Home made luthier/shop tools

[Dave W]

Yeah, I can imagine how handy that would be.  Since my pin setup is for guitar application, it will be fine.  Besides, the router is easy to adjust from below with the Porter Cable adjustment ring.  Very easy and quick!

Even so, it's nice to be able to lower the bit while you're holding onto the workpiece.

[Highlander]

2nd hand market ... ?

[Dave W]

2nd hand market ... ?

For a foot operated router lift? I doubt it. MLCS made an aftermarket power lift but it was nearly $400 and it's discontinued. And it couldn't be adapted to some router tables.

The ones I've seen (aside from industrial machines) have been homemade. Foot pedals that operate a rod that pushes up against the router, treadle-type pedals that operate with a pulley and springs, etc. Really depends on your router and table.

[dadagoboi]

Relatively easy way would be to utilize a plunge router.

[drbassman]

A foot pedal is really unnecessary.  I just predrill a pilot hole to my desired depth and use it to set the bit for each pass.  The PC router is easy to adjust depth, just unlock and spin upwards or down.  Just takes a few seconds and costs nothing.

[Dave W]

Relatively easy way would be to utilize a plunge router.

Even though you're not a factory churning out bodies all day, don't you find the lift on your Onsrud useful? I have a Freud plunge router in my table with a crank lift accessible from above. It's nice but if I were in business like you are, I'd upgrade as soon as I could.

A foot pedal is really unnecessary.  I just predrill a pilot hole to my desired depth and use it to set the bit for each pass.  The PC router is easy to adjust depth, just unlock and spin upwards or down.  Just takes a few seconds and costs nothing.

Of course you don't need it. But if your goal is production, it's a time saver.

I won't belabor the point. As long as you're happy with what you have, that's all that matters.

[drbassman]

Even though you're not a factory churning out bodies all day, don't you find the lift on your Onsrud useful? I have a Freud plunge router in my table with a crank lift accessible from above. It's nice but if I were in business like you are, I'd upgrade as soon as I could.

Of course you don't need it. But if your goal is production, it's a time saver.

I won't belabor the point. As long as you're happy with what you have, that's all that matters.

There is a certain ease of use and time saving with pedal operated bit, but my idea of production is two or three a month.  So, the cost and set up of a pro rig just seems like a bit much for me.  The cheapest one I ever saw was the Shop Fox bench mount, but required pneumatics to operate the bit and 220v for the router.  It would have been the best one at $495 new but they don't make them any more.  Everything else is way too big/industrial for my needs.

So I'll manage for now.

[drbassman]

Here's my first run with the pin router.  I'm going for a big body, 2" model, with a fancy top.  It worked really well.  The first cut was smooth and the second cut is a bit off because I suspect my router mounting plate is out of alignment by a few hundredths of an inch on one side.  Gotta work on that.  Nothing a little sand paper can't fix for now.

I was rummaging thru a storage box and found my old pin router that was always a PITA to set up.  It has this nice mechanism for holding one of four different pins and is retractable for moving pieces in and it.  So, I enlarged the mounting hole to accommodate it and put some thumbscrews in to hold it in place.  Really nifty now!

To improve cutting and reduce burning/tearout, I bought a double compression 1/2" bit that cuts upward and downward simultaneously.  It did a great job and no burns or other cutting issues.

[dadagoboi]

Very slick bit, I have to give one of those a try!

[drbassman]

Very slick bit, I have to give one of those a try!

Yep, I'm impressed with it thus far.

[Dave W]

Refresh my memory, which one was your old pin router arm? The Daisy?

[Rob]

Yes please drop us the brand.

[drbassman]

Yes please drop us the brand.

It is the Veritas router arm.  You can buy it separately and attach it to your router table or buy their steel table to go along with it. 

http://www.veritastools.com/Products/Page.aspx?p=212

[Rob]

Thanks Doc!

[drbassman]

Refresh my memory, which one was your old pin router arm? The Daisy?

I tried the Daisy too.  Very inaccurate, too much play in the pin mechanism to render a piece correctly.  Waste of $40.