Learning projects for router table

Getting deep into the festive season, my local Men's Shed is closed. Gives me a chance to gather a list of learning projects to help teach the fellas basic use of the machinery.

The router table is a new tool for us (ignoring the concaved Triton 2000 table we used to have) and I need to come up with some quick projects for people to do to learn how to use it. So hoping some of you may apply some ideas.

I just now, with the help of 3 schooners, thought of a 100mm square piece that can be edge routed to teach how to work with end grain and how to work with small pieces and then cut a groove 20mm in from one side with a dovetail bit, making a phone holder.

Simple things like that, making use of offcuts, maybe some plunge jobs like a small dish. That could help make use of stops and simple jigs come to think of it.

I haven't yet made any jigs for joint work. Should try to do that soon.

Happy to hear any ideas you have that your average 80 year old isn't going to snap a spine doing.

Happy festive season

Opy

A small lidded box can be made with just two cutters:

Use a 1/8"-5/16" bit to cut the slot in the sides for the base and can also be used to make locking corner joints. The same cutter can run a rebate around the lid; either flat on the table and multiple passes moving the fence to increase the width, or on its edge against the fence with the bit extended and taking light but full depth passes, again moving the fence with every cut until the depth is achieved.

The base can be either a piece of 1/8"-5/16" ply, or rebated solid wood using the same process you cut the rebate in the lid.

Then you get a fancier profile cutting bit for the edges of the lid, a roundover or ovolo or even just a chamfer.

This little project is easy to set up and use, it has cuts in both long and end grain; it has the wood flat on the table and on the fence; and finally requires you to think about what order to make the cuts in to eliminate spelching or blowout.

I am brand new to routing myself. I've found that anything requiring external edge work AND internal work to be really helpful in getting my head around cut direction. Not that I specifically recommend this project but I decided to make an old fashioned horseshoes game but all out of wood.

A nicely edged base plate and vertical dowel. Then a bunch of wooden horseshoes using a pattern bit and round-over bits etc.

Picture frame from a piece of MDF, with a rebated cut out to accept a piece of perspex/glass.
How you do the rebate can vary on bits you have, or by adjusting depth. Use of stops very important.

Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming. I’m sure others with find these ideas useful too.