Patent ID: 6997222

Claim:
A method of machining a workpiece with a router bit comprising: providing a workpiece; providing a router having a router motor and a router bit rotated by the router motor; providing a plate defining a surface of the plate with the surface in contact with the workpiece; providing a bit hole through the plate with a bit opening at the surface through which the router bit extends for engaging the workpiece which is in contact with the surface so that the bit cuts a shape into the workpiece; causing relative translational movement between the workpiece and the router bit so as to effect a cutting action on the workpiece to form the shape therein by the router bit as the bit rotates so as to cause waste material to be generated by removal of material from the workpiece as the relative movement between the bit and the workpiece acts to form the shape along the workpiece; the surface of the plate being arranged such that the relative movement between the router bit and the workpiece also causes relative sliding movement between the surface of the plate and the workpiece while the surface remains in contact with the workpiece; providing a suction duct; providing at least a first suction opening at the surface of the plate; providing a suction hole extending from the first suction opening at the surface of the plate to the suction duct on a side of the plate opposite to the surface of the plate; providing the first suction opening at the surface at a location spaced from the bit opening of the surface so that the first suction opening is separated from the bit opening by a portion of the surface over which the workplace can slide while in contact with the portion of the surface; connecting the suction duct to a source of suction to draw air and the waste material through the first suction opening; and directing the relative translational movement between the workpiece and the router bit such that the workpiece moves relative to the surface from the bit toward the first suction opening over the portion of the surface thus causing the cut shape to extend from the bit to the first suction opening and causing the shape in the workpiece and the portion of the surface to co-operate to define a passage for the waste material from the bit to the first suction opening.