Create a review for a woodworking tool that you are familiar with (Shopsmith brand or Non-Shopsmith) or just post your opinion on a specific tool. Head to head comparisons welcome too.
BTW some of these routers had the famous AHA feature. (auto height adjust)... and no that is not a good thing.
Ed
I'll post tonight.
Boy, I just can't wait to see if mine has AHA. What's a good way to test for it without making a cut? Anyway to turn off that feature that you know of?
heathicus wrote:LOL My old Craftsman router has that "feature!" Unfortunately, it's my only router right now...
For the owner of a really old Craftsman router, What is "Auto Height Adjust"??????
Mine has a movable 'index pointer' that I consider totally worthless. It also suffers from excessive 'backlash' when adjusting depth of cut(foot/base extension).
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Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
JPG40504 wrote:For the owner of a really old Craftsman router, What is "Auto Height Adjust"??????
Mine has a movable 'index pointer' that I consider totally worthless. It also suffers from excessive 'backlash' when adjusting depth of cut(foot/base extension).
If reible was referring to the same "feature" my router has, the height will "auto adjust" during operation. I attributed mine to old age and the mechanisms for locking the height being worn out. I wasn't aware it was a larger problem with those routers.
heathicus wrote:If reible was referring to the same "feature" my router has, the height will "auto adjust" during operation. I attributed mine to old age and the mechanisms for locking the height being worn out. I wasn't aware it was a larger problem with those routers.
That is exactly what Ed meant! My first Craftsman router also has that "feature"! I, also, wood like to know how to turn off that feature.
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
My thought is "AHA" of older routers is mainly due to inadequate maintenance of the collets and the shaft of bits. In my limited experience, "AHA" always carries the bit further into the wood.
Sometimes cleaning the collet and the bit shafts is all that's needed to fix "AHA" Tightening the collet tighter won't help!!! Purchasing a new collet and bits always works!
Octogenarian's have an earned right to be a curmudgeon.
Chuck in Lancaster, CA
charlese wrote:My thought is "AHA" of older routers is mainly due to inadequate maintenance of the collets and the shaft of bits. In my limited experience, "AHA" always carries the bit further into the wood.
Sometimes cleaning the collet and the bit shafts is all that's needed to fix "AHA" Tightening the collet tighter won't help!!! Purchasing a new collet and bits always works!
That is a nice thought, Chuck, but in my case it is the router sliding in the base that is AHA! Can knot get the base to tighten around the motor enough.
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
The chuck issue Chuck mentioned can also be a problem on any router and is worth checking if you are seeing the bit moving in or out of the collets.
It seems the craftsman router are known for this problem and I have seen it mentioned various places for the last number of years... maybe the last 8 to 10 years and then that was after someone came up with the "AHA" term.
Ed
a1gutterman wrote:That is a nice thought, Chuck, but in my case it is the router sliding in the base that is AHA! Can knot get the base to tighten around the motor enough.
{Knight of the Shopsmith} [Hero's don't wear capes, they wear dog tags]
mickyd wrote:On a1's outstanding advise, I picked up my first router a couple days ago. I came across a Craigslist ad for a Craftsman 3/4 hp, 1/4", 25K RPM oldy but goody ($8.50) along with 6 new bits ($7.50).
The only features.....an off / on switch and 1/32" depth scale, unless you want to include it's power cord, motor, and 1-1/2 (yes, 1-1/2) handles as features. It's not worthy of photos but I figure that this unit will be my sacrificial starter unit until I add to my collection.
At least you did knot pay too much! Keep an eye on the depth you are cutting as you use it. I think that for a start you did oakay, but once you get hooked...
Tim
Buying US made products will help keep YOUR job or retirement funds safer.
Why do some insist that it is better to pay more than twice the cost of two single routers by buying one of these two base kits?
Also why would you want to mount a fix base router in a router table when you could mount a plunge router there instead?
I don't understand it.
Look at the Dewalt 618PK you can actually buy two 618 plunge routers for the same price or a little more than the 618PK kit that comes with one motor and two bases one fixed and one plunge. With the two separate routers you get two plunger bases and two motors.
