Feed right to left, against the cutter rotation. Getting this backwards causes climb cutting, where the bit grabs the workpiece and throws it, and it is the single most dangerous error on a router table.
Why direction matters more than anything else
The bit spins counterclockwise when viewed from above. Feeding the stock right to left means the cutting edges meet the wood in opposition to your feed, so the bit resists rather than pulls. Feeding the other way lets the rotation drag the workpiece along, and it happens faster than you can react.
The exception is small and worth knowing: when routing the outside edge of a curved piece against a bearing bit with no fence, direction reverses relative to the piece. Beginners should keep to fence work until the principle is instinctive.
Setting up before you cut
- Unplug the router before changing bits. Every time, without exception.
- Seat the bit properly. Insert fully, then withdraw about two millimeters before tightening. Bottoming out against the collet can crack it.
- Set the height. Raise the bit only as far as the cut requires.
- Align the fence. For edge profiles, the fence faces sit flush with the bit’s bearing surface. For a partial cut, the fence sits proud by the depth you want removed.
- Fit featherboards. One holding stock against the fence, one against the table.
- Test on scrap. Always, with stock the same thickness as the workpiece.
Take multiple passes
Removing the full profile in one pass loads the bit, burns the wood and produces a rougher finish. Two or three progressively deeper passes cut cleaner, are safer and extend bit life. This costs a minute and it is the difference between amateur and clean results on hardwood.
Why the wood burns at the same spot every time
Scorch marks are a feed rate problem far more often than a heat problem. A cutter that is not being given fresh wood to remove rubs instead of slicing, and rubbing is what raises the surface temperature enough to darken it. Burns therefore appear exactly where you slowed or paused, usually at the start of a curve or where a hand was repositioned.
Two other causes look identical. Pitch baked onto the cutting edges turns a sharp bit blunt, so clean a bit that has cut resinous stock before blaming it. Dense pale woods such as maple and cherry mark long before oak does, and on those a light final pass at a brisk feed leaves an edge needing almost no sanding. Safety glasses go on before the router is plugged in, not before the switch, and a push pad keeps fingers behind the cut for the whole stroke.
The rules that keep hands intact
- Never route freehand on the table without the fence or a starting pin. There is nothing to control the entry.
- Keep hands well clear. Use push blocks for anything under about 150mm wide.
- Do not route very short pieces. Cut the profile on a longer board and trim it afterwards.
- Let the bit reach full speed before the stock touches it.
- Use the largest bit diameter your router supports at reduced speed. Large diameter bits at full speed have dangerous rim speeds.
- Dust extraction is not optional. Router tables produce fine dust in volume, and fence port extraction also clears chips that would otherwise mar the cut.
When the handheld router is the safer choice
A table is not the answer to every profile. Once a board is longer than the table can support at both ends, the overhang lifts the stock off the surface mid cut and the depth wanders. Large panels fail the other way, since you steer their weight rather than guide it.
In both cases the router belongs on top of the work instead, clamped board and moving tool. The table earns its place on small and medium parts, and on repeat cuts against a fence.
Reading the cut to confirm the setup
The waste tells you whether the setup is right before the workpiece does. Chips mean the bit is cutting; fine powder means it is scraping, which points at a dull edge or a feed that is too slow. A motor note that drops as you push means the pass is too deep, and easing off the feed is the wrong response because it invites a burn.
On the test piece, look along the profile toward a window. A correct cut catches the light evenly end to end. Regular ripples mean the stock was not held tight to the fence, and a step near one end means the fence faces were out of alignment.
Frequently asked questions
Which direction do you feed stock on a router table?
Right to left, against the bit rotation. Feeding left to right lets the bit grab the workpiece and throw it, which is the most dangerous mistake on this machine.
How high should the router bit be set?
Only as high as the cut requires. Exposing more cutter than the cut needs increases both the risk and the load on the bit.
Do I need a featherboard?
For anything narrow or long, yes. Featherboards hold the stock against the fence and table so your hands stay away from the bit.
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