Shopsmith Forums

[quote="dusty"]I do too. Will you please help me find some in the woodworking world that fit that description]

I think the venerable porter cable 690 router might fit the bill. works great, relatively reasonably priced, largely unchanged in many years.

I guess if you are in to perfection where you have to have perfect corners, then like everyone has said make you one. I would not like the metal and having to hold it so close to the spinning cutter.

damagi wrote:I think the venerable porter cable 690 router might fit the bill. works great, relatively reasonably priced, largely unchanged in many years.

That's one but do the present day PC products come with the same reputation as PC of old? Is Porter Cable still a made in America item.

dusty wrote:That's one but do the present day PC products come with the same reputation as PC of old? Is Porter Cable still a made in America item.

Really don't have an answer to your second question, but I do know the newer PC routers have many features the the old ones lacked. The new ones are MUCH quieter than those of old. Also, although I laughed at the "soft start" feature, when it first came out, I'm now a fan! Routers of old would/could make a jump when starting. Also I love the PC variable speed feature that the old ones didn't have. In addition, the new PCs will shut off if they are set on their top. Setting on the top pushes the power switch to off. If in a table, this switch can be turned off by simply slapping the bottom of the router. It is also possible to use the one wrench chuck tightening feature if the operator wants. Two wrench method can be used if desired.

If they are made in Asia, the bearings are probably the same quality of those in the Shopsmith tools.

I generally draw the shapes with tools laying around the shop. I have been known to use a router, a scroll saw, the band saw and even the belt sander or a combination there of. Wednesday I cut a set of four corners on the band saw and cleaned them up with the belt sander for my Lathe/carving storage cabinet. More on this new storage idea next week when it is finished.

Here(halfway down the page) is a product that does the same thing but is much more reasonable. It is also made out of acrylic instead of metal plus you get many more sizes for the price of one of theirs.

tdubnik wrote:Here(halfway down the page) is a product that does the same thing but is much more reasonable. It is also made out of acrylic instead of metal plus you get many more sizes for the price of one of theirs.

How come they show 3 templates for a size range of 8?(1/8,1/4,3/8,1/2,5/8,3/4,7/8,1/1)

tdubnik wrote:Here(halfway down the page) is a product that does the same thing but is much more reasonable. It is also made out of acrylic instead of metal plus you get many more sizes for the price of one of theirs.

At least with that one an oops doesn't have metal going into your spinning router bit with you hanging on.

JPG40504 wrote:I have more respect for a firm that makes a product for an extended length of time and sells it at a reasonable cost/price ratio than one which uses get it now or never techniques to sell grossly overpriced products of unproven value or usefulness.

I agree with what you're saying when it pertains to a company of questionable reputation, but these templates are made by Woodpeckers (who also make the same products under the Pinnacle brand for Woodcraft). I have several of their measuring and layout products and am very pleased with the quality. I'm a precision junkie, and the accuracy and repeatability of their tools is excellent.

Recently, they have been marketing a series of "one time tools". Yes, many of them have limited usefulness, and they are not cheap - but I'm sure they fill a need for someone, somewhere.

Our beloved Shopsmith tends to use the same strategy - run an email special, take the orders, then set up a production run to produce the product. (Did everyone finally get their non-through riving knife?). While SS is not making them as one-time only, I can see that if the response is great, then Woodpeckers may add the new item to their catalog.

Although they are expensive, I can see where these templates will be very useful in a production setting. Slap it on, cut the radius, next piece... However, most of us here are hobbyists, and are not churning out 100 pieces per day. I'm quite content with the extra time to clamp an MDF template to the workpiece. Woodworking is about the journey, not necessarily the destination.

Sorry for the rant - but I think that Woodpeckers is a good company with good products. (No, I don't work for them)

michaeltoc wrote:I agree with what you're saying when it pertains to a company of questionable reputation, but these templates are made by Woodpeckers (who also make the same products under the Pinnacle brand for Woodcraft). I have several of their measuring and layout products and am very pleased with the quality. I'm a precision junkie, and the accuracy and repeatability of their tools is excellent.

Recently, they have been marketing a series of "one time tools". Yes, many of them have limited usefulness, and they are not cheap - but I'm sure they fill a need for someone, somewhere.

Our beloved Shopsmith tends to use the same strategy - run an email special, take the orders, then set up a production run to produce the product. (Did everyone finally get their non-through riving knife?). While SS is not making them as one-time only, I can see that if the response is great, then Woodpeckers may add the new item to their catalog.

Although they are expensive, I can see where these templates will be very useful in a production setting. Slap it on, cut the radius, next piece... However, most of us here are hobbyists, and are not churning out 100 pieces per day. I'm quite content with the extra time to clamp an MDF template to the workpiece. Woodworking is about the journey, not necessarily the destination.

Sorry for the rant - but I think that Woodpeckers is a good company with good products. (No, I don't work for them)

Amazing how rational thought and rationalization are so diametrically opposed. At least some of it!:)