Re: [ATM] routers in the old and new world (Long)

["RodShea" <RodShea@comcast.net>]

People likely have strong opinions about routers, and maybe that is why 
there are so many types, but here goes.  I'm mostly familiar with the 
nominally Japanese routers sold in the US, an I've had my hand on some US 
and German ones.  In general, the ones with electronic speed control can 
keep their speed pretty constant, and even my older 12 amp/125 volt plunge 
router keeps its RPM up fine unless I'm doing something I shouldn't, like 
making too big a cut at one time.

A lot of people over here think the ones with the switch on the body of the 
router are safer, since you can accidentally turn on a router with the 
switch on the handle by picking it up with said handle.  Having said that, 
the ones with switches on the handle that I have seen have toggle type 
on-off switches, not deadman/momentary switches, so you can use them without 
having your hand on the switch at all times.  I don't know what voltage you 
would be using, but one German sounding manufacturer sells a 220 volt 
version of some of its heavier routers over here, or at least they did a few 
years ago, although they were a little hard to find.

So far as mounting the router under a table goes, most people do some 
variation on removing the slippery sole of the base, and replacing it with 
the tabletop, with a hole bored in it.  Fancier versions use thinner, ( 3/8" 
or 1/4" stiff plastic sheet like phenolic, or acrylic(the latter is said to 
break if too thin or too stressed, and Lexan is a little flexible, but both 
are used) or even steel, which is then inset into the table, allowing a 
deeper cut.  A simple top of 3/4" good plywood or even MDF will work well. 
Plunge routers, handles and all, work fine for this, I have 2 such setups, 
with different routers.  There are also commercial router tables made ($$$) 
that are meant to use one of the standard nominally American router bodies, 
which is easily removed from their bases.  This type of router has a body 
that moves vertically within a cylindrical base, either by a rack and pinion 
or a helical screw mechanism.  In either case, the handles attach to the 
base, and the whole base comes off if you need to separate them.  In fact, 
if you do put one of these upside down under a table, the trick is to 
remember that the router body can down fall out of the base, unless you are 
careful.  Even so, the handles should not be an issue.
Hope this helps,

Rod Shea

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dominic-Luc Webb" <dlwebb@canit.se>
To: <atm@atmlist.net>
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 6:30 PM
Subject: [ATM] routers in the old and new world


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