Wood router

[meaneyedcatz]

I bought a new router, the 1.25 hp Bosch compact.
The base plate seems to grab the wood that it is supposed to glide on. It doesn’t slide smoothly.
Have any of you encountered this and what, if anything, have you applied to the base plate to eliminate this?

 

[arjay]

Have you tried wax?

 

[Dave.357]

I think I have the same one .
Have had it 2 years ,they may
Have changed it but mine
Is slick, no problems

 

[Stevens]

They usually have a plastic "glide plate" face, is that on? Maybe there a mounting screw head, other item, or rough spot, nick, protruding?
As above a coat of wax won't hurt.
Steve W

 

[bigwheelzip]

I've rubbed bar soap on hand saw blades to get them to glide freely through wood.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Please don't be insulted by this question: Did you remove the protective coating/film from the base plate?

Ivan

 

[kraynky]

Sometimes it's the direction you are cutting across the grain of the wood (ie direction of router). You might try coming at it from the other direction.

 

[ameridaddy]

Are you taking a deep cut, or using a large diameter cutter? That will make a router feel like it's dragging.
Will it glide freely with the bit raised and not cutting?
Is the wood good and dry? Damp wood, like treated pressure stock drags a bunch.
Is there a clear or glossy black plastic face plate on the gliding surface? Sometimes that comes as a loose piece, or sometimes it's a returned item and the previous buyer left it off.
Check for protruding screws.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Thanks for all the replies guys!!

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Please don't be insulted by this question: Did you remove the protective coating/film from the base plate?

Ivan

I didn’t see one but I will double check.

 

[meaneyedcatz]

Using a 3/8” round over with no ogee or filet. Very little wood is being removed.
It is poplar that I’m working with.

 

[arjay]

Using a 3/8” round over with no ogee or filet. Very little wood is being removed.
It is poplar that I’m working with.

Carbide? High speed steel can scorch and dull pretty quick

 

[jtcarm]

Sometimes it's the direction you are cutting across the grain of the wood (ie direction of router). You might try coming at it from the other direction.

You should (almost) always feed into the cut, which would be counter-clockwise if you’re going around an outside edge. Clockwise if you’re working an inside edge.

Reverse on a table-mounted router.

Going the other way is called a “climb cut” and can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Then you’re moving with the direction of torque, which could send the router flying out of your hand.

Imagine using a circular saw backwards.

OP: if you remove the bit, does the router base slide easily over the wood?

 

[H Richard]

A light sanding/polishing with up to 1000 grit, then wax it? When I got my scroll saw it was recommended to do so to make the wood slide smoothly.