[RickKr]

Greetings,

I'm a new member here, having just acquired a new router (combo) and table, but if you look at my profile, will see that's just the latest acquisition. I've been metal and wood working for years. I'm a fairly accomplished machinist, by hobby, but just an intermediate wood worker. I am definitely a tinkerer and "modifier". I really enjoy fixing and repurposing things. My 5-yr old grandaugther calls me an "inventor".

A little over two years, I moved to a tiny ranching town in far NE Oregon, to be near my grandaughter. I was lucky to find a new house with a insulated and finished 2-car garage, which has provided a modicum of adequate space for not only my metal working toys, but also my wood working ones. The latter used to be in my uninsulated, unheated, detached single car garage where they could not be used very effectively.

I've had a router for close to 40 yrs, but never really used it or learned to use it. Recently, I had two projects, one a birthday present for my daughter and the other a Christmas present for my granddaughter, that, lacking a table saw, really called for the use of a router mounted in a table. So, I got them, a Bosch 1617EVSPK router combo and a Bosch RA1181 table.

I was thrilled with what I was able to do and energized to learn more. That is how I came across this forum. I look forward to learning a lot and hopefully contributing with time.

Rick

 

[Stick486]

Welcome Rick...

 

[Stick486]

Greetings,I was thrilled with what I was able to do and energized to learn more. That is how I came across this forum.

Rick

well in that case...
here is some light reading that just may be of some use to you...

 

[Semipro]

Hello and welcome to the router forum.Rick

 

[DesertRatTom]

Welcome to the party Rick. Be sure to read Stick's stuff on the router, safety and operational information that's really useful. Good choice of router.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Welcome to the party Rick. Be sure to read Stick's documents. Will save you lots of frustration. I noticed you don't have a table saw yet. You will need one before long. The router does a lot, but for precision woodworking (so stuff fits together) you should budget for a saw. There are a lot of choices on what kind, mine is a Laguna 10 inch hybrid (love it), which can switch over to 220 for a little more umph. But since you have machine shop skills, you could look for a used table saw. Lots of good used tools around these days...all the older woodworkers leave them behind when they check out, although we're wishing we could take them along. The newer saws have safety features worth having that some of the older saws lack. If budget is tight, consider the terrific Bosch 4100 10 inch table saw. Well liked machine around here.

My brother lives in Washington just over the border from Portland. He has a huge garage space (6 cars fit), but I think his wife has made him move his tools out under a patio cover.

You may find much of the attached pdf you already know, but since you're just getting into woodworking, you might find parts of it useful. Its the 17 (plu) things that accelerated my learning curve. Pay particular attention to the section on sawdust collection--that's nasty stuff and hard on lungs.

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum Rick.

 

[RickKr]

well in that case...
that just may be of some use to you...

Good stuff there, Stick. Thanks for putting it out there, right up front. After reading them, I thought, "Oh, that was easy". And then I saw your second post with the really long list of attachments. I've downloaded them and will begin reading them after I log off from this session.

And then I saw the much longer string of posts with gobs of great info. I'll have to study those.

Rick

PS, I "quoted" your message, but because i'm a newbie under 10 posts, it wouldn't let me include the URL...

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Welcome to the forum Rick . Good name by the way

You’ve come to right place . Great members here with lots of knowledge .

FYI, don’t mention your garage is insulated. It’s a sore subject here apparently

 

[RickKr]

Welcome to the party Rick. Be sure to read Stick's documents. Will save you lots of frustration. I noticed you don't have a table saw yet. You will need one before long. The router does a lot, but for precision woodworking (so stuff fits together) you should budget for a saw. There are a lot of choices on what kind, mine is a Laguna 10 inch hybrid (love it), which can switch over to 220 for a little more umph. But since you have machine shop skills, you could look for a used table saw. Lots of good used tools around these days...all the older woodworkers leave them behind when they check out, although we're wishing we could take them along. The newer saws have safety features worth having that some of the older saws lack. If budget is tight, consider the terrific Bosch 4100 10 inch table saw. Well liked machine around here.

...snip...

Thanks Tom,

That is correct, I don't currently have a table saw. When I lived in Portland (40+yrs), I had a Craftsman 10' radial arm saw, in the unattached garage, which served me well. For a while, I had a 1990s Unisaw but it was just too big for that garage. When I moved, I was already jonesing for a tricked out SawStop because I thought I'd finally have the right kind of and enough space. But...

The area I live in gets a lot of snow in the winter and I wanted to be able to finally park my car in my garage. That gave way when my daughter and granddaughter moved into my home. I share that space with them now, so a full sized table saw is not in the cards right now.

Because of that, I was considering the Job Site SawStop version. On the current trip to Portland, I visited Rockler and a guy there showed me all the tricks the Job Site has and it looks as though I can make that work. I specifically want the SawStop, for the obvious reason, but especially since I am starting to teach my granddaughter how to use some of my tools and hope someday she will be making some cuts with it and want that extra bit of protection.

So far, I've found my bandsaw and planer have filled the gap of not having a table saw well enough and I am hoping the router table also helps fill that gap. I have gotten better at using my Skil worm drive circular saw for making those longer cuts on plywood, but I agree with you that a table saw is really needed.

