I'm a newbie hobbyist who's interest turned into a full-blown passion last year. Unfortunately, I've made far more mistakes in building my shop than I care to admit and I'm ready to correct another; the router table.
My table saw idea to use extruded aluminum on t-track and miter channel was comical so I sucked it up and bought a Shop Fox Aluma-Classic Fence. That ignited the fire! I was finally cutting straight lines and slim strips. I built two sleds and while I made more mistakes, they work. I learned. No doubt I could have invested in a legit table saw when you add the cost of the new Bosch job site saw, Shop Fox fence, and hardware I bought and learned doesn't work.
I started working with 1/2" shank 45 degree lock miter bits and learned quickly that the fixed speed Kobalt wasn't up to the task. I couldn't lower the speed so I bought a router speed controller. While wonky, it reduced speed but the Kobalt bogged terribly on 3/4" stock at 1.5" width.
So, I installed my Hitachi 12vc in the table but of course, no bolt pattern. I built a router plate using 1/2" birch to see if I could lock miter. The Hitachi was night and day but the Kobalt table nightmare continued. I built a coping sled. My horizontal pieces came out nicely with the sled. The vertical......not so much. The lip around the insert ring caused a huge issue and the sled wasn't equipped to handle this. I butchered my way through and decided to test my luck by doing long 45 miter joints along 3/4" stock x 1.5" x 22". Again, the lip on the insert kept catching.
Tonight, I decided to rabbit 3/4" cedar strips using a 1/2" shank 1/4" bit and again the table stops the strips from sliding so no more!!!!
I picked a terrible time to fix this with Covid inflating tool and wood prices but I'm fortunate to be financially ok. I do not earn money in this wood-working hobby but I love it.
So, Kobalt is coming out. I'm not in-love with my Hitachi but it has been a fine tool. Heck, I dado'd 1.5 inch wide by 1" deep supports in 6" beams for floor rafters (18" oc on a 12'x24' office/shop) with the Hitachi. I have a Kreg 5000 lift on order but it's not set to ship for another 2 weeks. I decided an Amazon "like new" with $40 discount was acceptable and I'll be unable to touch this project until the end of next week. I still need to fix the router table so I'm bouncing between a Peachtree Table/Fence package and building out one with 1/2" Birch doubled up and possibly laminate. I have miter channel and t-track. But I can't shake the idea of cancelling the Kreg lift and getting a Triton and aluminum plate. Table still needs fixing but new router or lift and what I have already knowing that routers come and go.
I'm not tied to a budget but I am having a hard time justifying my hobby and the expenses. Assuming my out-of-pocket for the router fix is around $600, what would you do? I'm a fan of 1/2" shaft bits. Mostly Yoniko, Frued. My homemade dust collection is adequate.
My table saw idea to use extruded aluminum on t-track and miter channel was comical so I sucked it up and bought a Shop Fox Aluma-Classic Fence. That ignited the fire! I was finally cutting straight lines and slim strips. I built two sleds and while I made more mistakes, they work. I learned. No doubt I could have invested in a legit table saw when you add the cost of the new Bosch job site saw, Shop Fox fence, and hardware I bought and learned doesn't work.
I started working with 1/2" shank 45 degree lock miter bits and learned quickly that the fixed speed Kobalt wasn't up to the task. I couldn't lower the speed so I bought a router speed controller. While wonky, it reduced speed but the Kobalt bogged terribly on 3/4" stock at 1.5" width.
So, I installed my Hitachi 12vc in the table but of course, no bolt pattern. I built a router plate using 1/2" birch to see if I could lock miter. The Hitachi was night and day but the Kobalt table nightmare continued. I built a coping sled. My horizontal pieces came out nicely with the sled. The vertical......not so much. The lip around the insert ring caused a huge issue and the sled wasn't equipped to handle this. I butchered my way through and decided to test my luck by doing long 45 miter joints along 3/4" stock x 1.5" x 22". Again, the lip on the insert kept catching.
Tonight, I decided to rabbit 3/4" cedar strips using a 1/2" shank 1/4" bit and again the table stops the strips from sliding so no more!!!!
I picked a terrible time to fix this with Covid inflating tool and wood prices but I'm fortunate to be financially ok. I do not earn money in this wood-working hobby but I love it.
So, Kobalt is coming out. I'm not in-love with my Hitachi but it has been a fine tool. Heck, I dado'd 1.5 inch wide by 1" deep supports in 6" beams for floor rafters (18" oc on a 12'x24' office/shop) with the Hitachi. I have a Kreg 5000 lift on order but it's not set to ship for another 2 weeks. I decided an Amazon "like new" with $40 discount was acceptable and I'll be unable to touch this project until the end of next week. I still need to fix the router table so I'm bouncing between a Peachtree Table/Fence package and building out one with 1/2" Birch doubled up and possibly laminate. I have miter channel and t-track. But I can't shake the idea of cancelling the Kreg lift and getting a Triton and aluminum plate. Table still needs fixing but new router or lift and what I have already knowing that routers come and go.
I'm not tied to a budget but I am having a hard time justifying my hobby and the expenses. Assuming my out-of-pocket for the router fix is around $600, what would you do? I'm a fan of 1/2" shaft bits. Mostly Yoniko, Frued. My homemade dust collection is adequate.