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Someone asked a while back about pin routers to rout ff holes in archtops. I decided to upgrade my dremel POS drill press pin router to the Proxxon. Yesterday I finally had a chance to put it to use, and it really does the job! It's solid as a rock, and the speed remains constant throughout the cut. I barely had to do any sanding on the completed routs. The Proxxon tool's speed fooled me until I put it to use. At 20K, this unit happily cuts the ff holes.

Nice Haans! How do you like the Proxxon drill press stand? My Proxxon should be in tomorrow, but I didn't order the drill press stand. However, I like the looks of your pin router and think I may get one.

I also notice that Proxxon has a small router...anyone tried one of those for rosettes, etc?

Nice setup , beats the heck outa my scroll saw Way to much sanding and the f holes never seem to be exactly same , close but not exact.

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I like that! The stand seems to offer a fair amount of throat depth. Is that the standard Proxxon stand? Looks like you could almost do an archtop guitar on it. Thanks Haans.

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Thanks guys. I really like the stand as it is solid. There is no jiggle at the bit, and cuts are very smooth. Makes me wish I had bought it a long time ago (like before I retired from mandolin building!). I was concerned that it wouldn't "drag down" to staying down when routing, but it can be adjusted to do so.
First thing I did was get rid of that "C-clamp" tightener. It just gets in the way.
Terry, it is the standard stand, and I think there is plenty of room to do an archtop guitar...google it and check the throat depth.

That is cool, gives me some ideas with what to do with a power feed unit I have, loose the power fee and use the massive adjustable arm to hold a router. Does the pin retract?
Rob

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That looks very interesting. How does the Proxxon tool compare to a Dremel unit? Speed range, runout, collet interchangeability and sizes? I'm tired of feeling my Dremel tool vibrate in my hand because of bearing runout and end play. I have the little Proxxon scroll saw that's a great little saw for cutting small, intricate parts, so if the rotary tool is a better unit than the Dremel, I'll likely buy one.
Craig

Craig, The Proxxon pro is much better than the Dremel. The housing is metal, there is no play, and the speed is pretty constant unless you really overdrive it. The collets are steel, run from 1/64"-1/8", and are 3 slot not 4, so it's much more accurate. Speed range is 20K and variable.
Comfy, The pin retracts with a vise-grip...
Alan, I looked at the router, but it only takes a 1/8" shaft bit. I think I'd rather use a lamiate trimmer.

Haans- Will dremel designed attachments fit this tool??? (Stew McD router base, binding cutter?) If so, could be a great upgrade...

Doug...not Haans, but I just got the Proxxon I ordered today. It doesn't have the threaded nose piece like the Dremel, so won't fit attachments that require it be attached using the threads. The Proxxon nose piece is 3/4" in diameter, so you would need to have an attachment that would allow it to slip in and be tighten to slightly under 3/4"

I will say that I really like the Proxxon...it seems to be a much sturdier rotary tool. No sideways shaft movement and much quiter than the Dremel. I don't think that it will be hard to make a router attachment to fit it, so that's on my list of things to do.

Guys, I have an extra mount, so I intend to slowly grind away the threads on my OSS till I get a tight fit. Then I will tap it for a 6/32 or something like that. Should work...

I cut my F holes exactly the same way. I use a Bosch router and stand and use the SewMac 1/8" colette reducer and 1/8" carbide down cut bit. Leaves a nice clean finish round the sound hole.

Where did you get that Bosch stand? Just did some quick searches and didn't turn up anything on it.

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I wonder if the Proxxon stand can be adapted to work with my Ridgid laminate trimmer?

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I would say no. Laminate trimmers are much too HD for the Proxxon stand. Keith, that Bosch stand looks good!

Hans,

I see you are stepping down your cuts on the f. How do you keep your proxxon press at each deeper location? Did you drill a hole and start in the wood a bit deeper each pass (adjusting the whole carriage each time)? It seems as though this action would take you out of alignment with your pin at each successive depth.

Probably something different and more simple? Inquiring minds and all...

thanks,
chris

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Nope to all of it. I just plunged right in at the lower part of the ff's and routed full depth. You can adjust the stand to almost lock, but still go down. What you are seeing behind the bit is sawdust stuck in the slot.

Haans, can you post a link to where you got that stand. I searched all over for Bosch accessories but couldn't find anything close to it.
Thanks.

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Hans, thanks for the news... I would never had guessed that was impacted sawdust although wondered how you cleared the dot before the elevated part of the f.

Keith, that is a Proxxon press Hans posted about, not a Bosch. No one has posted where to find the Bosch... yet. luthier49... luthier49..UK... UK... Bueller... Bueller. .... voodoo economics....

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Thanks Chris, I'll check out the Proxxen site.

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Found this, but not sure if it's same model

https://www.samstores.com/details.asp?ProdID=7579

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This has been a fun thread!! I've been meaning to do this for a while and got got a "Round Tuit", people were always paying me with square ones

In any case I did a quick search with the terms "hand drill" "drill press stand" and came up with multiple things. Here are a few:

$us76
http://www.amazon.com/Bench-Drill-Press-Drilling-Machinist/product-reviews/B001157NC6

at $us35 looks a bit cheese-ball like the Dremell
http://www.amazon.com/Milescraft-1097-Rotary-Drill-Press/dp/B0001GMENE/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

and one for the Proxxon at $us53
http://www.amazon.com/Proxxon-28606-MICROMOT-Drill-Stand/dp/B000209ZAE/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

I found it interesting in the one Colin listed that it has a big warning about only for 220Volt usage not in the US of A. Heh, heh, an electrically powered stand?? maybe I missed something and you can plug your drill into the stand somehow.

Alan D.

Hi Keith,
I`ve had my Bosch 500watt router and drill stand for a long while now. I live in the UK so I don`t know if it`s available in the states. The router is detachable from it`s plunge base and has a 43mm coller. This is the same size as electric drills in this country, so it`s a drill stand also.

Hans, Thanks for starting and contributing this thread. I'm in the process of duplicating what you have done. It would be a great help if you could follow on with how you made your templates and how they are attached to the top.

The same goes for how you are trimming your plates to exact size in order to bind before installation. I like the idea but I'm wondering how to get them exact I can see that being done again with some sort of pin router template but I'd be interested in how you go about it. Maybe that should go on a separate thread.

Any info appreciated.
Alan D.

Alan, try the mandolin forum!
The template is 3/16" plex, and I just glued a copy of the print on and cut out the shape and ff holes. A few strips of double stick tape hold it on. Use carpet tape.