Rick

 

[RickKr]

Welcome to the party Rick.
...snip...

You may find much of the attached pdf you already know, but since you're just getting into woodworking, you might find parts of it useful. Its the 17 (plu) things that accelerated my learning curve. Pay particular attention to the section on sawdust collection--that's nasty stuff and hard on lungs.

Tom,

Yes, I have found that I already know or have/am doing many of the things in your list. Ten to be exact. And I agree with the other seven. I have found, with using the planer and router more recently, that I have been wearing hearing protection much more often and also a breathing filter mask. I do have the Dust Deputy vacuum assist thing for collecting the larger particles but I do notice there is a very fine film of wood dust on my lathe and mill, so it is clear more is needed.

Rick

 

[Stick486]

Good stuff there, Stick. Thanks for putting it out there, right up front. After reading them, I thought, "Oh, that was easy". And then I saw your second post with the really long list of attachments. I've downloaded them and will begin reading them after I log off from this session.

And then I saw the much longer string of posts with gobs of great info. I'll have to study those.

Rick

PS, I "quoted" your message, but because i'm a newbie under 10 posts, it wouldn't let me include the URL...

no problem...
let me know when you learn what's at that link and I'll have another one for ya...
hurry and get your 10 posts...

 

[Stick486]

Thanks Tom,

That is correct, I don't currently have a table saw. When I lived in Portland (40+yrs), I had a Craftsman 10' radial arm saw, in the unattached garage, which served me well. For a while, I had a 1990s Unisaw but it was just too big for that garage. When I moved, I was already jonesing for a tricked out SawStop because I thought I'd finally have the right kind of and enough space. But...

The area I live in gets a lot of snow in the winter and I wanted to be able to finally park my car in my garage. That gave way when my daughter and granddaughter moved into my home. I share that space with them now, so a full sized table saw is not in the cards right now.

Because of that, I was considering the Job Site SawStop version. On the current trip to Portland, I visited Rockler and a guy there showed me all the tricks the Job Site has and it looks as though I can make that work. I specifically want the SawStop, for the obvious reason, but especially since I am starting to teach my granddaughter how to use some of my tools and hope someday she will be making some cuts with it and want that extra bit of protection.

So far, I've found my bandsaw and planer have filled the gap of not having a table saw well enough and I am hoping the router table also helps fill that gap. I have gotten better at using my Skil worm drive circular saw for making those longer cuts on plywood, but I agree with you that a table saw is really needed.

Rick

I have the 4100 and use it commercially..
I swear by it...
do a search here on the 4100 and the sawstop... you just may nix the sawstop and go w/ the 4100...
this link may take you to the 4100 threads...
this link may take you to the sawstop threads....

 

[RickKr]

no problem...
let me know when you learn what's at that link and I'll have another one for ya...
hurry and get your 10 posts...

I'm hurrying... Looked at all of those files. Can't say that I read them, but I know where to go now.

Rick

 

[Multiwood]

Welcome to the forum Rick

 

[dirt_dobber]

Howdy and welcome from Texas

 

[DesertRatTom]

Rick, thanks for your responses, many new folks never do so we don't know if we're overwhelming them or what. You can just post a line or two to quickly get your count up to 11--you are most definitely not a spammer.

Sounds like you're going to like it here, and there are lots of folks who've made good friends with other members. I have a granddaughter with two kids who hints at moving in from time to time, but she's a unstable and makes stupid choices so we just say no. I have a grandson I'd like to introduce to woodworking, but he lives pretty far away. My son in law is in line to inherit my tools, but he's not that interested, so they might be donated in the end.

 

[RickKr]

I have the 4100 and use it commercially..
I swear by it...
do a search here on the 4100 and the sawstop... you just may nix the sawstop and go w/ the 4100.......

Thanks, Tom and Stick, for the recommendations on table saws. I have not looked at the Laguna yet. I looked online at the Bosch and it does look good. Comparing it to the SawStop Job Site without consideration of the SS blade brake, they are quite comparable. The SS table is slightly larger and it extends, giving it a slight advantage on size. Motor peak HP and amperage are the same; SS top speed is 4000 compared to the Bosch at 3650, but I doubt that matters once a cut starts, except possible the very lightest of materials. The Bosch folds up to a smaller package, which could be noticeable in crowded shop such as mine. Bosch claims some special features about the blade guard, but I can't evaluate that without seeing one. I'll look around Portland today to see if anyone has it on their floor.

Still, I am quite vested in the SawStop blade brake, for myself and my granddaughter's sake. At this point, even though the SS is more than twice the price, I do not see anything compelling about the Bosch that would make me change my mind. If I can find one to look at in person I will. I appreciate the heads up so that I could consider the alternative.

Rick

 

[Stick486]

I am quite vested in the SawStop blade brake,

Rick

it's very destructive...
and the intangible costs can get to be nuts...
did you read what members here had to say about it???

 

[RickKr]

it's very destructive...
and the intangible costs can get to be nuts...
did you read what members here had to say about it???

No, not yet. Thanks for the reminder. The links you provided did not work, so I'll do some searching. Pulling the trigger on any table saw is quite a long way out, so there is time to give ample consideration.

I'm assuming the "intagibles" will come out in those reviews? If not, could you please elaborate.

Thanks again,

Rick