Woodcraft PantoRouter Administrator Guide

Mortise & Tenon, Box Joints
Dovetails, and Much More!
Imported and Distributed in North and South America,
New Zealand and Australia by
WoodCra Solutions LLC
www.PantoRouter.com
[e-mail]
[phone]
Copyright December 2020 - WoodCra Solutions LLC
How-To Guide

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S:
Woodworking is inherently dangerous. ere are hazards inherent to using the PantoRouterTM and many oth-
er tools in the shop, whether operated by hand or electric power. Some of these hazards are discussed below.
Use common sense when operating the PantoRouterTM and all woodworking tools, and use this tool in accor-
dance with the instructions. Y      .
Read and understand the Assembly Guide, the How-To Guide and the Warning Label on the PantoRouterTM.
Failure to follow instructions or heed warnings may result in electric shock, re, serious personal injury or
property damage. Save these instructions and refer to them whenever necessary.
Warning: is product can expose you to chemicals including wood dust, which is known to the State of
California to cause cancer. e exposure can come from drilling, sawing, sanding or machining wood prod-
ucts. For more information go to wwwP65Warnings.ca.gov/wood. In addition, some types of dust created by
sawing, sanding, grinding, milling, drilling and other construction and woodworking activities also contain
chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. In addition, wood dust has been
listed as a known human carcinogen by the U.S. government. e risk from exposure to these chemicals and
to dust varies depending on how oen you do this type of work. To reduce your exposure, work in a well ven-
tilated area and work with approved safety equipment including dust collection, properly tted dust masks or
respirators designed to lter out such dust and chemicals.
Y      .
T     ,   :
• R        .
• W  ,    .
• D   , ,    . C  .
• K        .
• D          .
• D           .
• S          . I
           -
,     PR.
• C          .
• N            .
• K        .
• D            .
• W ,    .
• F           

3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
MORTISE AND TENON 4
Set-Up4
MortiSeS FirSt 5
tenonS 8
MUltiple M&t 9
tenon thickneSS chart 11
BOX JOINTS 12
Set-Up12
cUtting ½” and ¼” Box JointS 13
VARIABLY SPACED DOVETAILS 15
Set-Up15
tailS 17
pinS 18
aSyMMetrical dovetailS 20
LIMITED EDITION TEMPLATES AND ACCESSORIES 22
diaMond 22
Bowtie 22
MonSter 22
dowelS 23
SegMented M&t 24
Slot M&t 26
APPENDIX 29
alternate Method oF deterMining depth oF cUt 29
keeping track oF dovetail pieceS 30
Setting-Upthe teMplate holder 31

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With its 2-to-1 movement and 2-in-1 templates, the PantoRouter™ makes faster, better-tting mortises and ten-
ons than any other method. e templates are the key, capturing the guide bearing in their center slot to make
the mortise, and then guiding the guide bearing around the outside for foolproof tenons too. A tapered perime-
ter guide surface allows incredibly ne adjustments to tenon t, for perfect results right o the machine.
e standard package includes an array of templates for various joint sizes and orientations, the Pro-Pack and
All-In Packages have even more, and all are available à la carte from our online store.
e genius of the system doesn’t stop at the templates. Setting up the template holder, fences and depth stop is
just as fast and easy. And once they are set, you can make stacks of joints in minutes, dead-accurate and dust-free
thanks to our patent dust-collection attachment.
Follow the process shown here, and you’ll make better joints than ever before, in a fraction of the time.
Matching mortise and tenons in minutes
Copyright 2020 WoodCra Solutions LLC
Choose your template. e thickness of your mortise is
determined by the size of the router bit used to cut them.
By changing the bit and guide bearing, you can make the
corresponding tenon, so all that matters here is length
(the 2-to-1 pantograph ratio means joints are always half
the length of a given template). All templates have tabs
on the back that keep them aligned with the template
holder, and small nuts that slide into T-slots. e tem-
plates marked B-V and D-V have tabs on the back that
are perpendicular to the templae so they hold the tem-
plate in a vertical position.
Setup steps
Center the template side to side. Insert a 6mm round
guide bearing sha through the template and through the
center hole in the template holder. at’s all there is to it!
Your template is now centered.
Note: Older template holders don’t have the centering
hole so the following procedure is used to center the
template:
Insert the pointed centering jig in the router chuck. en
insert the 6mm round guide bearing sha into the hole
in the center of the template and move the template side
to side until the point of the centering jig is aligned with
the table’s centerline. Lock the template in that position
and it’s centered too. Older templates require the tapered
sha for centering since their center hole is a bit smaller
than newer versions.

