tip! :thumbs_up

 

[James Davis]

Shelf liner from wal-mart is about 1/3 the price of toolbox liner and is exactly the same thing. It comes in 12" and 24" widths. It makes a great router mat, tool box liner,and sander mat. I am sure there are other uses like lining shelves.

james Davis

 

[TracyP]

Ever thought about sending it to the mags? Of course you have let all of us in on it now:rotflm:.

 

[Rob]

Nah, I don't write well enough.

 

[KC7CN]

Someone may have thought about this before, or not. I'm slow sometimes.

Wanting to route a decorative edge around a board, I've always clamped it to my bench, routed until I hit the clamps, then move the board and route some more, repeat until all edges are routed. Couldn't think of a good way to keep the board still and route around the whole edge non stop.

Last night I spotted my double sided carpet tape. Eureka, cut off a couple boards smaller then the piece I'm routing, use double sided tape to mount the scrap on the bottom of my work piece, and use my sanding pad to hold everything. Worked great. You'll need to mount them so the piece doesn't tip while routing. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this before. Like I said, I'm slow sometimes.

Thanks for sharing your tip! I find a lot of uses for carpet tape, but have not tried this; last time I routed edges I used clamps:tinysmile_cry_t:.

This thread also collected a lot of other ways to skin the cat:icon_thum.

-Don

 

[Alan in Little Washington]

Double stick tape has a lot of uses in the workshop! More even than duct tape!

I usually use my router table to put decorative edges on boards, though I use double stick tape to attach templates, but again use a router table.