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Router Tables and Router Bits for Woodworking

A router does two jobs — cutting profiles into edges and cutting joinery like dados and rabbets — and the tool decision splits into two questions: handheld or table-mounted, and which bits actually fit the projects you're building.

Handheld router vs. router table: when each makes sense

A handheld router moves across a fixed workpiece — the right setup for routing an edge profile on a large panel you can't easily lift onto a table. A router table flips this: the router sits fixed underneath a table, and you move the workpiece across it — better for smaller pieces, repeatable cuts, and joinery that needs a steady, controlled feed. Many shops eventually own both; if you're buying your first, match it to the project size you build most.

Fixed-base vs. plunge routers

A fixed-base router is set to a cutting depth and stays there for the cut — simpler to control, and the standard choice for edge profiles. A plunge router can be lowered into the material mid-cut, which is what stopped dados, mortises, and any cut that doesn't start from the edge of the board require.

Router bit shank sizes and why it matters

Router bits come in two common shank sizes: 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch. A 1/2-inch shank flexes less under load, giving a cleaner cut and handling larger bits more safely — worth the extra cost on any router that accepts both. Check your router's collet size before buying bits; not every router accepts both sizes.

Common bit profiles and what they're for

• Straight bits — for dados, grooves, and mortises
• Round-over bits — for softening a sharp edge
• Rabbeting bits — for cutting a stepped recess along an edge, often for a panel or back to sit into
• Chamfer bits — for a flat, angled edge instead of a rounded one
• Flush-trim bits — for trimming one material exactly to match another, using a bearing as a guide

Carbide-tipped vs. solid carbide bits

Carbide-tipped bits use a steel body with a carbide cutting edge — less expensive, and enough for most hobby-shop use. Solid carbide bits hold an edge longer and run cooler at high speed, worth the extra cost for bits you use constantly rather than occasionally.

Next: see Clamps for Woodworking: Which Type for Which Job for holding pieces steady during a router pass.