I stayed away for some time and now I am back. This time I am having a “conceptual” speed issue.
Recently I purchased a Stanley trimmer and set it upside down to use as a stationary router. Regardless it is doing the job there is this spindle speed problem: its specs says that it spindles at 35K RPM but all my bits are designed to not go over 24K RPM.
I am puzzled that trimmer and bits manufacturers cannot meet at the half way. Maybe I should just forget about trimmers at all?
What am I missing here?
Replies
Stanley makes trim routers?
From what I have seen only the larger routers have variable speeds. They do make a router speed switch. It allows you to slow the speed down. Keep in mind you lose a bit of power in the process.
Here's one from HF, but plenty of other options:
https://www.harborfreight.com/router-variable-speed-control-dial-59386.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=12126402660&campaignid=12126402660&utm_content=141957249534&adsetid=141957249534&product=59386&store=76&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw2a6wBhCVARIsABPeH1ttukffBfvfa9UgytFOphR-C_L-8wtsfeKegsleoXjtTBxsCvyEynQaApKYEALw_wcB
A laminate trimmer is not the same thing as a compact router. The trimmer is used with thin piloted bits at high speed... really a single-use tool. Just because your trimmer will accept a router bit does not make it a good idea to install one.
I just wanted to be sure that something wrong wasn't right here! LoL!
Anyway, I found two machines with speed control, a Makita one and a non branded one. I think I buy one of each, the generic one for my upside down setup and the Makita for hand use.
Thank you for the inputs!
I think it is REALLY IMPORTANT for folks to understand that running bits at speeds higher than they are rated for is quite dangerous! Back in the 1980s, Wendell Castle made popular the building up of large sculptural shapes from many blocks of wood, then carving them into smooth shapes starting freehand with a 1" ball mill in a router, with the base of the router removed. So my friend bought a 1" ball mill, put it in his router, turned it on, and touched it to the wood. The first touch, the ball broke loose, flew across the room, and buried itself deep in a brick wall! Well, his router was a Sears Craftsman, that had only a 1/4" collet capacity, so he had bought a 1/4" shank ball mill. Upon recovering from his near death experience, he looked at the ball mill packaging and discovered that with a 1/4" shank, the rated max speed was about 6,000 rpm. The router was turning at over 20,000 rpm. As someone said above, the fact that it fits in your machine doesn't make it safe to use.