Onsrud Inverted Routers

[Ian Barley]

I am just about to pull the trigger on the purchase of an Onsrud Inverted Router (Model 750SS) and wondered if anybody here has any experience of them.

They are a fairly big industrial grade machine ((1100lbs weight - about £7000 price - Thats about $13000) - no - there are not too many noughts on any of those numbers). I doubt that anybody who makes dust for a hobby has one but I know that there are others here who squeeze a living doing this stuff and wonder if anybody else has any experience of them.

The dealer is offering me a "sale or return" because he has just taken over the concession and does not have any reference sites. This means that my risk of being saddled with a duff machine is nil but I would be responsible for shipping costs which would run to a couple hundred pounds.

I guess that this is a long shot but its always worth a try.

For anybody who is curious - link below goes to the Onsrud site. The video of how the machine works is pretty fun to watch.


http://www.cronsrud.com/3025.html

[Jim Becker]

That's a pretty kewel tool, Ian. Nice design. Is this the beast you mentioned that I might have to help schlep around the shop next week? :D

[Chris Padilla]

Have fun over the pond, Jim...we expect copious pictures! We're sure Ian looks totally different than his avatar suggests! :p

[Ian Barley]

Jim - No - The router is my second (and last!!) major purchase of the year. The one which may arrive on Monday is a thicknesser. Picture attached (hopefully). This is a much heavier duty replacement for my existing planer/thicknesser. I have finally learned that if you rely on it to pay the bills you need to buy industrial grade tools.
Looking forward to seeing you monday to do the shop tour.

Chris - Are you insinuating that the photo used in my avatar might reflect a version of me that existed briefly in a photographers studio about 10 years ago? How dare you impune my integrity in such a way. (Actually it was a passport photo I had taken by a pro - every time I step into one of the little photo booths they automatically default to "Mad Axeman" mode).

[Todd Burch]

I don't have one. Yet. One of my buddies has one though. They are fantastic for template/pattern cutting, and since you make yard furniture, it would probably fit your work flow just fine.

[Steve Clardy]

I ran one of the 5hp models a few years back for a furniture co. that I did piece work for. They were short of help for a while, and didn't have any piece work for me, so I hired on for a short while. I ran the machine making bowl blanks and chair back inserts. Quite a machine, it had the vacuum hold down attachment. I was really impressed with it.
I went to a auction later on and almost bought a good used one, but I had set my price limit, and it went for $50.00 more, so didn't get to bring it home.
I have an older enron 7hp 3phase overhead router that I use occasionally making reproduced stair treads, cutting the dados for the risers to fit into. Its one hulk of a machine, but not near as handy as that onsrud was.
Steve

[Ian Barley]

Steve - Perfect. What I wanted was to find somebody who had actually used one - sounds like your that man. Also sounds like from your experience the machine pretty much does what it says it will. Do you recall what sort of materials you were making your components in? I will be cutting components from 3/4" Iroko (kinda like Teak - bit tough on cutters) and need to do it in a single pass at a reasonable feed rate. Does that match anything like you were using it for?

Todd - I'm gonna guess that, like me, you have realised that investment in industrial class machinery pays off. Assuming that it works as described I will get to make some of my components in one step rather than five (joint,trim to length,trace,cutout,sand). Additiondally it should give me identical components for absolute repeatability. I Hope!

[Jim Becker]

Assuming that it works as described I will get to make some of my components in one step rather than five (joint,trim to length,trace,cutout,sand). Additiondally it should give me identical components for absolute repeatability.
Based on the video, I think you are spot on relative to these things. (Other than sanding, of course, but the edges should be clean and only require minimal work in that respect) Truly a production tool that should increase productivity and pay for itself in a very reasonable time! In my business we constantly talk about TCO (total cost of ownership) and I suspect the numbers are pretty attractive on this one!

[Frank Pellow]

WOW, I did not even know that machines like this existed.

I am considering purchasing a Festool router and their multifunction table and it looks to me like this will give me an afforable inerted router. However, I am unable to find much literature on the subject. I would appreciate any information. In particular, I am wondering if, with that combination, I will not need to make/purchase a router table and lift.

[Ken Dolph]

Ian,
Several years ago, Delta and Onsrud did some of these in different sizes together. Mine was one tenth the price but basicly the same machine. I had to make the vacuum system myself. I have often said that it would be the last machine to leave the shop. I use it as a router table, duplicating router, scrollsaw with 1/8" or less upspiral bits and drill press.

I once made 100 Christmas ornaments shaped like a labrador retrever out of Corian. It took just a little over 2 hours.

If anyone wants to try a simple version of this on their router table, Lee Valley sells a combination of two kits that gives you the over arm and the pedal router lift.

Have a lot of fun with it.
Ken

[Steve Clardy]

Steve - Perfect. What I wanted was to find somebody who had actually used one - sounds like your that man. Also sounds like from your experience the machine pretty much does what it says it will. Do you recall what sort of materials you were making your components in? I will be cutting components from 3/4" Iroko (kinda like Teak - bit tough on cutters) and need to do it in a single pass at a reasonable feed rate. Does that match anything like you were using it for?



We ran mostly pine, but also walnut and white oak. Species didn't seem to matter on the bits, they just ran and ran.
Usually about halfway through the bit life, there was no edge sanding. Edges were smooth. And the dust collection was fantastic on that machine, no dust, chips flying around, [as long as you have a decent collector.]
Steve