Official Luthiers Forum!

This inexpensive pin router attachment is only $50.00. I thought it might be useful for routing "f" holes. Does anyone have experience with it?

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Link:
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/daisypin.html

Kent Chasson made his own pin router. Do you know if he made his plans available on OLF?

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

Rich-
The 'normal' setup for a pin router is with the router above, pin below. For 'F' holes in an archtop, this makes it straightforward to arrange a flat template riding the pin, with the router cutting into the curved archtop from above. The router bit can cut into the top as it is 'brought into action'.

So, you have to flip the orientation to support the top using the MLCS jig,and lower the top into the cutter. It could certainly work.

And that's a good deal at $50 - the parts would cost you about that much to make your own.

Please buy it and post a full report!

Cheers
John

Thats the rub John with the Daisy - how do you provide a flat surface unless you route the f holes from below.

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

For years I have used a Dremel mototool in a Dremel drill press, but I have modified it to be more solid...it is still not solid enough, and I hand sand the ff holes to final size. I think the way to go is Proxxon, a much more solid system. Dremel tools are pretty crappy generally. I stopped at the local "big box" to look at them a few days ago, and 3 out of 4 of the demos had slop in the chuck bearings (actually in the housing as on one I could see the whole bearing move!). Several of my Dremels have slop, and a couple don't, but I wouldn't count on them staying that way. Should I ever upgrade, I would get the Proxxon.
Basically, a larger 3/4" board is fitted to the stand permanently, and a 1/8" pin is drilled into the board and centered under the bit. I made a mandolin ff hole template out of 1/4" plex, and it is double stick taped to the bottom of the top plate after it is completely carved. I use the grout removing bits (reground).
It does work really well, except for the flex, so I have made my template undersize. I think the Proxxon would do the trick.

The slop comes from the bearing not having a tight fit in the plastic shell. I put a strip of electrical tape around the bearing and when reassembled, it provided a nice tight fit, taking all of the slop out. Give it a try to see if it helps. It only takes a few minutes and is a very cheap fix.

True Alan, and it's really sloppy design on Dremel's part (both Mototool and drill stand), but in this particular case, black tape doesn't work. There is a lot of side force going on and when that bit hits the hard grain in the spruce, you can see the collet, bit, and drill stand move, even with the tape. The Proxxon has the bearing pressed into an aluminum housing.

Thanks Haans. Mine worked well after I did that, but you are right about both the Dremel and the drill stand having a sloppy design. I also tried the Dremel plunge router base and it had so much slop it was unusable. I probably have 4 or 5 of the Dremels and at least that many of the Black & Decker versions which I prefer to Dremel.

Thanks for the info on Proxxon....I get to buy another tool

I noticed that Proxxon also has a drill stand. Have you tried it?

Alan

I haven't tried the drill press, although I'm willing to bet that it's better'n the Dremel. I'm going to have to get a few of those Proxxon's too and figure out a way to adapt the stew mac router attachment. Soon as the next mandolin goes out the door...

I've used the Dremel "drill press" stand for doing inlays for several years and it works great for that. 1/32 bit and pin. I modified the upper stop. I don't think I'd use it for larger work.

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

That looks like it works very well, Terry! I know Charlie Hoffman does something similar, and he got the cutout pattern from wherever he gets his H's.
I think since the wood is so uniform (ebony) and the cut shallow, you wouldn't have so much trouble with the "wobblies".
Last nite I ordered the Pro-Proxxon and the drill press. Now I'll have to figure out how to adapt the Stew Mac router base to it. I'll report back, and if it is as good as it looks, I guess I'll slowly replace all my Dremels...