new router

[Jack000]

Hi guys

been a while since my last post. If you have a good memory I was building my first router following the buildyourcnc website. It's still not 100% (still need to close up that controller box), I guess it's hard to find the motivation when everything pretty much works.

here's a few shots of it in its new home, a small shed



and here is a recent experiment in dust collection


and here is what happened after the dust collection hood caught on the z-axis and made the stepper stall.


As far as I can tell, what happened was that the vibration from the router caused the hood to rotate in such a way that it went underneath the z-axis, and when it tried to rise up again, well.. the rest is history. The router itself is pretty much dead, fortunately not with a bang (it just revved down until it stopped the next time i tried it), but now I need to find a replacement.

should I:
- get another used router
- buy new with warranty/service plan

I wonder if the warranty would cover this type of use though. I'd prefer to get something local (vancouver region), since I need to finish that job I was working on.

What should I do in terms of long-term router maintenance? I know I should replace the bearings once every 70 hours or so, but is it something I can do myself or should I take it somewhere for servicing (home depot?). I'd like to buy used and service it myself, since that seems like the cheapest option.

[FandZ]

Hey Jack! Good to see you are cutting it up. I don't see a difference between buying one new or old if it's a good router. I also wouldn't have any problems useing the warranty if a router fails on me on my cnc machine. People use them hours on end in router tables. In the end what's the difference between me useing a router by hand or useing it in a cnc machine. It's not like I'm useing it to start my car. It'll be ued to cut wood and plastic (maybe some aluminum), so if they desighned it to work right there shouldn't be a problem. As long as I don't abuse it, make it cut too deep or too fast, If it fails, it's their shoddy engineering.


That said, I'm finally ready to put a router on my table. I've bidded on a few used ones on ebay but ended up getting a Hitachi M12VC 2-1/4-Horsepower for only $89 new!

Amazon.com: Hitachi M12VC 2-1/4-Horsepower Variable Speed Router: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: Hitachi M12VC 2-1/4-Horsepower Variable Speed Router: Home Improvement

If you look around the forum you'll see a lot of people bragging about them. There is a newer one so I think that is why this one is on sale. I really wanted a Porter Cable but for the price I couldn't pass it up.

It comes in on Wednesday, can't wait to mount that puppy I don't know if Amazon ships to Canada but if they don't and you'd like to get one of the hitachi's from there shipped to you, let me know. My mother lives in Calgary so I'm kinda used to shipping US bargains cross border.

[Jack000]

hey Fandz!

hope to see you cutting soon :]

I appreciate the offer, but amazon said something about warranty restrictions across borders. I'd rather buy something local and have some peace of mind with the warranty.

unfortunately it seems the prices haven't dropped in canada:


I'm leaning towards a cheaper portercable, unless I can find a really good deal on craigslist/ebay.

[cdndave]

Hey Jack

If you have have a Rona close to you, they have a combo set (plunge and non-plunge base) for just over 100$ - I have been using it in my table for a while now (no issues) and I plan to use it in my CNC - once completed.

Nice thing is being able to move it between the cnc, the table and the plunge base with little hassle.

Dave

Originally Posted by Jack000 hey Fandz! hope to see you cutting soon :] I appreciate the offer, but amazon said something about warranty restrictions across borders. I'd rather buy something local and have some peace of mind with the warranty. unfortunately it seems the prices haven't dropped in canada: I'm leaning towards a cheaper portercable, unless I can find a really good deal on craigslist/ebay.

[Jack000]

you mean this one?

I searched the rona site before, don't know how I missed that one.. seems almost suspiciously cheap for a variable speed though, I'll go and have a look today.

[cdndave]

Yup that's it

can't speak to durability, but I've been using it for a couple of months in my router table - no complaints, just have to wait until it gets to speed

Dave

[monkeysbum]

I've been using that router from Rona for maybe 5 years, on it's own and in my router table. And it's going into my CNC build as well. The only problem I've had with it is the 1/4" collett never gripped well. Now I always use the 1/2" collett and a reducer from Lee Valley. Haven't had a problem with slippage since.

[FandZ]

I just got my Hitachi router in today and it is quite. There is no problem talking over it, even on high it's not that bad. I'm sure I will not be saying that once I start cutting with it though