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Center the template vertically. is step is just as easy.
Once you’ve properly set the thickness gauge below the
template holder (see the assembly and setup instruc-
tions for the PantoRouterTM), all you need to do is place
a cuto from one of your workpieces, or the workpiece
itself, between the template holder and thickness gauge
to know you have centered the template and router bit
on the stock. Lock the template holder in that position.
Measure the tenon piece to set the fence. Even though you’ll be mortising rst, use the tenon piece here if your
M&T joint will be on the end of your workpiece. Measure the width then adjust the fence to that same dimen-
sion. e inner ruler on the fence is half-scale, making the fence self-centering.
Mortises rst
Insert the mortise guide bearing. Choose the 10mm
guide bearing and insert it into the mortise slot of the
template. Also, insert the bit for the mortise you are
cutting. See the reference chart later in this guide.

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Clamps and clamp helpers. e standard clamps
work in most situations, but for mortising, make sim-
ple clamp helpers like the one shown to get pressure
where you need it. Avoid clamping directly over the
area to be mortised, as the clamp could end up de-
forming the mortise wall.
Set the depth of cut. e excellent solid carbide bits
included with your PantoRouter cut crisp, clean mor-
tises.
Simply touch the bit to the workpiece and slide the
depth stop just past the length of the tenon you’ll cut
next. We want a little room for excess glue at the bot-
tom of the mortise. About an 1/8” or 3mm is plenty.
Dust shroud brush goes back on. e highly
eective and convenient dust collection hood has
a brush-style shroud that comes o easily for setup
and goes back on just as quickly.
Note: If the brush ever gets smooshed, go to our
website in the Support section and nd the Tech
Tip called “Bad Hair Day” for an easy way to
straighten the bristles. www.PantoRouter.com

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Mortising is fast and foolproof. Take shallow passes, moving the router back and forth with one hand and gently
pushing forward with the other, until the depth stop bottoms out. at’s it! We’ve removed the dust shroud for
these photos but you’ll denitely want to keep it on for mortise and tenon work.
Note the two Fence/Stops on the table that align the workpiece to the front of the table. ey’re ABS plastic to
make it a little easier on the bit if one gets accidentally nicked. Once the workpiece is clamped in place the front
stops can easily be slid out of the way.
Magic in the mortise slot. In the ends of the mortise slots there are three steps to make the mortise a little
longer than the tenon if you prefer a little wiggle room for adjustment during glue-up. Following the bottom
of the mortise pocket with your guide bearing makes a perfect tting mortise and tenon joint, which is always
a good idea for through mortises. e second and third steps allow a little more room at the ends of the
tenons. Both ends of the mortise are end grain so there’s much less strength in that part of the joint than the
glued side grain so a little extra room doesn’t signicantly weaken the joint.

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Trace the outside of the template for tenons. You might
be able to use the same bit for tenons as you used for mor-
tising. Check the chart later in this guide to nd the best
combination. Also, push the guide bearing to the back
edge of the template for your rst tenon attempt.
e template is thicker toward the back so the tenon cut
using that position will be thicker as well, usually too
thick for the mortise, but it’s the best place to start.
Note: While some M&T sizes have several possible com-
binations, it’s best to use the largest bit and bearing com-
bination listed on the chart for the desired tenon thick-
ness. e 1/2” bit works for every tenon size and since it
make good, clean cuts, it’s our recommendation.
Tenons second
Reset the depth stop. Touch the end of the workpiece
with the bit then set the depth stop as before but the
tenon must be slightly shorter than the mortise is deep.
Safety check. Check that you’ve extended the
workpiece far enough so the bit will clear the table
at its full cutting depth.
Tenoning is just as fast and foolproof. Use climb cuts for a clean shoulder, working your way deeper and farther
down the tenon as you go, until the bearing is riding the template and the depth stop is bottomed out.

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Control over the router. e mechanical advan-
tage ratio is about 2.5:1 at the handle, so you’ll have
perfect control, even though you are climb-cutting
all the way.
Check the t. e tenon could be just a bit fat at this
point.
Adjustments are amazingly easy. e templates
have a slightly tapered outer edge, so moving the
guide bearing outward (down the taper) slightly
adjusts the t by a few thousandths of an inch. Once
you dial in the t, you can crank out piles of cleanly
cut, deadly-accurate tenons in minutes.
Once you’ve identied the best t for your bit and
guide bearing, note the position of the guide bearing
relative to the three index marks so you can quickly
repeat that size M&T the next time you need it for
your work.
For wide workpieces, combine templates. Use a
square and the scale on top of the template hold-
er to align the templates. Make sure to leave room
between them for the guide bearing to pass through
(remember the 2-to-1 scale again as you select your
guide bearing and space the templates).
Multiple tenons are just as easy.

