I was wandering the tool shops (my friday after work relaxing ritual) when I happened upon this small router.

http://www.amazon.com/Makita-3707FC-Fixed-Laminate-Trimmer/dp/B0000789HM

It was in a small router table so I got to play with it and I reefed and wiggled and damn that spindle is sturdy, and meant for radial loading too as its a router after all.

Brand name, Box says 5.8A, 30,000RPM (amazon says different) but they are only $108cdn and they said they got on sale for $89. Has anyone thought of using a small router like this instead of say the proxxon rotory tool as an engraving attachment? I imagine finding 1/8" collets might be tricky but I have a lathe so I can make my own, was also thinking of making a spindle adapter and mounting a ER16 collet chuck on it as at 30,000RPM it should be able to take say 0.005" cuts with a 3/8" end mill without difficulty no?

My current mill I am building is stuck on the spindle choice. Im making my own ER16 spindle but I still need a motor to drive it, even if the router's collet neck couldn't handle an adaptor with a ER16 collet chuck I could mount a sprocket in it and use the router to drive my hand made spindle. For $100 even as speed controllable motor capable of 30,000RPM I think it has many potentials.

Can anybody point out a flaw that might arise? If not ill see when the next sale is and start reporting!

I attached a Dewalt Laminate Trimmer (http://www.hossmachine.info/projects.html#engraver)a long time ago that works great ( discontinued now),
it's metal housing is round so that made mounting it simple.
Same problem with it was that it only came with a 1/4 collet but I made some 1/8 and 3/16 collets for it.
One thing to check for is that there is no slop in the motor shaft, you don't want the Z depth to float.
Hoss

Spend a little more money and get a variable speed Bosch Colt.

Thanks for the recommendation, the Bosch Colt is not only cheaper its 100w more powerful and I foresee the constant speed under load being very useful.

Is it possible to use these with an end mill? All the high speed spindles like the NSK ones on youtube mow through metal (they are quite a bit more powerful obviously) but if I took conservative cuts am I pushing my luck? I really only think the 3/8" spindle even with a steel adapter for mounting end mills might overload the bearings as it would be adding like 2.5" past the collet.

Here is what I did and I like it for running small bits....It is a Dewalt (30K RPM) trim router from Lowes , only problem is it will not pull the high speed belt setting (Starts to SMOKE!!! LOL) on my Little Machine Shop belt Drive, However it will do 6200 RPM on the Low setting.
I had to make a 1/4 to 3/8 shaft for the Motor pulley to work.

I experimented with the setup like Hoss has (He Has A Better Router) and my router does good work in wood but when I tried it in 6061 it looked like ####.

So I'm thinking if I had a router with some more HP I could get over 10K on the High Speed Belt setting.

BTW:I got this idea from SScnc in a previous post....Thank You STEVE and HOSS!!!:)

I also replaced my spidle bearings with the ones from FASTENAL, rated at 13k RPM.....very nice....

Robert

I also replaced my spidle bearings with the ones from FASTENAL, rated at 13k RPM.....very nice....

Robert

Would you happen to have the part #'s for the bearings?
I have a 10,000 rpm motor for the new mill and want to push the spindle to 12k.
Thanks, Hoss

.

Here are the Bearings I installed ( R8 Spindle )
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0474395&ucst=t
http://www.fastenal.com/web/products/detail.ex?sku=0402112&ucst=t
These are sealed vs shielded...
Also Hoss, I installed the C3 index card with the pick up inside the spindle housing....Used the old plastic gear from the spindle for the reluctor , just used my lathe to take off the gear teeth and narrow it a little, drilled a 1/4 hole and put some set screws. Thanks for all your inspiration MAN!!!

Robert

Thanks! :cheers:
I already placed my order.
Much cheaper than what I was planning on spending too!
Hoss