I'm assuming you just want to round the edges? With a hand-held router?

Bits designed for rounding edges have a little revolving guide that keeps the blade at the right distance from the rounded edge. With a guide to keep the router running straight along the edge, and the router depth set to make a tidy roundover, it's not difficult.

{{gwi:2137978}}

Buy a few 2x4s, eye and ear protection, and practice.

it's important to keep the router plate flat and at 90 degrees to the top at all times. oh, and yes, use both hands. i hope i didn't insult your intelligence.

Remember your basic physics. For every action---an equal and opposite reaction.

The spinning bit(about 12,000 rpm) creates a force against the wood. Moving the router in the direction of rotation of the bit allows the user to control the machine more easily that the opposite---which is called a 'climb cut' and can jerk the router out of the users hand if the user is not prepared.

Get a basic router book and some test wood---and you will need a way to secure the wood being routed with a hand held router.

The folks above covered the basic ideas but they didn't actually answer your question. The answer is Yes, you can easily learn how to handle a router without making a hash of things. But you Must practice on some scrap wood first. Going around corners is actually very easy. The bigger issue is accidently tilting the router. I would suggest that you scrounge up a pile of scraps with no nails or other metal in it and practice. You will probably feel very comfortable quite soon.

It would be good to remember that that spinning exposed blade could quickly chew up exposed hands, arms, feet etc. and that comfort is no reason to skip caution.

Thanks everyone! I'll reread this and I got a small piece of butcher block from another project and I've got some 2x4's I can practice on. I just didn't want to go buy a router and then not be able to use it. My intelligence isn't insulted. I'm not a power tool user really. I can use a staple gun and electric drill and screwdriver. That's my extent! I've used like electric/gas hedge trimmers but I've not built anything myself. This will be a first. But I gotta try!!!! ;) Holding it flat and going the direction of the rotation is helpful to know. I do appreciate it! I'll be doing this project after the holidays. Maybe I'll post it when I do it if it comes out!

Every single person who ever used a router once picked it up and gave it a shot for the first time. It's the only way.

Practice on scrap wood is highly recommended. As is making sure your work piece can't move while you're working on it.

One more thing. A corner can be approached in perhaps three different ways, from not even being able to reach it in an inside approach to cutting the vertical part of an outside corner or not cutting it and leaving it square.

Like they say, practice on scrap. In a way all routers are the same, from a Ryobi throwaway to one powered by a 12 cylinder Messerschmidt engine, so with your first cut to the thousandth, it's all about control.

Oh, even if you plan to throw it away after using it on bricks, never never ever buy a cheap router bit. No way. No how.

I agree with all the info above.Especially buying good cutters .They don't have to be the best but a decent quality.
Something nobody mentioned is not making the full depth of the cut in one pass.This is critical if going around corners and being new to routers .Set the depth at 1'8" to start.Get a feel for it and then take off another 1'8" on a pass until you get the feel for it.
Also pay attention to the runout of the grain of the wood.

Great stuff. I didn't even think about the corners... so that's great to consider. I don't want to spend a whole lot on a router though. I don't see me become a furniture maker or using it very much. I'm older and just want to try a couple things. But I'll make sure I research them before buying and try to get a decent one.

I'll try all methods eventually and see how it goes. I guess I can do it, Like you said above, everyone picked it up for the first time sometime!

There's some good videos on router use from Norm Abram (The New Yankee Workshop) on YouTube.

How To Use A Router - Part 1

How To Use A Router - Part 2

Cheap routers are frustrating and noisy, and can be more dangerous than higher quality models.
Always use hearing and eye protection anyway. Watch the videos, I'm sure Norm will show the proper way to change bits.
I have a Porter Cable 690 for my small/lightweight router, and it is very capable. You would do better to find a decent used router on CL than run out and buy a brand new cheap router at the big box. Plus, the used one may come with bits and some advice. Make sure it has the wrenches, though.
Casey

If you wind up buying a router, look first at Skil or Ryobi brands.

That Porter Cable 690 series Casey mentioned is the grandfather of all routers. I have two of them in a dual base(fixed and plunge) set.

The gotcha with routers is the size of the bit they are designed to use. 1/4" and 1/2" shank(the round stem of a bit) are the common sizes. The 1/2" are safer for heavy routing. 1/4" shank bits are fine for light edge work.

The cheaper routers are generally built for the 1/4" shank bits. They will be advertised as having a 1/4" collet(the part of the router in which the bit is clamped).

More expensive designs(like the 690 series) have both 1/4" and 1/2" collets.

Yes, the 690 will take 1/2" bits, and 1/2" bits are better balanced unde heavy cutting loads, but you really should not put big 1/2" bits in a medium-duty router like that, if only because the startup is so potentially harmful to the motor. For a big bit you need a soft-start electronic speed control thingie. My huge Festool router is for the big bits.
Of course this is far afield from the original question, but if you happened to spot a big router second hand somewhere, they can actually be safer than smaller ones because the added mass dampens the vibrations, and the soft start it very reassuring and takes the shock out of startup.
Casey

For a neophyte, I highly recommend good router bits with anti-kickback wings. I've linked an article explaining how they work.

http://www.wonkeedonkeetools.co.uk/router-bits/what-are-anti-kickback-router-bits/

If you're balancing cost with use, pick up a (good) used router on CL or ebay, then resell it when you're done.