Tool for cutting grooves in wood

Other tools have features that make them better suited to cutting certain kinds of grooves. Routers can have a fixed base, a plunge base, or both. Choose a model with both options for maximum usability. Read our review of the best plunge router here.

A handheld rotary tool with a dremel router attachment is perfect for making short channels. When long, straight grooves are necessary, choose another option.

If you need to make a long, perfectly straight, flat-bottomed groove , a table saw is the best tool for the job. Drawer slide grooves are often made using table saws. There are a variety of table saw options — here is our guide to help you pick. From a safety perspective, smaller circular saw s are not the right tool to make grooves in wood.

They are designed for cuts that start at the edge of the board. This kind of saw is designed to start a cut anywhere on the wood, and is a better choice for making grooves than a circular saw. Guides or rails can be used to make straight, even grooves. You can not use a router bit to drill a groove in wood. You never want to use a router bit with a drill. There are several important differences between routers and drills. If you use a router bit with a drill, it may break and become a dangerous projectile.

There are two easy methods you can use to cut a groove in wood using a drill. Other tools may be better suited to this task, especially when long, straight, and even grooves are important. Please log in with your username or email to continue. No account yet? Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great.

By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Things You'll Need. Related Articles. Method 1. All rights reserved. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc. Pick a routing bit shaped like the groove that you want to cut. A router is a handheld machine that has a rotating bit to easily carve lines and grooves.

There are many different bits that you can attach to your router so you can carve differently-shaped grooves. If you want a groove shaped like the letter V for decorative purposes, then use a V-groove bit. If you want the groove to have flat sides and a flat bottom to use for joining wood, use a straight bit on the router instead. Attach the bit you chose to the end of the router.

Unscrew the circular guard from the bottom of the router so you can access the bit mechanism. Use a wrench to loosen the bolt holding the bit in place and pull it out from the router. Place the end of the new bit in the hole at the bottom of the router, and retighten the bolt with your wrench. Line the guard back up on the router and secure it back in place. Set the depth of the router to match how deep you want the groove.

Look for the depth adjustment dial on the side of the router or on the guard. Set the router on a piece of scrap wood so the bit just hangs over the edge. Turn the adjustment dial to raise or lower the bit to the depth you want. Check how far down the bit goes on the side of the wood, and lock it in place once you have it set.

Mark a line on the wood where you want to place the groove. Set your router on the wood so the bit lines up with the line you drew. Ensure that the side of the scrap wood runs parallel with the line you drew before securing the scrap piece with a C-clamp. If you want to cut a curved groove, you can either try routing it without using a guide, or you can buy a curved guide from your local hardware store.

Pull the router along the line to make the groove. Place the router at the end of the line you drew so the guard pressed up against the clamped piece of wood. Turn on the router and pull the plunge lever down so the bit goes into the wood. Slowly pull the router toward you along the line to cut into the wood. Keep the side of the guard against the clamped wood to ensure the groove stays straight.

Some routers even have ports that you can directly attach a vacuum hose to. Method 2. Choose a routing bit to install on your rotary tool. Rotary tools are handheld tools that have a rotating head that you can attach multipurpose bits to for many different projects.

Look for groove-cutting router bits for your rotary tool and check which shape they carve out of the wood. Bits that have a pointed end usually leave V-shaped grooves while flat-bottomed bits leave a flat groove. Loosen the bolt on the bottom of the rotary tool and slide the bit into the hole. Tighten the bolt to secure the bit in place.

Secure a spiral cutter attachment to the end of the rotary tool. A spiral cutter attachment is a circular guard that goes around the bit so you can hold it flush against your piece of wood. Slide the spiral cutter over the end of the bit and screw it onto the threading. Draw the groove you want to cut on the piece of wood. Adjust the gauge of the spiral cutter to the depth you want for the groove. The gauge on the spiral cutter controls how deep the routing bit sticks out from the bottom of the tool.

Loosen the wingnut on the side of the spiral cutter so you can pull the gauge up or down to raise or lower the bit. Adjust the gauge until the measurement printed on the side is the same as the groove depth you want. Tighten the wingnut to secure the bit in place. If you want to ensure the groove stays straight, set a piece of scrap wood next to the line you drew.

Set the rotary tool on top of the line and move the scrap wood over so it touches the spiral cutter. Use C-clamps to secure the wood in place every 12 inches 30 cm. You may also use a saw fence as a guide if you have one available.