143 Re: plunge routers
Description
This article is from the Woodworking FAQ Collection 4, by multiple authors.
143 Re: plunge routers
From: ericb@microsoft.UUCP (Eric BROWN)
Date: 18 Jun 91 22:08:08 GMT
In article <1991Jun11.121143.4436@ducvax.auburn.edu> gharris@ducvax.auburn.edu writes:
>I'm hoping to be able to afford to buy a high quality plunge router sometime
>this summer. I'd like to use it both in and out of a router table for a
>variety of things. I'll want it to be able to handle general joinery jobs,
>crown molding, the making of cabinet doors and even full sized
>raised panel doors, and, of course, just about anything else I could think
>of using it for. I would like the tool to last a long time so I'm willing to
>invest in a large (3hp or greater) router if its necessary. But I'm not certain
>that it is necessary even though demands on it might be heavy at times. Would
>anyone care to comment on this?
>
>...
>
>I've heard some good things about the large Bosch plunge router but it seems
>to be more expensive than the Ryobi and then I would have to tag onto it at
>least the price of an edge guide. Is the Bosch a 'better' enough router that
>would justify the added expense over the Ryobi? By the way, as long as
>I'm talking about Bosch, is it really an American company?
I have the 3hp Bosch plunge router (model 6211?? I forget). I have been very
happy with it. I have run some very heavy loads on it with nary a whimper
(3/4" bullnose and 1/2" plough on rock maple, for example).
I made my own edge guide (I make all my own fixtures, more flexibility). I
cut a 1/2" thick piece of russian birch plywood about 6" by 14", drilled a
2-1/8" hole where the bit passes through, and three counter-sunk holes for
the screws that fasten it to the router base. I remove the plastic base and
replace it with this base. It is located so that three sides are flush with
the router base and the remaining side sticks out perpendicular to the handles.
I can then use C clamps to fasten a variety of wooden edge guides to the
underside. It works like a champ. I can also attach a long strip of lumber
to the upper side of the same base to give a circle cutting fixture.
I am not certain of this, but I believe Bosch bought out an American firm and
is making these tools in the American firm's plant. Was it Stanley?
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