I have been thinking of getting an old radial arm saw, removing the motor and mounting a router in its place (business end down). I am thinking I can raise and lower it with the saw carriage, slide it in or out from the fence, tilt it to plough grooves on an angle etc. The routers own mechanism would be used for fine tuning the depth of cut. Since the saw table is split in sections one could have a variety of fences of diferent heights to accomodate diferent work.
Now while this sounds good to me there must be something wrong or everyone would be doing it. Can some of you knowledgable folks point out the disadvantages (or perhaps the dangers) of doing this. My plan would be to have a local machine shop make the mounting plate to fit the saw. Older radial arm saws can be had around here for next to pocket change.
Why am I thinking of this? I hate changing the depth under the table and my old craftsman does not have a very good locking mechanism. Unless I tighten it with pliers it works loose and one time the motor body actually slipped out of its frame.
Replies
Hell, go for it... Your saw should lock down TIGHT.. If you are thinking of it take it all apart and find out why the locking devices are not working and go on from there.
A router should weigh less than that motor hanging there. By the way, routing from the top can be a little more dangerous. Think about a good guard and of course you will need a guide pin in the table.
I hate changing the depth under the table ?? I have a removable plate. I take the plate/router out (no lift). Gives me time to think about what I'm going to do next. Saves my fingers.
Edited 2/4/2005 7:43 am ET by Will George
Thanks for the encouragement Will. Can you tell me about the extra dangers in using a router mounted overhead? The overhead arrangement would still have the router baseplate and would seem to me much like using the router as conventional freehand except it would be locked stationary and the wood would move. Having said that, I had a bad scare with a radial arm saw years ago and have not used one since, so do you think there is much chance of kickback beyond what would be present with an under table arrangement?
Keith
extra dangers in using a router mounted overhead?..
kickback beyond what would be present with an under table arrangement?...
No safety expert here but.. I use a router a lot.. I use a horizontal router with the bit exposed on top of the wood sometimes..
Like I think I said.. You need some kind of a guard. Not a cure-all but helps a lot..
I would suggest making a holder for your wood if it is small. Even if wood is big it is safer.
Make sure you ALWAYS cut small cuts AND always feed work opposite of the bit rotation. Mark feed direction on the fence so you don't forget....
Push blocks, holders, safety glasses, face shield helps.
Just like anything .. You just have to pay attention! and be careful!..
Same to me as cutting with the bit below. Just that the bit is exposed to you all the time.. Kickback is kickback.. Whatever it's cause..
By the way.. Probably safer than walking across a street?
What you propose is easier done with a drill press.A plywood platform the holds the router and a 1/2" diameter bolt that goes thru platform and held with the chuck.The platform also is made to go around the post for extra stability.You control the height with the depth adjustment, the other adjustments are in the moveable fence.
You will need to put starting pins in the table too. Personally ,unless you really need an overhead router I wouldn't bother with it.
mike
Radial arm saws have lots of adjustments. They all introduce potential play. My ol Craftsman RAS can be swivelled and router bits chucked in it. They grabbed like crazy, and the speed wasn't up to par either Not a good smooth cut. Heck, the bearings alone give a lot of play, even when new.
I gave up on the idea. Way too rough and risky.
Back in another time and place I met Einar Neilson. Don't look in yer books to see who he was, he probably won't be there. He and his sons manufactured many of them little teak, ebony, oak hand inset handpulls that were so popular in the 70's. Serious production routing on overhead routers. So precise that sanding was not generally required he told me.
All his router stands were home made made with plywood laminations. Big arms curving upwards to hold the routers. Maybe 8x10 in x-section.
Seems to me that if you want an overhead router, the plywood arm would give you more stability.
Eric
in Calgary
Thanks for the advice. I did title this as a "crazy idea". I guess it was. Can you give me a more detailed description of the plywood router holder. Did it have height adjustment or just the adjustment in the router itself?
Keith
ps I am in Campbell River BC
Sounds like cowtown is decribing a home made overhead pin router. You can see examples at Grizzly, http://www.exfactory.com , and many other sites.
http://www.panelsaw.com/products_routers.htm
Typically a few guide rails to support a router is a simple way to go and less troublesome than the radial arm saw thing. Pin routers are tremendous for pattern work.
It was such a long time ago. I don't recall seeing any adjustments on the router, ie, it was fixed. I think that they had a lift bed rigged up, cause they would want to drop the workpiece, put in the next one, etc into a jig rather than raise the router for every piece. It may have been foot operated evenBut definitely home made.Eric
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