How to use a Router Table to center edge-to-edge joints: Have you ever wondered how to center edge-to-edge joints?
You use this technique for making solid tabletops, wide panels, or even make edging to go around your router table top. Let’s use an actual example of oak edging on a MDF Router Table Top. The top is 1 1/8″ thick. The oak edging is 1 1/8″ thick. How do we guarantee a centered edge? Decide on the tongue dimension. You have a 1/4″ slot cutter. You want the tongue thickness less than two times the cut. Hence, the tongue thickness is slightly less than 1/2″. We use a 1/4″ depth of cut in this example. We want a tongue that is less than 1/2″ in thickness. Therefore, we know that the rabbet on the Table Top is slightly more than 5/16″ on both sides of a 1 1/8″ thick piece. Rabbet the top with a rabbet bit with a bearing to produce a 1/4″ rabbet. You don’t want to take a lot during your first pass. Therefore, the depth of cut is set for 1/8″ for your first pass. Set the fence so it is even with the bearing of the rabbet bit. Cut both top and bottom of the router top. Take your time and go all
