Jump to content

Routers - What do you prefer?


bluespresence

Recommended Posts

I'm in the market to replace my router and I'm wondering what you find more productive in guitar making - a plunge router or a table mounted router. I keep thinking plunge would be the way to go but I notice in reading this many of you seem to have tables.

I'm curious to see which you find easier to work with and why.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Both. I have a large plunge router that I use freehand and in a table I made. I find most commercial avaliable router tables are REALLY small, so I made my own. I used an old desk, so my table surface is almost 2' X 4'.

I use my router freehand for routing cavities in bodies, and I use it mounted in the table for profiling necks and bodies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

agree, plunge, cause the base on a plung router can be fixed, and attached to the bottom of say..... an old table..... or a bench.... anything that's really flat, you might need a little kit, but you definitly don't HAVE to buy a special table for what we're using routers for, the only time router tables come in handy is when you want to setup a fence, which alot of us making guitars don't really have a use for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Definitely a plunge router. I have a table router also with a second plunge router in it but I pretty much use it for storing parts nowadays. The handheld plunge router I have does all of my routing when building guitars. Of course if you are thinking about getting a table router or just the table, I'm sure you could find uses for it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok, so I took the plunge :D today and got the plunge router. Pretty good deal I thought. It's a Ryobi 2hp with 3 bases (plunge, standard and "D") a case and a bunch of accessories for $179. I also picked up the disc / belt sander combo for $99. I've had my eye on it and thought I could use that more right now than a spindle sander since I've already got spindles for my drill. The spindle will come after I sell a few more guitars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Way to go man. I'm probably going to be out buying a plunge router this week. I've got the same belt sander (it says CRAFTSMAN on the side, however, RYOBI now makes all Craftsman tools, and its the same thing, I know because I sell them.) I like it a lot, its done wonders for my shaping.

Can't quite afford as nice a plunge router as you've picked yourself there.

But working at the store you buy it from has perks. (ie, belt sander = $60).

Good luck, man

-the M of MKG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm actually thinking about getting a second router, so I can keep one in my router table and one free for handrouting. I really hate having the router out, then re-install it in the table for one quick little job, then take it out again. I actually removed the plunge springs out of it for using it in the table, but because of the switching back and forth, I don't bother putting them in at all now, even when I don't use it in the table. I would most likely get thwe same one again, because I LOVE it.

My router

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...