Today in the shop (powerpro routing)

[JPG]

Tomp,

I think I would be in touch with Shopsmith customer service if I were you.

First, the machine is advertised at 10,000 RPMs. If it is topping out at 9500 RPMs something isn't right. What's the lowest speed you are getting?

Second, while the Shopsmith table top isn't going to be as perfectly flat as a piece of cast iron, the table ought to be flat enough for any operation involving a workpiece the size of a table insert. In paragraph A of this link, https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?p=761&postcount=4 Nick Engler, who was formerly in an official position with Shopsmith, stated that the table should be flat to within 0.010 to 0.012 inches.

Al

Have you tried 'increasing' the speed from 9500 using the appropriate 'buttons'?

The insert area can be uneven(the reason for making one yerself!;)).

[reible]

[quote="tomp"]I would like to read more if you have made any progress. Today, I tried my Mark 7 in router mode for the second time. Mine seems to max out at 9500 rpm. I guess that is close enough to 10,000.

I tried to route some saw table inserts made from 1/4" birch ply, covered with formica. I thought that I could just drill various sized holes in them for different router bits. I found the SS table lacking]

Hi,

First let me welcome you to the forums! Always nice to have a new poster here.

As mentioned the powerpro should get to 10,000 rpm. If it doesn't then give shopsmith a call as something is wrong.

Next up would be finding out why the table seems uneven. Could you take a picture of your setup? Or if not, can you describe what is going on in detail? And if you are routing from above the table or below.

Shop temperature is 35.1 degrees and no heat so it is too cold to work until spring. You can read this as no additional progress.

Ed

[nuhobby]

Same comments as above on 9500 vs 10000 rpm....

I did one of the very first DIY PowerPros. The rig was a little sensitive if I didn't have the idler-bearing, motor-mounts, and belt paths all situated well. If things were not well-aligned, it wouldn't go to full speed. In my case I got it straightened out and it works fully now. But Customer Service is your best bet.

[tomp]

Great input; thanks so much!

JPG: I did not try the manual speed increase. It just topped out at 9500 in router mode. I will check that today. And you may be correct about the insert. I had a shaper insert installed; that probably did not provide enough support. That is why I'm trying to make new inserts.

Ed: I was routing below the table, but no photos. My shop is a wreck. With all of these new things to learn, I haven't fixed things up yet. Maybe I will try above table routing today.

[backhertz]

I stumbled on an old stand alone OPR. It allows me to mount two routers- one above and one below which spin twice as fast as the PowerPro. Back in 1988, I first tried to use the routing feature of the Mark V 510 and was not impressed. I have not tried to use the routing feature of the PowerPro.

[tomp]

I'm embarrassed. Yes, my rpm's topped out at 9500, but only when I had programmed the powerpro for routing mode with a 3/4 inch bit, and using hardwood. It would increase over that using the manual increase, but I did not see just how high that it would go.

I'm pretty committed to seeing how far I can go with table routing using the PowerPro, at least as long as I have effective dust control. My shop is in the basement, and my wife will have me out in the cold if I can't control the dust. I have 2 routers, but do not have a router table, and really don't wish to have another set-up to find room for.

So I began yesterday in above table routing. I first installed the table insert that I had made the previous day.

I quickly realized that I had no guide pins, so I used my router insert with pins and dust collector underneath.

That worked pretty well. Adequate dust control.

I next switched to undertable routing. I would have the same problem with my homemade insert, but I first installed it to see how things lined up. I failed to take a photo, but I had bored a 3/4 inch hole with the drill press, and my 3/4" router bit fit right through. Pretty outstanding alignment!

I switched to the router insert, and realized why I had so much trouble the previous day. I'm very new to table routing, and didn't realize that I was using a plunge router bit for table routing.



So I don't think I will be posting until I read a book on table routing, and get some new bits. Many thanks for your help. (I hope my photos show up)

[superpop]

Why would you not use the plastic table insert that comes as a blank and then cut the hole whatever size you need.

[JPG]

Why would you not use the plastic table insert that comes as a blank and then cut the hole whatever size you need.

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