Wood router

A router (pronounced rhowter) is a woodworking power tool used to rout - that is cut grooves, hollow out areas or create shaped trims along the edge of a piece of wood. The form of cuts created is determined by the size and shape of the bit held in the shank.

The tool usually consists of a vertically mounted motor that drives the shank, with the bit, held in a collet, projecting out through a flat base, control is derived from two handles on either side of the device. There are two standard types of router - plunge and fixed. With a plunge router, the bit can be lowered into the wood while keeping the base flat; with a fixed router, the cut depth is fixed.

As an alternative, the tool can be mounted below a table, similar to a circular saw and used in conjunction with a fence.

In both cases the speed of the bit is generally variable to allow for different diameters of bit. Typical speeds range from 10,000 to 24,000 rpm.

Router bits come in hundreds of varieties to create both decorative effects as well as joinery aids. They are classifies as either high-speed steel (HSS) or carbide-tipped, and can be edge bits or non-edge bits. Edge bits have a small wheel bearing to aid a router along the edge of a piece of wood without using a rip fence. Non-edge bits are guided with a straight edge, rip fence, or a router table.