jtmullet Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I am looking to invest in one and am wondering who still makes them I know grizzly does but I have heard bad things about them saying the switches go out and that his came and the router was out of alignment with the bearing with no way to adjust it.I know you can buy old used ones on ebay for good prices but if possible I'd prefer to buy something new with some safety features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammy Posted November 23, 2007 Report Share Posted November 23, 2007 I'm not sure if they're still made (Infact, I would presume they're not) but mine's an ELU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted November 24, 2007 Report Share Posted November 24, 2007 Frankly, for the price of many an industrial pin router, you can probably get a CNC machine, 3 axis. You can certainly brew your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenspoke Posted November 25, 2007 Report Share Posted November 25, 2007 Grizzly also sells the tabletop model you can use your own router and avoid all the issues you mentioned. Probably not as powerful though but the pneumatic feature is nice, also sold as the shopfox. The other thing is if you are worried about the machine remember it is under warranty so you can return it or have it exchanged right from the start. Out of the three grizzly machines I have owned 2 out of the three have been pretty low quality. A low end 6x48 belt sander (drive shaft broke) and an older band saw where the magnetic switch would need to be blown out because it wasn't sealed so wood dust stopped the switch from working on occasion. I finally added silicon to fix the seal issues. Both of these machines have been replaced. I still have a massive 15" planer which I use on occasion and never had issues with it. I still look at the equipment they sell and haven't cleared them off my list just yet. Their customer service is the best I have ever used. I guess it depends on how hard it is to move a machine into and out of your shop if there is a quality issue. I don't know of anyone else who sells that sort of machine but I am sure it will be twice as much like my replacement band saw from Laguna. I do remember shopsmith had one years ago for your router but it used a lever to drop the router which is not recommended. I dont like the idea of removing one hand off the work. Also see a bosch setup on ebay looks like the shopfox but its pickup in IA only $100. I think overarm routing in the woodworking world has been limited to makers of $10k machines using 3 phase power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berserker Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 I'm in agreement with Mattia. Hard to find pin routers for the hobbiest. The good older machines are $$$ and most need 3 phase power. I have looked quite a while at pin routers and have come to the conclusion that for not much more money some pretty good CNC router set-ups can be had. And the prices on those machines are getting cheaper all the time, now with more competitors catering to the hobbiests. I've done well with my bandsaw and template router set-up up to this point. I'll stay with that until I pull the trigger on a CNC. Good luck with your search. Gil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sepultura999 Posted December 2, 2007 Report Share Posted December 2, 2007 I do remember shopsmith had one years ago for your router but it used a lever to drop the router which is not recommended. I dont like the idea of removing one hand off the work. Similar to mortise machines - some of have levers, some have foot pedals. That'd be a better setup. I know its been talked about on here, but I don't remember the reviews, but popular mechanics talks about making your own pin router with your router on their website - details, plans, everything. I don't know how good it is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 (edited) Guys, check this out: http://www.doolinguitars.com/articles/pinrouter/ I had looked at every pin router option out there, and was contemplating the Shop Foxx. Most options are $$$ and most have some kind of compromise. I thought this one was SO simple, SO elegant and actually has very little in the way of negatives. With this design I can use my plunge router I have now, without buying anything dedicated. It just pops on and off with three screws. You don't need to worry about a bit jack, or pneumatics are whatever, just utilize the plunge of your router. You can SEE the routing, dust collection can easily be added (I already built mine and used a small 'Y'), it's light and easily stowed, takes little shop space. I altered the design on mine a small bit by making different inserts to match different diameter bits. When I first found that link I had been on an exhaustive search for every pin router known to man, and when i saw it there in all it's elegant simplicity I just about dropped a load. I emailed Mike Doolin immediately and thanked him for saving me hundreds. Edited December 11, 2007 by komodo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 That's a neat idea, and probably works well for what he is doing with it, but I can't imagine using it with a bigger router for heavier stuff like cavity routing and such. The "pneumatics and whatever" of a pin router make it so you can hold the workpiece while the bit plunges into it. Otherwise, it could easily move in a way you might not want it to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted December 11, 2007 Report Share Posted December 11, 2007 That's a neat idea, and probably works well for what he is doing with it, but I can't imagine using it with a bigger router for heavier stuff like cavity routing and such. The "pneumatics and whatever" of a pin router make it so you can hold the workpiece while the bit plunges into it. Otherwise, it could easily move in a way you might not want it to. I can see that an initial plunge cut could get tricky, but then again you shouldn't be cutting more than a small amount at a time. i have mine built with 1/2 or 3/8" rod going into bushings on either end. I really don't think it'll move, but if it does I can add weights on top, or just make it clamp or screw down on each end. My router has a plunge lock, so once I get to depth, it's locked easily and I can route away. Can't wait to try it, I just finished it last week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer X Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 That's a neat idea, and probably works well for what he is doing with it, but I can't imagine using it with a bigger router for heavier stuff like cavity routing and such. The "pneumatics and whatever" of a pin router make it so you can hold the workpiece while the bit plunges into it. Otherwise, it could easily move in a way you might not want it to. I thought that's why they were register BOLTS, and not just rods, so you could secure the unit, through the holes, by way of wingnuts or nuts,on the underside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orgmorg Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Racer- sorry if I wasn't clear, we are talking about the workpiece moving, not the router unit. Komodo- sounds like you thought about this already. I suppose making the jig/template bigger and heavier will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Komodo- sounds like you thought about this already. I suppose making the jig/template bigger and heavier will help. Indeed . .but your point is well taken. For every internal cavity there will be an initial plunge regardless of the depth of the cut. Maybe some simple foot operated clamp could be the third hand for the initial plunge . . .not unlike a shaving horse has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyHetfield Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Axminster do a pin routing system thats really cheap i was toying with the idea a while back but with one thing or another I never got round to it. don't know if the ship abroad or not but pehaps there is and alternative where you are? here's the link http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Axminst...ystem-23010.htm maybe you can get an idea from it for your own? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 I have one, haven't set it up yet, but I think it's from MCLS Woodworking (Same setup, anyway) for those stateside folks. I already see I will need to shim it slightly, because the weld doesn't leave a perfectly perpendicular pin, which is, well, not of the good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
komodo Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 FYI everybody - Here is another one that was not nearly as expensive as some options, has some great pluses, still requires a table mounted router which for me would be a dedicated router (plus some kind of bit jack). http://www.guitarpartscentral.com/routehou...e=Guitar_Parts_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Racer X Posted December 12, 2007 Report Share Posted December 12, 2007 Racer- sorry if I wasn't clear, we are talking about the workpiece moving, not the router unit. Komodo- sounds like you thought about this already. I suppose making the jig/template bigger and heavier will help. Oops! Yes, I misunderstood. Sorry. Yeah, that would be quite devastating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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