Radial arm saw/pin router

[Joe Hillmann]

I have been planing on building myself a pin router. I recently found a radial arm saw that has a 20,000 rpm second spindle on it for using as a router. I have never used a radial arm saw before. Is there any reason why this radial arm saw couldn't be used as a pin router by turning the head up and down, locking everything in place and installing a pin in the table?

Mostly I wonder if the head will be sturdy enough to not move when I am cutting with the router. Is 20,000 rmp fast enough and will it be powerful enough?

I do realize that the height is controlled by a hand wheel rather than a foot peddle but that I could work around.

[Neil Pabia]

Sounds scary to me. I have an inverted pin router and it just sits in my shop if you need one. PM sent.

[Joe Hillmann]

Oops, It looks like I posted this in the engravers forum, it was supposed to be in the general wood working forum. Sorry.

[Stephen Cherry]

I have an inverted pin router, and use it for a lot of things. If you have a pattern, another part is very easy to make. For example, I recently put a new front plywood seat on my boston whaler- the new seat was made in just a couple of minutes, maybe 5 at the most.

As for the non inverted part, I would make a guard.

To place the pin, you would just plunge a 1/4 router bit into the table, and use a broken or dull 1/4 shaft bit as the pin (use the shaft end). My first bit would be a 1/4 spiral DOWN cut, since you are non inverted. (not name calling)

[AL Ursich]

I would be worried about a Climb Bit Situation where the ease of movement of the Radial Arm could be dangerous.... Things happen QUICK... I do use one of my 2 Radial Arm Saws for a Dado and taking light cuts works well... But I watch for the same thing... A Climb cut with the Dado...

[Myk Rian]

I use one of these from MLCS
Quite frankly, it's VERY rare I run a router at 20,000rpm. Usually 15k or so.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/daisypin.html
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/graphics4/daisypinrouter104.jpg