Sell it or keep it? (old 1.5hp router)

[Rich Engelhardt]

I picked up a cheap Harbor Freight dovetail jig.
For the little amount I believe I'll use it, it should be fine.
I have two drawers to make in the next few weeks, then it might be a year or longer before I need to make another.

The jig isn't the issue though.

I have an old Craftsman 1.5hp router I bought years and years and years ago and I recall only using it one time.

My thoughts are I could either dedicate that router to doing dove tails, or just sell it.
I doubt it will bring more than $20/$30, if that, but, it's one less thing sitting on the shelf.

I do have three other routers so it's not like I really need it or anything.
But - it is a real convenience to have a dedicated tool like that.

I'm really pretty stuck on this...
Any advice?




Drat - see what happens when you get old and the Spring sunshine is nice and warm?
The iron in your blood turns to lead in your brain & you post things in the wrong forum :D

[Shawn Pixley]

Uh... Wrong forum. I suspect you would get better advice in the general woodworking forum. On the topic, i inherited a Craftsman 1-1/4HP router from the 70's. Walk away, just walk away.

[John TenEyck]

Why wouldn't you use it? You won't get anything for it, as you said, and it might run for 10 years. Mine did and I put it through hell. Of course, my PC 690 is still going strong after 25 years.

John

[Rich Engelhardt]

Why wouldn't you use it?It's just time to start thinning the herd. I've got so much stuff just sitting around gathering dust it's getting to be a chore finding a spot to store things I actually use.

[Curt Harms]

I had a Craftsman router that I loaned to someone. It came back with a shattered fan, not sure how they managed that but lesson learned. Two things about certain Craftsman routers. One is that the collet is machined into the end of the motor shaft so if the collet gets worn or damaged it's not economically repairable. The second is that some had what was referred to as "random auto depth adjustment", e.g. the depth stop slips.

[John Piwaron]

I had a Craftsman router that I loaned to someone. It came back with a shattered fan, not sure how they managed that but lesson learned. Two things about certain Craftsman routers. One is that the collet is machined into the end of the motor shaft so if the collet gets worn or damaged it's not economically repairable. The second is that some had what was referred to as "random auto depth adjustment", e.g. the depth stop slips.

First, that fan problem is a design flaw. No matter who was using it, at some point it was destined to fail.

Second, I remember the "random auto depth adjustment" - that sucked.

I sold my Craftsman router a few years ago. I don't miss it one bit. I think I got $40 or $50 for mine. In fact, I'm thinking of selling my Makita router. Thinning the herd as you say.

[Rich Engelhardt]

The second is that some had what was referred to as "random auto depth adjustment", e.g. the depth stop slips.Now there's a valid reason not to use it as a dedicated dove tail router.
Most of the appeal of doing that is to "set it and forget it", so it's always ready to go and not have to fiddle around setting the depth.
If it slips, them it's of little use as a dedicated setup.

[Jim Matthews]

If the balance and control are acceptable, keep a dedicated bit going.
If it's cumbersome, or balky - bin it.

You're at the point of residual value.
If it has no utility, no great loss to send it to a new home.

Lots of newbies coming on this time of year, I'm sure someone could make use of a functional tool.

[Dan Hahr]

50 bucks for a Craftsman router is a heck of a gloat- for the SELLER!

I keep mine around because my wife bought it for me when I was dating her. Also, I wouldn't feel right passing it on to someone who wants a decent tool. I get good use out of it for doing round overs on rough exterior projects like picnic tables or playground stuff. Don't bother trying to use it for anything important.

Dan

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Hehe, thought my old craftsman router was the only one with the variable autosetting depth feature. Mine also had the self adjusting collet that would randomly change the bit placement. My Leigh jig still bears the scars, and the router is in a landfill someplace.

[John Piwaron]

50 bucks for a Craftsman router is a heck of a gloat- for the SELLER!

I keep mine around because my wife bought it for me when I was dating her. Also, I wouldn't feel right passing it on to someone who wants a decent tool. I get good use out of it for doing round overs on rough exterior projects like picnic tables or playground stuff. Don't bother trying to use it for anything important.

Dan

Actually, I sold it at a silent auction. I never pitched it to any buyer. It looked very clean. Like new in appearance. There was a reason for that. That it looked new wasn't from being a Craftsman with problems, it was because I got a Makita 1/2" D handle router. I learned what real power was. And the 1/2" shanks meant that my cuts looked better. Besides the problems already listed, I also disliked it's stiff cord.

It's easy to laugh at it now, make fun, call it junk. But at the time it was the right tool for me. It helped me learn. If a router had cost much more than what that Craftsman did, maybe I'd never have bought any router. Never have learned or have learned much later.

Today, for me, it's history. It's in someone else's hands doing what they need it to do. And that's how it should be.

[Jak Kelly]

Sounds like it might have atleast made decent BEER money!
Not too bad!!!!!