Spindle for router table

[Bradley Gray]

Good morning everyone,

I need to set up another router table - this one will be single purpose to run a double rabbet bit for mirror frames. I'm considering getting a spindle - probably an import and setting it up upside down. Does anyone have any experience with this? Will a spindle work in this orientation? Anyone used the relatively cheap Chinese spindles?

[Rick Lizek]

Got a link to the spindle you are looking at. Spindles are typically something you think about on a shaper. More info to clarify the application would be helpful. There's no reason it can't be done but I still don't quite understand what you are doing.

[Bradley Gray]

I'm thinking of a CNC type spindle. I see this set up running a lot and would like to reduce the scream of routers in my shop. The bit I need to run is 1/2"shank and cuts a stepped rabbet for mirror glass and plywood back. I need another set up so I can keep a round over bit in my current router table for good work flow.

[Peter Kelly]

Wouldn't it be simpler to buy an inexpensive shaper?

A CNC spindle would likely require a VFD to control the speed.

[Mike Heidrick]

You will need at least ER20 collet on the spindle to use 1/2" bits. I use a 2.2kw ER20 water cooled chinese spindle in my CNC I built. I use a Hitachi VFD with mine and a water pump and radiator setup for a computer cooling setup.

Dont forget about collets, wiring, speed control via a vfd, and cooling setup plus remember. most are 80mm dia in the 2.2kw class so it will not be a typical standard size body for an off the shelf lift. You may need bushings for your mount.

If I did it id design my own lift with stepper controlled powered auto height via a raspberrypi or arduino and a lcd. along with pwm speed control of a vfd. Not cheap to do that though.

[Bradley Gray]

sounds like I need a small shaper with a router collet.

[Mike Schuch]

What speed is your router bit designed to run at? (~20,000rpm?) What speed does a shaper run at? (~7000 - ~10,000rpm). I don't think you will be happy running a router bit in a shaper for production work. I believe the shaper proponents were referring to using a shaper and the appropriate shaper cutter. This would be my recommendation, a shaper with the appropriate shaper cutter. For the profile I am envisioning you are looking for I believe one of the smaller shapers should do the job quite nicely for a dedicated setup.