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Pin Routers: The Old-School Production Workhorses

#161
That's a good one.
You could also glue in some dowels at any angle you like and slip some walking stick or ski pole grips over them.
Even just a simple pull handle in a horizontal position would be comfy and work from all angles.
ski pole grip.jpeg
pull handle.jpeg
 
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#162
Ergonomic grips are available for all kinds of objects, with bicycle bar-ends and walking/ski-poles being among the most common. Those plane knobs look like a nice option as well and are something that Bruce could fabricate easily in his shop.
 
#163
I got a pair of these coming in tomorrow. Most bicycle and motorcycle handgrips are made to slide on over a 7/8" diameter cylinder. I'll quickly make up a pair of 7/8" dia aluminum cylinders to bolt in place of the wood blocks. Then any common handgrips can be swapped on there. I had that in mind when I made up the wood blocks; that if I liked the idea of vertical handles, the permanent solution would be rubber handgrips.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01780N3F8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I used the pin router for about an hour last night. I was holding the front block handles most of the time, although I did use the middle block handles some. The front handles are in a good position. I may move the middle handles.

I've got to make it comfortable. I expect to be spending a lot of hours on this machine over the coming years.

On Friday, Jeremy was here working while I was running the pin router. I talked him through the procedure and let him run it for a few minutes. He enjoyed it, and is picturing making up fixtures for some of his bass bodies.
 
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#164
The best bike grips might be Oury. They're cylindrical but designed to be leaned on for hours at a time. (Caveat: It's been a long time since I was MTB'ing, when Ourys were almost a cult item, so I don't know what the current state of the art in MTB grips are.)
 
#165
Okay, the rubber bike handlebar grips came in today.

I quickly sawed off two lengths of 7/8" dia aluminum bar stock and chucked them in my trusty LeBlond lathe. I faced off each end and drilled them 9/32" thru. Yes, life is better when you have a small machine shop within a few steps.

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I bolted the aluminum sleeves onto the pin router fixture handles, in place of the front wooden blocks. Nice and solid.

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Then pushed the rubber grips down over the aluminum sleeves.

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I chose these particular grips because of the extra thickness of padded rubber up at the top. That fits my hand well and cushions when I'm pushing forward.

IMG_8200B.jpg


I'll test them out on some pin routing tonight. I think these will work fine. I'll probably get a second set for the other two handles.
 
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#168
True happiness is having the skills and machines to be able to build almost anything I can think up. At least to me it is. My joy in life is building things, and thinking up things to build. And seeing others enjoy the things I thought up and built. That's the bonus.
 
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#170
Bruce Johnson said:
True happiness is having the skills and machines to be able to build almost anything I can think up. At least to me it is. My joy in life is building things, and thinking up things to build. And seeing others enjoy the things I thought up and built. That's the bonus.
Click to expand...

@Bruce Johnson Your joys are infectious and inspirational. I share many of them, except for the bit about operating big machines. I spent just enough time around spinning blades to know my limitations...;)
 
#171
BTL said:
@Bruce Johnson Your joys are infectious and inspirational. I share many of them, except for the bit about operating big machines. I spent just enough time around spinning blades to know my limitations...;)
Click to expand...

Hey Brad;

I, too, have some real fear of big machines. Even though I love using them to fulfill my dreams. I can vividly imagine how they can mash me into a pulp if I'm not careful. I'm a fanatic about thoroughly learning how to set up and use a machine, adding guards and safety features, and sticking to safe procedures. It takes me a while to get comfortable with a new big machine, like this pin router. I'm getting there with it.

I'm going to start a new thread here on Luthier's Corner sometime soon, all about special hand guards on machines. I've designed and built special safety guards on many of my machines that are better than the factory guards. We should all talk about them. I'm pretty disgusted with the Tablesaw thread up at the top.
 
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#172
@Bruce Johnson I think that would be fantastic and so appreciated! I really had no respect for table saws until after I owned a powerful one for a while and started reading up on proper use and safety. Even something as seemingly benign as a big-wheel buffing arbor can do a number on you if you're not paying attention.
 
#173
BTL said:
@Bruce Johnson I think that would be fantastic and so appreciated! I really had no respect for table saws until after I owned a powerful one for a while and started reading up on proper use and safety. Even something as seemingly benign as a big-wheel buffing arbor can do a number on you if you're not paying attention.
Click to expand...

yup. there's a lot of energy there and when things go pear shaped the energy has to go somewhere. i saw a guy catch a door knocker on the bridge of the nose while using a buffing wheel. he was lucky it wasn't a little lower or he would have knocked all of his teeth out.
 
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#174
inchoate said:
yup. there's a lot of energy there and when things go pear shaped the energy has to go somewhere. i saw a guy catch a door knocker on the bridge of the nose while using a buffing wheel. he was lucky it wasn't a little lower or he would have knocked all of his teeth out.
Click to expand...
My neighbour thinks it's overkill, but I wear a face shield any time I'm buffing. Even little bits of polish thrown at your face at 700mph sting a bit :thumbsup:
 
#178
I go through boxes and boxes of nitrile disposable gloves. I know it's the opposite of my insufferably sanctimonious eco-hippy style, but I have plaque psoriasis and I really have to keep my hands babied to not be covered in flaking, bleeding sores all the time.
 
#179
I ran the Big Green Machine for an hour last night, doing real production Scroll Bass building! It felt good. The big machine humming away, carving walnut bodies at 3 am. And me firmly in control, gripping the rubber handles! With a smile.

Speaking of the rubber handles, after about 15 minutes of pin routing joy, I decided to try flipping the rubber handles the other way, with the large section down low. That's how they would normally be gripped on a bicycle, as Brad suggested.

IMG_8207B.jpg


IMG_8208B.jpg


That feels better. I think I'll keep them that way.
 
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