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So what does a router do and how to use a router.

I thought I’d first take a look at the word router and this originates from a verb to rout. Rout is also a noun but this doesn’t relate to our woodworking router. The definition of the verb appears to be to rummage or to hollow out or furrow, as with a scoop, gouge, or machine. So perhaps my definition of a woodworking router would be to gouge out or machine out some part of a piece of wood. This could simply be to make a groove or round the edges of a piece of timber.

The first routers were of course hand operated and were similar in appearance to a flat wood plane but having interchangeable narrow blades rather than the large flat blade. These blades would be shaped to make a grove or round the edge of the timber. The electric router was introduced in the first half of the last century but in fact was a very different product for achieving similar results and relied on a spinning cutter and was known as the spindle router. A company called Elu developed some of the first products and I remember having a quality Elu router myself. I believe Elu is now part of the Makita power tool and Makita router range of products.

The first electric routers had a fixed base and subsequent routers called plunging routers were sprung such that the spinning blade would not protrude beyond the based as the weight or pressure was removed. These types of router were moved over the wood area. The alternative method of use is to mount a router to the underside of a router table and then move the wood over the router and maintaining a fixed position for the table router. This is ideal for a workshop environment and lends itself to additional safety features.

The handheld plunging routers can be used (should be used) with a variety of controls. The base of the router can be fitted with a sidebar device to ensure that the cutting blade remains a constant distance from the edge of the wood you are routing. For example you may wish to cut a groove 4 mm deep and 3 mm from the edge of your piece of wood. The depth can be set to the maximum 4 mm and the sidebar guide will ensure that the groove is not made more than 3mm from the edge of the wood. You could achieve the same results by clamping a straight edge over the surface of the wood to be machined and keep the electric router pressed firmly against the straight edge.

Router cutters or router bits come in many different shapes. The different shapes allow you to use your router to cut square, vee and rounded grooves. There are more router bits to enable round, angular and decorative edge finishing. An edge finishing router bit has a spinning guide at the base of the cutter that prevents the blade cutting deeper into the timber. Generally speaking buying router bits can be a little of a lottery because you want the best bits but don’t want to spend a fortune. Unless you need a large selection of router bits for professional work I’d suggest buying a set of router bits with most of the shapes you could ever envisage using. You’ll probably also require 1 or 2 straight cutting bits and you may wish to pay a little more money to get the best you can afford if you are to use these bits frequently. For example you may wish to have a 3-4 mm straight cutting blade for groves and rebating edges of your chosen timber. A larger 8-10mm is always useful for taking a little timber off a wider area. Cheaper blades will soon lose their cutting edge and could scorch or burn the timer if you are not careful.

You can choose a router from a variety of manufactures notably Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, Festool, Milwaukee and Porter-Cable. A router is still very much a corded power tool and is often required for long periods of use so there hardly any cordless routers. The Ryobi ZRP600 Trim Router is an 18v cordless device but very much intended for lighter trim work. Many of the manufacturers also supply factory reconditioned routers and router combo kits.

Once you’ve mastered the use of a router you’ll be amazed how many tasks can be improved by using a router.

The modern woodworking router is a truly versatile and powerful tool.  ThePowerToolBox has a huge range of routers and router accessories from most manufacturers.  We have over 100 manufacturers to choose from for a comprehensive range of new and factory recondition Power Tools.  See website for full details and video links.

Selecting the appropriate pressure washer for the right job says a lot to achieve maximum benefits. The user or operator must be able to find out what category or type of work application the pressure washer will be used for, so as to be able to determine what type of Pressure Washer he will have to buy or rent. Based on previous post we already have categorized the type of work applications a pressure washer is used and those are the Residential, Commercial and Industrial; and these three categories will be the basis for the selection of the right pressure washer to buy or rent.

RESIDENTIAL application is best described as light to moderate pressure washing, and most common works would include the following:

• Car Washing, ATV, Jet Ski, Kayaks to Small Boat
• Walls, Tile & Brick Floors, Garage, Driveways & Pavements
• Windows, Screen Doors, Pools, Patio & Porch
• Other home appliance such as Air Conditioner and Heaters.

With this kind of application, a light to moderate pressure washer that could produce power between 750psi to 5,000psi will do the job perfectly. A unit with this power is enough to remove dirt, dust, grime and mud from; moss and fungus on walls, fences, gates and other parts of the home. It is also best to consider that a unit with an electric motor is best for residential use; primarily to be able to use the pressure washer indoors.

COMMERCIAL pressure washing is generally the use of a pressure washer on a large scale. Either it might be for a very wide area, numbers of fleet and usually for a very long amount of time. This category may also include works described in residential but, then it may be done on several different homes like in a home cleaning business. So under commercial pressure washing, it could cover light, moderate and to moderately heavy applications as enumerated:

• Graffiti & Pool Cleaning
• Constructions (e.g. Bricks, Tiles)
• Ship Deck & Engine Room Pressure Cleaning
• Farm & Construction Equipment
• Buses, Trailer Homes, Airlines, Trains
• Schools, Restaurants, Parks & Recreational Areas
• Roof, Gutters, Sidewalks & Sewer Drain Jetting

With this kind of work, you will need a much bigger and more powerful washer, not only in terms of pressure but also in motor. And since most commercial applications are conducted outdoors, off site and requires great amount of time usage, a pressure washer with a gas motor comes highly recommended. But for serious commercial washers it is best to have units with both types of motor to give you more flexibility to work indoors and outdoors as well. So a good commercial washer should have around 3,500psi to 15,000psi, that’s enough power to handle all kinds of dirt and debris. It is also good to have a pressure washer with capabilities to pray hot water for works that demand it.

 

INDUSTRIAL pressure washing is the ultimate in all the application which involves a pressure washer. While it also cover works included in commercial pressure washing, the gauges for work to be defined as industrial is the toughness of the job, and operators in these kinds of application would require some professional and safety training. So under industrial pressure washing, the following are as follows:

• Silos, Smoke Stacks & Vessels
• Storage Tanks, Fuel Depot, Ship Tankers
• Live Stocks, Poultry Farm, Livestock Pen & Stables
• Gas Station, Refineries, Tanker Trucks
• Off-Shore Platforms, Oil Rigs & Refineries
• Large Airline Fleets, Buses, Trains and Ships
• Garbage Compactors, Saw Mills and Factories

With pressure force between 15,000psi to 30,000psi, the amount of application a professional could imagine is enormous, from moderately heavy to the toughest work you could think of. There is also a big difference in the equipment setup with the industrial type pressure washer as compared to the two previous ones. Some industrial washers employ gas pressure to further boost the fluid force and hot water as well.

So by now pretty sure you know now what will be your basis for buying or renting. It is also essential to make the m perform a demo. It is also good to remember that the pressure washer is only as good as its maximum pressure. You could turn down pressure if you want to do light jobs but you could never boost a pump’s pressure over its limits to do a heavy work load.

Roy Jones is author and editor of Pressure Washing site Ryobi Pressure Washer