Agreed, I use the palm router a lot, I use the big router for round overs, planing and hogging out material.
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2020 Winter Build-off Apollo
- Thread starter Novarocker
- Start date
And @Jisch,I say yes. I have a Bosch Colt that is great for the more finicky detail work, and a POS Skil two-hand plunge router for the bigger stuff. The big router is too bulky for small stuff, and the small one is too wheezy for big stuff.
I really really need to replace my POS Skil though....
Thanks, good to know. I've been eyeing the brushless rigid. Been thinking about switching over a lot of my tools to them since I do some heavy jobs a few times a year. The Ryobi's and Porter Cable tools I have can handle the workload, but they are getting a pretty beat up each time. No sense in killing them on the heavier jobs and keep replacing them, when I can go a bit more robust.
I'll also invest in a bigger router as well when I get the chance. I know the Ryobi is starting to show signs of dying. Just taking less off each pass and taking it slower and easier. Hopefully it lasts through this one.
I had an ancient Craftsman router that worked really well for years, but it developed a lot of vibration due to runout at the collet, and only took 1/4” shank bits. I finally got a brand new PC router, the only thing I miss is having a switch on the handle, I don’t like having to take one hand off the handle to switch it off. It takes 1/4” or 1/2” shank, the 1/2” shank bits seem to run much more smoothly.
I know this is an aside... I've got four routers right now, 2x 1/2" collets, 1x 1/4" collet and a Bosch Colt trim router. Every time I see a good condition router go by on craigslist or the like, I pick it up. I set them up into jigs, sleds, tables and fixtures and then don't move them. I've got a big one mounted to my planing sled with a large 1 1/8" mortising bit; the 1/4" collet under a table; another powerful one set up with a wide base for edge routing plus my colt is right now in a binding fixture, but pops out easily. Hmm... I need another router... 
You guys are killing me. My wife worked for DeWalt for literally decades. My garage tends to look like a DeWalt commercial. Yet not a one of you have mentioned them.
The wife still bleeds yellow, even tho she stopped working there about 3 months ago. The 2 hour commute to Seattle was killing her, our wallet, her mental state, our marriage, so something had to be done. She still grumbles every time my dad says "Harbor Freight". 
- Apr 18, 2008
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As is mine! Great planer.
Love all the info everyone's got. Mine's getting a little bit of signs of the collet wearing. What concerns me is what I'm assuming is a plastic fan blade fell out of it yesterday. Low workload and it's fine, but this will be the last job for it.
I know this is an aside... I've got four routers right now, 2x 1/2" collets, 1x 1/4" collet and a Bosch Colt trim router. Every time I see a good condition router go by on craigslist or the like, I pick it up. I set them up into jigs, sleds, tables and fixtures and then don't move them. I've got a big one mounted to my planing sled with a large 1 1/8" mortising bit; the 1/4" collet under a table; another powerful one set up with a wide base for edge routing plus my colt is right now in a binding fixture, but pops out easily. Hmm... I need another router...
Great ideas! Been thinking about setting up one on a 90° angle jig to use low angle bits for quick cutting of SG style contours and the like. Do you have any pics of the planning setup? I've been debating on investing in a planer, but I'd like 13" or so and that moves up into some big time dollars. Worth it I'm sure, but still.
Lol, I do like DeWalt tools. Finally someone developed a miter saw that can run off cord or battery. I work with a lot of pipefitters at work and they seem to prefer Rigid, DeWalt, and Milwaukee. Rigid's LSA is pretty outstanding, that's a huge draw for me. If Ryobi made a high end line is be all over it, just because they are dedicated to keeping that battery format. My router is close to 20 years old from my dad, but it still works great with a 1 year old battery.
I'll have to give DeWalt another look. Oh and their planer is at the top of my list.
Is it the 12/12.5" one? Does that width work well enough for you, or do you just plane prior to glueing pieces. That's what has me hesitant about going to the smaller width planers. I'd rather plane after glueing.
