Quote Originally Posted by wokkaboy View Post
Hey Shaz, glad the pup surrounds cover the swimming pool. The templates aren't really suitable for the job, if you line it up in the wrong position. You are better getting templates made up of the actual pup shape, that way you can line it up perfectly with marked outline where the cavity will be. Using a pattern following router bit of course.
Also get into the habit of waiting for the router bit to stop before you remove it from the workpiece. If you angle it slightly while the bit is spinning it can easily cut into wood that you don't want to be damaged/cut.
Also as Fretty says you should wear ear muffs.
Treat routers with the upmost respect.

EDIT also if the router base plate isn't a perfect circle which it probably isn't then when you angle the router slightly away from square that's probably why the cavity walls got torn out
Hey just caught up with this thread, awesome job with the routing Shaz, im just about to use one for the first time myself. Thanks for the tips Wokka and Pablo i will need all the help i can get.