Horizontal Router *PICS*

[Jim Kountz]

Heres some pics of the work in progress. As you can see I still have to mount the router, Im waiting on the insert to arrive to do that. You can see from the pics also the stop block setup, the simple depth scale I have temporarily penciled in on the side and the best part, the U channel and guide bars. The adjustable fence on top will eventually hold two toggle clamps and can easily be positioned X-Y depending on whether you're mortising or making tenons. I think you can make out the 1/4" holes in the top for repositioning the fence. Bit height is easy with the slots in the router mounting board. The bolts you see in that piece right now are just stuck in there for the pics. They will be put in from the inside out with knobs once the router is mounted. The handles I made for the stop blocks also serve for handles to plunge and then go side to side. I made them by inserting a piece of all thread in the end of the blanks, chucking them in the drill and spinning it on the Spindle sander to form the screwdriver looking handles. Those with a lathe could do better Im sure. The two tables are smooth as glass to move on those shopmade tracks. I got all the materials, the items I didnt make of course, from the home center too by the way. Anyway there it is. Id love to hear comments, suggestion whatever!

Jim

[Jim Becker]

That's pretty kewel, Jim. 'Can't wait to see it in action. Is this your own design or are you working from something "out there"?? The table system is interesting...

[Jim Kountz]

Well the design is a little of this and a little of that. I made one of these years ago but it was manual, simply meaning that there were no sliding tables. I started out to build a homemade version of a "Multi-Router" but found the linear bearings and rods were really high in price. So I started looking around. If I had it to do over again I would use the slick plastic 3/8 x 3/4 guide bars you see in the catalogs. Those along with the aluminum miter gauge track would make for some nice sliding tables!

Jim

Thanks for the kind words!

[David Rose]

Jim, I *like* it! It looks like great mortise and tenon machine.

Can you guestimate the amount of play that you have in the table assembly?

How do the stop blocks work? I assume that they let you travel to the point you want then prevent further travel. How do they lock?

Why will you use a router plate instead of a solid bolt up?

Lots of questions from the "fixture junkie". :D

David

[Jim Kountz]

Well David lets see. As far as play right now there is practically none. The screws that hold the guide bars on are installed in slighty oversized holes that allow me to lock them in at just the right amount of tightness to let them slide yet zero the play. I've actually come up with a better system already believe it or not. I think drilling and tapping the guide bars then installing bolts from the top through oversized holes would be even better.

As far as the stop blocks you're right on. They have carriage bolts that ride in the slot you see there on the top. The stops themselves have a tongue on the bottom that keeps them straight and rides in the same slot. The handles I made have nuts epoxied in the ends of them that the bolt threads into. They serve double duty as handles and lock downs for the stops.

The only reason I thought of a plate was just to gain the extra cutting depth from my bits and also to be able to see through it for bit changes and stuff. I dont guess its a must have thing though.

Im working on a dust collection system for it now and also fine tuning everyting else. I think I like building jigs and fixtures almost as much as furniture and cabinets!

Jim

[George Grubaugh]

Great design! Thanks for showing us. Please keep us posted.

[Alan Turner]

Just a thought. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2593546416&category=11805
These are the 1/2" linear bearings, for about $70 or so.
I have thought about this also, but haven't yet gotten the energy to do it.
Alan

[Jim Engel]

Jim,

Really interesting.

I build something very similar following ideas from a Fine Woodworking
article a couple years ago.

This version uses heavy duty ball bearing drawer slides,
so it will be interesting to see how you like yours when
you get it done.

You need to work to make everything stiff and really lock
down the board with the router on it to avoid vibration
and things working lose under pressure.

The dollars for the fancy movements are the big obsticle
in this type of thing, and reasonable alternatives such as
slides and drawer slides are welcome for those of us
on a budge.


( You can buy commercial units which are attractive,
but they run in the $2500 price range....)

Be sure and put up more pics and comments as you
go along, I think everybody wants to build, and rebuild
this type of thing.

You planning to do a lot of floating tenion joinery ?

That's what I use mine for the most.

Also, you will want to think about left and right stops
so you can do repeat work.

Also, on the in and out direction, I put a wheel with a
big screw so that I can adjust the depth of cut.

You will like using spiral router bits, and find that you
need a way to make multiple light passes easily.

[Jim Kountz]

Jim , Actually there is stops for left and right. Thats what the two gray blocks and stubby dowels on the rear of the unit do. The screwdriver shaped handles also hold the stops in place. They have threaded inserts in the bottom. You just loosen the handles by turning them. set the stops where you want them and tighten the handles back down. You still have handles for control and you still get adjustable stops at the same time.
The depth of cut is determined simply but how far you plunge the two tables in to the bit. The overall depth of cut depends of course on how far the bit protrudes through the router mounting board. Im working right now on a simple indexing system that will allow you to set the plunge depth in stages for taking multiple passes. That will be the cats meow if I can figure this out!

As I mentioned earlier I built a similar unit some years ago and I agree totally that the spiral bits are the way to go! Can we see some pics of yours too? Always looking for new ideas!

Thanks Jim!

Jim

[Peter Stahl]

Jim,

You could set the total depth then use strips of of wood aprox. a 1/3 the thickness. Put 2 in for the first pass, remove another the second and take the last one out for the final. Or use a plunge router! Ken Salisbury (I think it was him) had a Vertical router set up that simular to yours that He called 1 minute tenon or something like that.

Pete

[Ken Salisbury]

Jim,

You could set the total depth then use strips of of wood aprox. a 1/3 the thickness. Put 2 in for the first pass, remove another the second and take the last one out for the final. Or use a plunge router! Ken Salisbury (I think it was him) had a Vertical router set up that simular to yours that He called 1 minute tenon or something like that.

Pete

"Something like that" ---- Actually "Tenons in 10 seconds (http://www.oldrebelworkshop.com/tenon%20jig.htm)" (link)

[Jim Kountz]

Well I went with the plunge router simply because I had one laying around. It works great! I found while using it that plunging the tables in to a certain depth and holding it there while I make the pass is very easy to do. So for a 3/4" deep mortise for example I set the bit depth, start the router, then plunge the tables in a little and slide left to right, plunge a little more repeat. I do this two or three times to make the mortise. Its very easy to do and the results were amazing.

Jim

[W.C. Turner]

I only know, "Almost Heaven, W. Va." from John Denver's "Country Roads". Is there an actual place? Thanks,

[Jim Kountz]

Nah, not that I know if. Besides this week I think they're changing it to "Almost Antartica"

[W.C. Turner]

Nah, not that I know if. Besides this week I think they're changing it to "Almost Antartica"

Another dream shattered!!!!!! It would be nice if it were an actual place, huh?

Thanks,

[John Miliunas]

Hey Jim, how 'bout some "finished" pics of that beast? :cool:

[Jim Kountz]

Sure, I'll take some more tomorrow morning when I get in the shop!

Jim