Oh and here's the cap glueing up. I'm liking the look more each day. I was thinking orange paint job, but I might just go with a rubbed poly or stain finish...
Oh and some excellent beer I'm excited to try!
Oh and some excellent beer I'm excited to try!
Yes, its the 12.5" planer, and my preferred method of building (so far) is neck-thru so it suits me fine. Selling points for me was three blades and a locking motor/cutting assembly. I get no snipe as long as I regularly check and adjust the tables.
I know the router topic has been beat to death already, but I felt like adding my two cents...
I do think there's a whole class of smallish but not as small as trim routers, which are plenty powerful and probably your best bet if you're only going to have one router. They're easier to handle than a big monster, at least. I have the Makita RT0701, it comes with a plunge base and a fixed base, and the fixed base is ready to accept standard size bushings right out of the box (you need a $15 adapter for the plunge base). It's only $140 or so, and it's a nice small size but still plenty powerful enough for medium-big jobs like pickup or neck pocket routing. I probably use mine for at least half of my routing, it's the most versatile router I have.
Other than router planing or maybe if you're putting a router in a table, I really don't think you need a lot of horsepower for instrument work, especially with figured woods or other situations where fear of tearout is causing you to go slowly anyways. If you're doing it "right" you're only taking off a small amount in a given pass (to avoid tearout and other problems) so a medium power router is plenty.
I do think there's a whole class of smallish but not as small as trim routers, which are plenty powerful and probably your best bet if you're only going to have one router. They're easier to handle than a big monster, at least. I have the Makita RT0701, it comes with a plunge base and a fixed base, and the fixed base is ready to accept standard size bushings right out of the box (you need a $15 adapter for the plunge base). It's only $140 or so, and it's a nice small size but still plenty powerful enough for medium-big jobs like pickup or neck pocket routing. I probably use mine for at least half of my routing, it's the most versatile router I have.
Other than router planing or maybe if you're putting a router in a table, I really don't think you need a lot of horsepower for instrument work, especially with figured woods or other situations where fear of tearout is causing you to go slowly anyways. If you're doing it "right" you're only taking off a small amount in a given pass (to avoid tearout and other problems) so a medium power router is plenty.
I have a Delta 12.5” planer Ive used on a few builds. It does a nice job on straight grained wood, but I’ve yet to find a motorized planer that won’t tear out some on wild grain, even with light passes and brand new blades. The double sided blades are disposable, and you can shift them a little to cancel out blade nicks, so you get a decent lifespan out of the blades. It has a head lock, but still snipes a little. It works best with a sacrificial board longer than the work to take the snipe. Sometimes a router sled is safer, but still no guarantee against tear out. I guess a panel sander is probably safest, but they are expensive.
I've wondered about those helical heads I've seen from time to time.
Anyway here's my back log of progress.
Hogged out the wings and started on the middle. Just gotta finish that up and knock out some where the pickups going and I think I'll be finished with this bit. I had a little slippage while free handing, luckily no one will see the mistake haha.
Hoping to get the neck pocket started today.
I do have a couple inquiries for you guys. I've never installed a TOM bridge, will the neck need a tilt to it to work properly? I used stewmac's calculator to figure out where the posts go, but that's about it.
I'll be redoing the templates I have now before my next build. Converting them all to mdf and adding a couple I should have. Doing so much by freehand ends up taking about as long anyway with how slow and careful you need to be.
And thanks again everyone for the tips and whatnot!
And thanks again everyone for the tips and whatnot!
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Oh and I do still hope to complete the air channel, but I intend to do so close to the finish. I'll cut out an LP sized panel out of the back and make it an inserted piece that fits flush with the cap.
Besides the slow down that's put me behind schedule, the biggest reason for this is that I'd like to see if there's a discernable difference and if it's positive or not. This way I can take my time with it if I don't think I'll finish in time with it.
Besides the slow down that's put me behind schedule, the biggest reason for this is that I'd like to see if there's a discernable difference and if it's positive or not. This way I can take my time with it if I don't think I'll finish in time with it.
