Is it a router I want?

[ab1385]

Hi there! I'm new to the forum and wanted to ask a question, in case any nice person here wanted to help me!

I'm planning on builing a rabbit hutch, having got a bit into basic DIY, but there's one or two bits about it that I'm not sure of. Basically, I want to create a frame out of 35x35mm planed timber, and have a groove cut 10mm wide and 5mm deep inside the whole frame, and use this to hold tongue and groove wood in place.

I've put a picture of what I want to do below, in case my explanation was really unclear (which it probably was!)



So what I want is a tool that will allow me to cut a groove reliably 5mm deep, reliably 12mm from the edge of the wood (and is relatively easy to use). Am I expecting too much to be able to get a basic tool for this for quite cheap? What about this, would this do the job?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1250w-Router-...QQihZ004QQcategoryZ122829QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Any other suggestions? I am really skint at the moment (hence building my own hutch!) so want to do this for as cheap as possible!

Thanks for any help people!

 

[breezer]

if you are that skint why not just nail the base to the bottom.

 

[big-all]

1 sheet 12mm exterior ply
10m 2by2 treated 5m 2by1 treated about £25 the lot
plus some mesh for the door

your assembly method is is time consuming using expensive materials in an unsutable way for the job required

 

[JohnD]

If I was skint and wanted to groove the frames like that, I'd whiz a couple of cuts with a circular saw and take out the waste between them with a well-sharpened chisel. I wouldn't buy a router.

For animal hutches it is useful to have the bottom easily removable when it starts to rot from their droppings and you want to fit a new one. Or you want to put it on the grass in summer so they can graze (but beware foxes turning it over to eat them).

Ply is good. Have skids on the bottom to keep it off the damp ground.

That router is so cheap I don't know if it's any good. Repaired returns with no guarantee?

 

[eggplant]

A router will do what you want, have apractice on some offcuts first.
Like most things, you get what you pay for, I personally hate cheap tools, most of mine are dewalt - but my router isnt! its a £50 special, that said, I do but decent bits for it but one at a time - I only own 3 bits!! Cheap bits will go blunt easily and dont usually give as good a finsih as a decent bit - but for a rabbit hutch I wouldnt have thought it needed that good a finish anyway.
A quick google showed up this article which might give you a bit more info on routers in general.
HTH