Save me from doing something potentially stupid, since I have limited knowledge here:

Just got a new workbench. Going to add a flush-fit Inline Fabrication mount which was pointed out to me in the reloading room. It requires routing a slot for the mount to sit in.

I'm going to borrow a buddy's router for the job, since I don't have one of my own. The table top is not solid wood, it's particle board.

Will I destroy the whole world--or at least the table top--if I run a router through particle board?

Shallow passes to prevent chipping, wear a mask and keep a vacuum hose next to your work to help prevent making an unholy mess.

Have you ever used a router before? If not, odds are yes, you will--regardless of the wood type. So step 1, if you haven't used a router, before, is to practice with it on some scrap. Ideally good old SPF construction lumber, because it's soft and easy.

Now, for the wood: You write "particle board." What do you mean by that? Because there's all kinds of wood to which people refer as "particle board." If you really mean MDF, the wood, itself, won't be a challenge. HDF, OTOH, is very hard, very dense, and very tough on edged tools. Very easy to burn both workpiece and wood with HDF.

And the bit(s), once burned, can probably be tossed.

As advised, get some scrap material of the same kind to practice on. A router is not a tool to mess around with if you're not familiar with one. A router doesn't cut, it removes material.

I recently took one spinning at 30K RPM's to the back of my thumb. Happened so fast I never felt it, but I knew what happened. Went through my glove and into my thumb - could have been much worse. Few stitches and ~2 months later it's pretty much healed up now. Thankful every time I look at my thumb that it's still there.

Check in to how people mount the device on workbenches. MDF (particle board) doesn’t hold screws really well, depending on leverage needed, etc. Look in to aluminum track that fits into the routed slot in the MDF.

Make multiable shallow cuts especially with MDF material. router bits will burn material and become absolutly worthless in very short order. Take your time with the router. retired cabinet maker. .......................drill sgt.

Also, fixture, fixture, fixture. Use some scrap wood strips and a brad nailer to attach a guide to the work top so that you can only cut the slot where you want. Make the guides tall enough so that the baseplate is aligned before the bit hits the top. Do it in multiple passes taking a little more every pass.

You should be able to just measure the router base diameter and the bit is in the center. Double check anyway, just cause.

Ken

All good suggestions so far. As to routing the actual slot, a template will provide a better result and help prevent disasters.

Step 1: Mark out the required mounting slot where required on the workbench top.
Step 2: Drill pilot holes on each end of the marked slot staying inside your layout lines.
Step 3: Use a jigsaw to rough cut out the inside of the slot. Stay inside your layout lines.
Step 4: Apply 1/2" MDF pieces on all four layout lines with two sided tape.
Step 5: Use a router and a flush cutting bit with a top mount bearing to follow your template and finish the slot.
Step 6: Peel off your template and install your fab mount.

Would it matter if the mount was an inch or two higher?
Cut the slot in a good piece of wood and fix that to the work bench first.
Or, bolt through the wood and work bench together.

if you are just going to free hand it be prepared for the router to have a mind of it's own, if you want a nice straight slot you will need a fence of some sort to rout from. free handing even for someone like me who is a cabinetmaker for 35 years is not something I do very often.

Do you have a need to have it flush mount, or is that what you want for a smooth surface with no press mounted?

If you don't need it to be flush with the surface you can get Inline Fabrications spacer plate to put under the mounting plate so that you don't have to rout the top to use it.

https://inlinefabrication.com/...ush-mount-base-plate

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
if you are just going to free hand it be prepared for the router to have a mind of it's own, if you want a nice straight slot you will need a fence of some sort to rout from. free handing even for someone like me who is a cabinetmaker for 35 years is not something I do very often.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AMEN . I totally agree. Just do not ask me how I know. .............drill sgt.