Plunge Routers

Removing the springs makes for easier adjustment not fighting spring pressure to get your height.

Once you have made your cuts you can lower the bit height below the tables surface.

Hi, OSGA:
The reason most people take the springs out of the plunge routers when they are
table mounted is that you have to fight the spring tension to adjust the height of the bit. I also see it as a possible problem if a large bit is being used, since it may be to large for the throat of the router. Like a panel raising bit for instance. If it was retracted by accident into the router injury to the operator, and the router could occur.
Hope this helps you. Woodnut65

I guess I never thought about anyone using a bit larger then the throat of the router, do people really do that? A plastic one would shred but I wouldn't want to think of a brass one or any metal ones.

I guess a safety tip would be to never use a bit larger then the throat of the router or table insert and the springs or no springs doesn't matter.

Ed

ejant said:

Removing the springs makes for easier adjustment not fighting spring pressure to get your height.

Once you have made your cuts you can lower the bit height below the tables surface.

Click to expand...

Thanks to all for the input. I guess what I meant to ask was... is there an apparatus where by I can plunge the bit at a specific location continue with the plow and retract the bit at another pre determined point. I thought that would be the advantage to using a plunge router. Otherwise, I assume the workpiece would have to be lowerwed into the bit, produce the cut desired then raise the workpiece, something I would like to avoid if possible. Once again, thanks to all.

OK then let me answer this way. Yes they do make set-ups to do that, I don't recall who sells them or who makes them...... I have also seen plans for doing this with a foot lever idea.

Most of us just lower the wood onto the spinning bit and take it off at the end of the cut using marks on the fence or using clamp blocks.

If I remember where I have seen some of these I'll post again.

Ed