The Missing Shop Manual - Router

This is the seventh book in the Missing Shop Manual series, written for novice woodworkers.

At just over 200 pages, the Router book is one of the most comprehensive in the series. It shares the same format as the other books - each topic is presented in a few pages, generally with half a page taken up by descriptive text and the other half with a photo or illustration. The text is sparse, to the point, and clearly written. The illustrations are meant to amplify the text, and in general they are well done.

This book covers most of the topics you would want to know when you first purchase a router. You get a basic outline of the components of a fixed and plunge router, an introduction to the three basic families of router bits (edge forming, grooving, panel raising), and then, instruction on using the router for a wide range of routing tasks. The authors refer to quite a few jigs and accessories (sub bases, router tables, surfacing and flush trimming jigs, and the like), though you won't find much in the way of detailed plans on how to make them. Fortunately many of the jigs are fairly easy to assemble.

In a book like this there are bound to be topics missing, or inadequately covered. I felt that there wasn't a very clear discussion of the specific router features that are important for specific routing tasks. There is no mention of trim routers or combination routers. The authors don't outline the difference between carbide and high speed steel router bits, or make any mention of insert router bits. There is no mention of climb cutting, and surprisingly, no clear instructions on determining the direction of feed when routing.

Still, if you've recently purchased a router, you'll find that there is certainly much more information in this book than the instruction manual that came with your router. And that, really, is the purpose of the Missing Shop Manual series.