# using router without table to cut tongue and groove



## WOODIE1 (Feb 28, 2012)

Is it unsafe to cut tongue and grooves using router handheld vs bits in table? Obviously wood would have to be locked down properly but ??? Common practice? unsafe? I have new Frued adjst bits. No panel bit just tongue and groove.

Don't want to wait to get table.

thanks


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

It depends on how big your router bits are and how much experience you have using a router. I think most folks do Tongue and groove work on table saws.


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## WOODIE1 (Feb 28, 2012)

Ok what do u mean by size? They are 1/2 inch bits in a new Bosch router. I have some experience but do not have everyday experience so I always like to ask 1st for safety and advise. You can never know too much.

I plan on doing the passes using an edge guide 1/4 of the cut which each pass. Any tips? 
Thanks


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## Bobmedic (Sep 24, 2010)

Are they tongue and groove bits or rail and stile bits? From what you have said it sounds as if they are rail and stile bits. Either way, it can be done but the safer option is to use them in a router table. The router table will also give you better more consistent results. This video shows a guy doing it with a Festool router. He even used the panel cutter freehand. So I suppose to answer your question, Yes it can be done but in my opinion I wouldn't do it. The rail end cuts require a sled or a backer board of some type on a router table. Doing it freehand seems a little scary to me.


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## woodchucker29 (Apr 16, 2012)

you could try rigging up some kinda of guide/track for the router to keep it in line if you don't want to wait to get a router table.


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

I would make a simple jig something like this…










The red block is glued and screwed so it won't move. The blue block is clamped so you can move it for different lengths of stock. You'll have to experiment and see what works for you.

EDIT: Come to think of it, you will have to devise a way to keep the stock from shooting out when the router bit hits it, but this is a start.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

You can go the cheap route and make a basic router table for really cheap! I made my first router table out of melamine shelf board, screwed the router base to it, drill hole for bit and use straight board clamped to table as fence. About an hours work and $15 in supplies.

It would be considerably safer than using a hand held router.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

You can do it but the work will go quicker and probably
with less operator error if you use a table. Just screw
your router to a flat board and go to work.


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## WOODIE1 (Feb 28, 2012)

I think I am spending too much time at the Festool sites. They do everything without dedicated machines. I have a MFT/3 and the assorted clamps.

I will either make a jig to hold wood or do as said and pop a hole in the top till I get a router plate.

Thanks


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## MR_Cole (Jun 1, 2012)

Ive made a temporary router table before buy putting a hole in a piece of plywood and just screwing the router to the underside. Then I used clamps to add a fence. Tongue and groove in most cases doesn't need to be totally perfect so this should work fine. Its defiantly safer then free handing it.


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## ChrisFranklin (May 28, 2012)

Size in the context of safety is a matter of the cutting diameter mostly. And horsepower. A big cutter in a big router is potentially dangerous. With a cutting diameter of say 1 1/2" and say a 1 1/2 horsepower machine, I would be comfortable freehanding. I'd clamp the boards to my bench though. Anything bigger either in diameter or horsepower I would put in a table, as others have said.

One thing about freehanding, the smaller base will follow any moderate curvature in the wood better than a table, and if it's moderate enough, the T&G may pull and hold the boards in line, if you're just nailing up a wall. If it is rails & stiles for door frames, then obviously the stock has to be straight.


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## lumberjoe (Mar 30, 2012)

Doing tongue and groove with a router many times is the reason I finally broke down and got a dado set last weekend. Once set up, it's not to bad, but it takes me FOREVER to set it up right. Plus I do multiple passes to avoid tear out or burning up the bit. I suppose if I had a real T&G cutter for my router it would be easier than using fluted straight bits, but a dado on a table saw is even easier than that.


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## Knothead62 (Apr 17, 2010)

Freehand is hard for me, if not close to impossible. A cheapy router table as mentioned. Cheap and dirty is the saying.


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## TedW (May 6, 2012)

The problem with attaching the router to the back side of plywood or similar is that you end up with that thickness between the router base and the work piece, making it difficult to use the full depth of the bit. At least, that's the case with my routers. Maybe other routers plunge deeper, with the collet actually extending beyond the router base. Mine don't plunge that far, so to do that I end up having only about 1/2" or so of the shank of the bit clamped into the collet. That, to me, seems a lot more dangerous than anything else.


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## Bobmedic (Sep 24, 2010)

TedW, I have used ½ plywood and removed the baseplate and had plenty room to adjust the bits. If you don't have enough bit travel you can get collet extenders that can help.


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