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Two mortises are almost as fast as one. You just
need to stop to pull the guide bearing out of the
center slot of one template and put it into the
other.
Make a test run. To be sure the mortises and ten-
ons will fall in the right place, cut mortises in some
scrap.
Two tenons in one minute. Like before, use climb
cuts to make a series of shallow passes, working
your way toward full depth, and adjust the guide
bearing outward, down the taper to dial-in the t.

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Perfection. You will get perfect alignment and a perfect press-t right o the machine.
Mortise and tenon joinery examples
e mortise and tenon are mirror images so position the workpieces with indexing against the fence accordingly.
Cut the mortise rst then adjust the t of the tenon. Move the guide bearing down the tapered template, away
from the template holder, to make the tenon smaller.
Notice in the combinations for each size below, the 1/2” bit is possible for every size. It’s always a good idea to
use a larger bit when possible and 1/2” is the sweet spot for ease and quality of cut for most sizes.

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Box joints in minutes, with no tting
Even easier than it cranks out mortise and tenon and dovetails, the PantoRouter uses segmented templates to
make immaculate box joints in two sizes, with perfect joints right o the machine—no sample boards or tting
required. For 1/2-in. ngers, use the 1/2-in. bit supplied and follow the slots over the top of the templates. For
1/4-in. box joints on smaller projects, use the 1/4” bit and follow each slot from the bottom of the template. e
10mm guide bearing is the same for both.
ere isn’t much more to say, other than the fact that when the segments are all pushed together the spacing is
xed, meaning only certain board widths will give perfect ngers on the ends of a joint. Stock that’s a multiple
of 1/4” or 1/2” will have full ngers on the ends but if you don’t mind partial ngers, you can use workpieces of
any width. Also, the tall box joint template lets you cut joints in stock up to a hey 1-1/2 in. thick.
You can add a space in your box joint array by sliding the segments apart. For instance, if you want to make
a box and glue-up all 6 sides then cut the top o at the table saw, you can add 2X your saw blade kerf at the
appropriate place then when you cut the lid o, your box joints will again be perfectly spaced. Check out the
Video Tech Tip on this on our website.
Soon you will be nding all sorts of reasons to use these clean-looking box joints, from shop trays and cabinet
drawers to quick gis for clients, friends and family.
Cut one side of the joint
Set the depth. Just as you do with dovetails, scribe the thickness of the parts on the ends of two mating boards,
and use those lines to set the bit depth, locking the depth stop that limits the router’s forward travel. You’ll also
want to center the board on the table by adjusting the fence as you do for mortise and tenon and the dovetailing
process.
Center the workpiece using the Centering Scale Fence. e
PantoRouter fence includes a half-scale ruler, letting you sim-
ply measure any board and align the corresponding dimen-
sion on the fence with the center mark on the PantoRouter’s
table.

13
Check your clearance. Adjust the height
of the template so at least half the bit
clears the bottom of the workpiece before
the bearing bottoms out in the slot. Make
sure the router doesn’t hit the bottom
of the templates and adjust so the guide
bearing reaches all slots. With thicker
stock, a maximum of seven template seg-
ments will be possible.
Cut the rst side. You can cut a stack of
parts at this point. Note how the bearing
goes over the top of the templates for 1/2”
box joints.
For 1/4” box joints you’ll cut up from the bottom using each of the
slots.
Tip:
To get tighter box joints, “trace” only one side of the template. Use a
light touch and don’t go back over the cut. Routing is subtractive so
every pass of the bit over the wood will remove slightly more material.
Generally, whatever you do to any one cut should be done to all.

14
Another dust-free process. Paired with a pow-
erful vac or dust collector, the
PantoRouter’s dust collection system grabs
every chip.
Measure the bit with dial calipers and rip or
plane a spacer to the exact same width. e
spacer goes between the workpiece and the
fence, osetting this half of the joint so the
edges of the workpieces will line up.
(e aluminum fence shown to the le is an
older model. e current version is black
and no longer needs the round knob to stay
square.)
Cut with condence. Now you can cut stacks
of boards for the other half of the joint, know-
ing the t will be perfect.

15
Variably spaced dovetails are fast and foolproof
Your PantoRouter™ package comes with 2-in-1 dovetail templates that cut both pins and tails with no change
of setup, just like the templates for mortises and tenons. e template for each pin/tail is a separate unit and
they can be attached along the template holder in any array, to create a pleasing layout for workpieces up to 8
inches wide.
So get ready to make beautiful through-dovetails in minutes, with the custom spacing that is the hallmark of
ne dovetails, and a perfect t every time.
e PantoRouter can cut through-dovetails in boards up to 1¼ inch thick.
Setup is straightforward. You can simply place the guide bearing against the template and the bit against your
actual workpiece to plan the perfect array, and o you go. e following photos will take you through the
steps, including the process for cutting asymmetrical dovetails, useful on certain boxes and drawers.
Center the workpiece using the Centering
Scale Fence. e PantoRouter fence includes
a half-scale ruler, letting you simply measure
any board and align the corresponding di-
mension on the fence with the center mark
on the PantoRouter’s table.
Setup is simple
Dovetailing starts with scribing. Use a
marking gauge to scribe the baseline on one
tails board and one pins board. Always cut
the tails rst.

