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have you ever seen this router?

9.1K views 13 replies 7 participants last post by  marco952  
#1 ·
I think generally no,
it's an old italian router built about for 40 years and now out of production. The router is "GAMMA 7 ZINKEN", only 500 w and 27000 r.p.m.
Few days ago, fortunately, I've got it for not much money. I've also festool of 1400, a very good machine, but gamma7 is really one handy tool. It' very funny and, in my opinion, there are many intelligent solutions. Look at the photos. My exuses for my bad bad english, correct me thanks :). Hi
Marco
 

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#2 ·
When did they stop production?
 
#3 ·
Very Nice - one little feature I notice is a built in small circle ( jig ) adjustable center pin in the bottom plate. The manufacturers wouldn't want to give us that today as they can make more money offering add on stuff - it's too easy to make a slot in the base and a neat little bolt and nut to slide in the slot !

Nice purchase !
 
#4 ·
That is well equipped for a 40 year old router.

Good find.
 
#5 ·
Hi Marco

I can remember them being on sale here in the UK in the early to mid-1980s from the same firm who imported the Gamma Zinken combination woodworkers (Mia6, etc). I believe that the combi is still available in one form or another, but I haven't seen the router for a while. I recall that they were quite a bit more expensive than the Elu MOF96, a fact which would have made them very difficult to sell here. That importer (Woodmen) disappeared in about 1987 or so and nobody else ever offered the Zinken tools again to the best of my knowledge

Thanks for posting such an interesting tool

Regards

Phil
 
#7 ·
Hi,
I try answers:
Barb
They stopped production I think about ten years ago.
Richard
I agree with you, adjustable center pin in the bottom plate is simple and very useful, it enables small circles (6 cm diameter), I can’t do it so easily with festool of. Gamma is very light, too. A slot in the base is very simple and useful but for manufacturers not good!
James
I think my router is the last one produced, with many new features, the first base was different
Phil
Originally the manufacture was Zinken, not Gamma Zinken. Mia 6 and ZC compact 21, as Gamma7, were Zinken products, all made in Italy. I have no news about Zinken, I think the firm went bankrup. Now in Italy there is Gamma Zinken that, for few years, produced Gamma7 and, I think, the others. Now Gamma Zinken market Jet, I think China imported. You can find also router bits gammazinken, products of good quality I think made still in Italy. Now for Italy manufacturers is not possible compete with China, also in Italy you can buy a Chinese router for few euro (20-30-40), low cost and low low quality. You can buy Italian bits and so on but the price (and the quality) is hight. My gamma7 is inexpensive, the last in the store only 95 euro, but it was pure chanche.
John
I’m sorry what means cast? Iron cast? Base plate and accessories alluminium
Thanks, and you know…… my English is bad 
Marco
 
#13 · (Edited)
Originally the manufacture was Zinken, not Gamma Zinken. Mia 6 and ZC compact 21, as Gamma7, were Zinken products, all made in Italy.
Hi Marco

Well, it was 30 years ago, and I was remembering something that an importer wrote in a leaflet at the time, which I no longer possess, so I'm sure you'll forgive me that lapse.

Thanks for taking the time to share such an interesting piece of router history with us.

Regards

Phil
 
#9 ·
Hi Marco - I agree with Dan's sentiments, I have no problems with your english.
Yes - by cast , they looked like they were made from aluminum but with molten aluminum poured in molds rather than machined. Either way, I like them better than the typical stamped steel I usually encounter. :)