Simple Router Table Push Block
George VondriskaDescription
George Vondriska teaches you how to make a simple Router Table Push Block for accurately cutting across the end grain of narrow pieces of wood on a router table without blowback or chipping. He likes to refurbish old push pads by scraping off the worn out rubber pad and drilling the plastic handle to a ¾”, 10×10 base of MDF. This jig allows you greater control over the piece you are cutting on a router table by not allowing it to wobble or “walk”.
Quite commonly at the router table I have the need to route across the end grain of a narrow piece like this one, and run into a couple issues there. One is that on a narrow piece, when that end grain is against the fence, there is a tendency for that to walk or wobble just a little bit, and I don't get a good uniform cut. And that's not very safe. The other thing is that as the bit exits end grain, generally it chips or blows out, especially in a piece of white oak like this one. I'd have a pretty significant chip on that back side.
So I want to solve those problems. I want to provide some kind of support, so this more securely and safely goes past the cutter. I also want to make sure I support it on the back side here so that I don't get that chipping. We can very easily fix all of these issues here with stuff you probably just have laying around the shop. So the base of my problem solver is a piece of three quarter inch MDF.
I made mine 10 by 10. What this is gonna do is become a big push pad, or push block that we'll use on the router table to solve those issues I talked about earlier. We need a handle. We need something to hold onto here. I'm gonna use an old push pad I've had laying around the shop for a long time.
Over time, from use, the rubber, the neoprene on the bottom got worn out. So I cut all that off. I've already drilled a couple of holes in it that we need. We're gonna screw it down to the MDF. So let's drill a couple more.
What's great about holding onto these old push pads for this kind of application is that they do make wonderful handles for you to put on top of your jigs. Let's make sure it works. Nice, clean cut. No blow out on the back side. Now, with your jig we can do a couple things here.
If we change profiles, what we can do is take this to the table saw, run it through, cut a little bit off of that edge, and/or a little bit off of this edge so that we have a fresh edge to work with. We can also turn the handle around so that we can use this corner, this corner, this corner and this corner. Lot of different options for the way that you can use this. Very, very versatile. Very easy to use.
It's gonna add a lot of safety, stability and cleanliness of cut to your work here at the router table.
Brass screws might be more prudent, especially as the push block gets smaller.
what kind of screws are those you are using? They look perfect for a project I am thinking about.
Great idea, maybe if you have no left over push handles, why not use a large cupboard door handle? or make one from wood and screw and glue it to the MDF board??
great and simple idea. thank you.
I notice you used fine thread screws. Are that type best for MDF?
Good tip.