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

[Mike Lockwood <melockwo@uiuc.edu>]

Hi,

Richard wrote:
> The reason routers made for the European market have safety
> switches is because it is illegal under CE regulations to sell
> them here if they haven't. Evn US manufacturers have to meet CE
> regulations and apply the CE label to sell them here. Likewise,
> European manufacturers will fit a cheaper toggle switch and no
> CE label if they are selling in the US.

Wow.  That seems to take away half of the uses for the router, that 
is, the option of mounting it in a table.  That is unless you 
duct-tape the switch on semi-permanently and add a switch to the 
outlet that you plug the router into.  (Will I get arrested for 
suggesting that if I come to Europe? ;) )

Do they have shapers in Europe?  That's sort of a dedicated, heavier 
version of a router table used in factories and serious wood shops.

My favorite complaint about tools is related to the annoying switches 
you must use to operate some of them.  Many older tools in this 
country have lock-on switches on the left side of the handle - which 
is fine if you are right-handed - you can use your fingers to engage 
and disengage it.  If you are left-handed like me, you unknowingly 
grab the tool and by simply holding it you accidentally press the 
lock-on button, leading to possibly unpleasant consequences when it 
doesn't shut off when you expect it to.

Anyway, to keep this on the ATM topic, all of my router usage is of 
the hand-held variety.  I haven't yet needed a router table for 
building telescopes, but it is great for other tasks.

	Mike Lockwood

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