The router is described as being suitable for hollowing out the space for which item?

• A. The base of a box.
• B. The top of a shelf.
• C. A metal coin.
• D. A glass panel.

Answer: (A)

Routers are used to remove material to form recessed areas inside a wooden piece, creating hollow spaces, grooves, or mortises. Making the base of a box involves hollowing out a cavity so the base piece can sit inside the sides and sit flush with them. That kind of internal cavity is exactly what a router excels at, especially when you want clean, precise walls and a smooth bottom.

A metal coin isn’t suited for routing because routing is primarily a woodworking (and some plastic) operation, not metal work. A glass panel isn’t routed either; glass requires cutting and finishing methods specific to glass to avoid cracking. The top of a shelf is a flat external surface, not a recessed space to be hollowed, so it isn’t the typical job you’d use a router for in this context.