16
Set the depth. Load the high-quality dovetail bit supplied with
your PantoRouter or an 8° bit of your own, align the end with
your scribe line, and set both the front and rear depth stops to
lock the pantograph carriage in place. Make sure enough of the
board is overhanging the table so the bit doesn’t hit and damage
the bit or table.
Set the end templates. Start by placing the guide bearing in the
template groove and positioning the center of the bit over the edge
of the board to create a half-pin there. With tapered tabs on their
back face, the templates lock onto the template holder straight and
square.
Also set the template holder height so the bit will be engauged in
the template slots before it hits the wood. e bit needs to come
at least half way through the workpiece in order to cut a complete
tail.
Set the rest. To create a symmetrical
array, center one template on the
template holder and align the tem-
plate center splines on the backs of
the templates to the scale on top of
the template holder.
Be sure the templates are far enough
apart to allow the bearing to pass
between the templates when riding
the outside of the templates to cut
the pins. For most bit and bearing
combinations the 10mm or 15mm
bearings are used so this is generally
not a problem.

17
Cut stacks of tails
Tails are fast and easy. You can machine stacks
of boards in minutes, with the PantoRouter’s dust
shroud grabbing every bit of waste. e bearing
goes in the template’s center slots for cutting tails.
Follow gently along each side of that slot to be
sure you are making full cuts, and slow down
when breaking through the bottom of the board
to prevent tear-out.
Gentle and even pressure is the key to making
consistently accurate dovetails with the Pan-
toRouter™.
Chose an array that’s pleasing based on the bit size
and material thickness as well as the overall dimen-
sions of your piece.
Fixed-space dovetails are easily cut by pushing the
template segments together.
e secret to Dovetail Success
Cut a sample board about 6” long and milled to the same dimensions as your workpieces. Cut tails in this board
as you cut the rest of your workpieces. is sample tails board will be used to dial-in your t for perfect pins.
Since your sample tails board is short, you can use it to adjust the t of your pins while the rst pins board is still
clamped to the table. Record your bits, bearings and nal distance from the top of the template holder to the top
of the template holder support post so you can quickly repeat the process in the future.

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Setup trick for perfect pins
Transfer the tails layout. You change the t
of the pins by moving the template holder
up (tighter) or down (looser), which moves
all the templates along with it. To dial in the
t from the get-go, try the following. Clamp
a tails board to the top of the PantoRouterTM
table as shown, and use the supplied clamps
to attach pins test board vertically, aligned
with the board above. en scribe part or all
of the tails layout onto the pins board test
piece.
Mount the pins test piece on the table then
dial in the template height. Holding the
bearing against one side of a template, move
the template holder up and down until the
router bit is perfectly aligned with part of
your pins layout. Lock the template holder
at that height.

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Cut test pins. It is still important to use a test
board for your rst pins attempt, but the t will
be extremely close, if not dead-on. If you need to
adjust the templates up or down, record the height
of the template holder with a simple pencil mark
so you can repeat the process next time you make
dovetails.
Don’t forget to set the depth. Set the depth stop so
the straight bit ends up right at your scribed base-
line, or just past it for pins that are slightly proud.
Cut pins with condence
Nothing changes. For perfect-tting pins, the templates stay right where they are, and you simply ride the
outside edges. e fence also stays put. Once again, slow down when breaking through the bottoms of your
cuts, and tearout will be virtually eliminated.
Proof is in the pudding
Stacks of perfect dovetails. e 2-in-1 templates
ensure a perfect t, no matter how you space the
pins and tails

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Great trick for asymmetrical
dovetails
For some boxes and drawers, you’ll want an
asymmetrical array, which will need to be
reversed for opposite corners of the box. Here’s
how to reverse any template array.
Record it. Get the templates where you want
them for one of the joints, and use a long fold-
ed piece of paper as a story stick for marking
the centers of the templates as well as the center
of the template holder. en cut pins and tails
as usual.
Variably Spaced Dovetail Tip:
is box was fully assembled then the lid cut o on the table saw. Since the templates were spaced to accomodate
for the saw kerf, the dovetail spacing returned to symetrical aer the lid was removed. Very Cool!
A 1/4” spacer was used to account for the 1/8” blade since most everything on the PantoRouter is 2:1. Once the
lid was separated from the body, the dovetails are evenly spaced.
ese are our older style dovetail templates.
e new templates are taller so they’re even easier to
align to the template holder scale.