Safety notes

Although using a router table is mostly safe, careless use of a router table can lead to injury. It is the reader's responsibility to ensure that the router lift is solidly constructed, that the router is securely attached to the lift, and the lift always locked when in operation.

It is assumed that the builder is skilled in woodworking. This should not be your first woodworking project. It is also assumed that the builder is already familiar with the safe operation of routers.

Woodgears.ca cannot be held liable for injuries that you may incur with your tilting router lift.

Some safety tips

• A specific source of injury with router tables can be when routing in the middle of the stock, where the fence is moved away from the router bit so that both sides of the router bit may cut the wood, such as is done when cutting dado with a router. This can result in the bit engaging the stock unexpectedly and shooting it forward or back.

  Particularly dangerous is if a dado needs to be widened. Always move the fence further away for subsequent passes, or the work piece may unexpectedly become caught and shot out by the router bit. If one is holding the piece with the hands above the router bit, this can result in substantial hand injury (I have seen reports of this happening)

• Never hold the stock in such a way that your hand is above the cutter head. Always hold the stock in such a way that if it shoots out in any direction, your extended fingers will not reach the router bit.
• Always lock the tilt and depth stop before turning on the router, especially when operating the router in tilted configuration, as the router may un-tilt itself by gravity if the angle locking knob is not fastened.
• Ensure that your router is rigidly attached to its mount. Periodically check the hose clamps holding the router to ensure that they have not come loose or begun to fail. Seasonal changes in humidity, as well as router vibration may cause the hose clamps to become loose over time.