Official Luthiers Forum!

Does anyone have a good benhtop pin router that they think works well?

I would like to make one similar to the Shopfox overhead pin router except I am not too sure about the pneumatics.
http://grizzly.com/products/Bench-Top-Overarm-Router/G0587


I have seen the Popular Mechanics plan

http://home.comcast.net/~day_trippr/overarm_router.htm
http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/171971-overhead-router-pin-attachment.html

also and have ruled it out because I don't think the Z axis would work for me. I need a foot controller I think, for hands free plunging.

With all of the good CNC parts makers out there, I might be able to get a Z mechanism and adapt it. Another use would be to route binding channels like the Ribecki Jig, or the Stew Mac version of his. So I would like to be able to have the Z "float".
Maybe something like this

DON"T WATCH THE WHOLE THING, THE PLOT IS VERY THIN

I will be cutting f holes, pickup routes and some outline shaping of plates and maybe rosettes or inlay stuff.

Thanks!

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Ken

I have the Shop Fox and like it.

This is a tool I like to get. I can think of many things to use this for. The price of the shopfox is not bad. I'll have to add that to my list.

Haans, can the router float... I mean sink freely under its own weight when the air pressure is off?

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Ken

I got one of the Shop Fox pin routers on Amazon.com a couple of days ago for $533 with free shipping. Not sure how much use it will get for building acoustic guitars, but I'm sure that I'll think of a few things.

Alan,

How bout answering my question to Haans. Does the mechanism allow the router to be used as a binding router?

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Ken

Ken...might be better to get Haans thoughts, since he has more experience (I just got it). I suppose that one could make some templates to correctly position the guitar for binding, however, I would think that any of the other binding jigs would be a better solution.

Man that first video is scary. The finger proximity to the bit gives me the willies!