Lighting for routers

[Derek Cohen]

I have a few routers, which get occasional use. Over the past year or so I have been experimenting with a Makita trim router for removing waste from half-blind dovetails (see link below if interested).


The only issue I have with the little Makita is that it does not have a built-in light, which makes seeing details a little more difficult. It is a powerful and nimble router, with excellent dust control. I wanted to improve this one area. So I have looked around for quite a while at several strategies, such as training a spot light or clamping on a book light. These are have short comings.


A few weeks ago, I received a notice from Lee Valley about a Task Light they were offering. It was designed for their router base. And cheap ($15 USD). I ordered a few.





These are very small LED flashlights. They attach to a holder with rare earth magnets. The holder is screwed to the base of the router. I will show ways I have done this with mine.


In addition to to the trim router, the router I like for general use is this old Elu ...





There was a convenient hole for the screw holding the flashlight stand ...





And on ..








The Makita trim router that started this search ...





The stand was attached to the secondary base ...





This is how it in use before the light ...





Now light one ...





The Makita comes with a plunge base as well, and this is a useful router for inlay and smaller details.





The holder screws into one of the fence rod knobs. Only one knob is needed (the other side only uses one), so it is a convenient spot. Not perfect, but the best that I have come up with so far.





Light off ...





Light on ...





I hope this helps someone.


Regards from Perth


Derek

[ChrisA Edwards]

Nice, I ordered a couple ($7.50 each)

[Jamie Buxton]

Slick!
ChrisA, you got a deal. Lee Valley is offering them to me for $15.50 each. Still worth it.

[Jim Tobias]

I bought a couple and use one on my Domino to see the line better so I can match it up.
Works great.

Jim

[Brian Holcombe]

Excellent!

[Osvaldo Cristo]

I have a few routers, which get occasional use. Over the past year or so I have been experimenting with a Makita trim router for removing waste from half-blind dovetails (see link below if interested).


The only issue I have with the little Makita is that it does not have a built-in light, which makes seeing details a little more difficult. It is a powerful and nimble router, with excellent dust control. I wanted to improve this one area. So I have looked around for quite a while at several strategies, such as training a spot light or clamping on a book light. These are have short comings.


A few weeks ago, I received a notice from Lee Valley about a Task Light they were offering. It was designed for their router base. And cheap ($15 USD). I ordered a few.


[...]


Derek

Thanks to post that.

I have two router models in the workshop, my light one Makita RT 0701CX3 kit with four different bases and Bosch GFF/GOF 1600CE (MRP23EVS in the USA). Actually I have two of that Bosch routers and three bases.

When I purchased the first Bosch router I really thought the embedded LED lights were a gimmick and with no use for a "serious" woodworker. How wrong I were! The embedded LED light are great for both, to bring light at the piece we are working on as well to be a "monitor" to warn the router is plugged and unsafe for some operations as bit change. I really were surprised to discover how useful those lights can be in the daily life in the shop.

It is good to know there is also an alternative for my smaller Makita router. Perhaps I can got them in the next future.

[Ben Rivel]

Neat idea. Looks cool. Also looks like something that would be easy to design and 3D print to work with any number of better quality flashlight or better LED lighting circuit designs.

[Thomas McCurnin]

To heck with the LED, I like that old school Elu Router. I haven't seen one of them for quite a few years.

[Edwin Santos]

To heck with the LED, I like that old school Elu Router. I haven't seen one of them for quite a few years.

FYI, you can get one anytime you like, except it will be yellow and called the DeWalt 621. The fact that it is pretty much unchanged since they bought Elu over 20 years ago says something about the design.

[Bill McNiel]

Looks like a nice concept. Another solution is the DeWalt 611 that comes with 2 lights in the bottom of the motor housing and is a great trim router (I have 3).

[Derek Cohen]

To heck with the LED, I like that old school Elu Router. I haven't seen one of them for quite a few years.

I have three of these for hand held use (Elu 177e, MOF97, MOF96) ...



... and another 177e (the large one) in a router table (outfeed of a Hammer K3) ...



One of my little weaknesses ..

Regards from Perth

Derek