Craftsman 315.275110 Owner's Manual page 19

OPERATION
ROUTING WITH GUIDE BUSHINGS (Cont'd)
Secure template to the workpiece. Set router to desired depth
of cut and turn it on. Place router base on the template with
the collar of the guide bushing against the edge of the
template. Lowercutter intothe workpiece and proceed around
template, keeping guide bushing pressed against template
edge.
When routing with template guide bushings it is necessary to
allow for the size difference between the cutting edge of the
cutter and the face of the guide bushing collar. When making
templates, always allow for this size difference. See Figure
9.
FREEHAND ROUTING
See Figure 30.
When used freehand, your plunge router becomes a flexible
and versatile tool. This flexibility makes it possible to easily
rout signs, relief sculptures, etc.
There are two basic techniques for freehand routing:
1. Routing letters, grooves, and patterns into wood.
2. Routing out the background, leaving the letters or pat-
tern raised above the surface as shown in figure 30.
When freehand routing, we suggest the folowing:
1. Draw or layout the pattern on workpiece.
2. Choose the appropriate cutter. NOTE: A core box or
V-groove bit is often used for routing letters and en-
graving objects. Straight bits and ball mills are often
used to make relief carvings. Veining bits are used to
carve small, intricate details.
3. Rout the pattern in two or more passes. Make the first
pass at 25% of the desired depth of cut. This will
provide better control as well as being a quide for the
next pass.
Freehand routing is an excellent example of how to use
the plunge routing feature of your router:
1. Choose the appropriate cutter, set desired depth of
cut, carefully check set-up, and secure workpiece.
2. Make a test cut in a scrap piece of wood from the same
workpiece if possible.
3. Depress plunge release actuator and raise cutter from
any preset depth of cut. This also permits raising cutter
inside router subbase.
4. Place router on workpiece inside pattern to be routed.
5. Grasp handles securely and depress "on-off" trigger to
start your router.
6. Let motor build to full speed, then gradually plunge
cutter into workpiece until stop bar comes into contact
with stop screw on depth stop block.
7. Squeeze plunge lock actuator to secure depth of cut
setting.
8.- Begin routing out the pattern, continuing until a com-
plete pass at this depth of cut has been made.
WORKPIECE
SIZE
DIFFERENCE
ROUTER BIT
Fig. 29
9. Several cuts that require repositioning of router may
be needed for a particular job. if this situation exists,
depress plunge release actuator and raise cutter in-
side router subbase after each cut, reposition router
for next cut, gradually plunge cutter into workpiece
until stop bar contacts stop screw, squeeze plunge
lock actuator and continue routing.
10 After all cuts have been made, depress plunge release
actuator, raise cutter inside router subbase, remove
router from workpiece, release "on-off" trigger, and
allow cutter to come to a complete stop.
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