Home made luthier/shop tools

[Dave W]

I've seen the Veritas before too. It does look much more substantial than the Daisy, which looks like it might be okay for very light work only. Too bad you can't buy the regular guide pins separately.

[drbassman]

I've seen the Veritas before too. It does look much more substantial than the Daisy, which looks like it might be okay for very light work only. Too bad you can't buy the regular guide pins separately.

Yeah, the guide pins and the receiver they fit into are first class.  The receiver is also retractable, so you can raise the pin and remove the work piece easier.  The problem with the arm is the attachment screws which go into a clamp on the end of the arm. 

After centering the arm over the router's center, you then have to tighten the arm mounting screws into the clamp mechanism.  Every time you tighten the screws, the arm/clamp move ever so slightly and screws up the alignment by a few hundredths of an inch.  It is maddening!  I think the best way is to leave the clamp off and put screw directly through the arm holes into the table.  I'm going to try that sometime just to see if it works.

Right now, I'm really happy with my homemade set up and it's easy to remove and set back up!

[Dave W]

Are the guide pins solid?

[drbassman]

Are the guide pins solid?

Yes, they are solid aluminum and came in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4" sizes.  They snap right into the receiver for quick insertion or removal. 

Oops, I forgot the pointy pin for tracing things.  Pretty cool.

[Dave W]

Yes, they are solid aluminum and came in 1/4, 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4" sizes.  They snap right into the receiver for quick insertion or removal. 

Oops, I forgot the pointy pin for tracing things.  Pretty cool.

I was thinking that if they were hollow, you could chuck a sold steel round the size of the inner diameter into the router collet to align and clamp in place, then substitute the actual router bit.

[drbassman]

Yeah, that would work too.  The Veritas method is just lining up a 1/2" stud mounted in the router collet with the 1/2" pin.  I like using the 1/2" ID sleeve I got at Lowes.

[Dave W]

Yeah, that would work too.  The Veritas method is just lining up a 1/2" stud mounted in the router collet with the 1/2" pin.  I like using the 1/2" ID sleeve I got at Lowes.

Good idea. Can't you clamp it in place that way, then lower the router enough to put in the actual bit while the pin is already clamped? Or isn't there enough room?

[drbassman]

Good idea. Can't you clamp it in place that way, then lower the router enough to put in the actual bit while the pin is already clamped? Or isn't there enough room?

That's exactly what I do.  In fact, I can raise or lower the router or the pin as much as needed the way things are set up now.  The nice thing about the PC router base is you can drop the router out from the bottom, change bits and slide it back in with ease.  Takes no time at all and you have several inches of play to let you raise or lower the router/bit.

[BTL]

I like it!