removing the spring from plunge router
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Yes Carl. I would recommend that you remove the springs if you intend to have the router dedicated to the table.
Some routers, such as the Triton make it very easy to remove the springs.
I have not seen any instructions on removing the springs for a Black & decker.
Some routers, such as the Triton make it very easy to remove the springs.
I have not seen any instructions on removing the springs for a Black & decker.
It just makes it easier to lift the router but they don't necessary need to be removed. If one was using the Router Raizer then the springs wouldn't be removed per the instructions.
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59 Posts
I'm a newbie, but I can say with a Triton, the spring should be removed, otherwise it works against the built in lift mechanism. It's great to not need to buy a seperate lift, but even without the spring, the triton seems to bind when raising in the table. Maybe just a problem with mine.
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11,921 Posts
"Why remove the springs?"
Ok, you have your plunge router mounted on the plate, drop it into the table and want to make a height adjustment. With one hand you release the plunge lever, with one hand you lift the router and the router plate and all come out of the table. Sure, you could hold the plate down with your forehead but that makes it difficult to see the adjustment. You could fasten the plate down but that defeats the entire purpose of having a plate. Even if you are smart and pop the router out of the table to make height adjustments the springs will fight you. Removing the springs is one of the "Keep it simpe" methods taught by the guys from the Router Workshop.
Richard, upward creep? Did you scold it and tell it to stay? :haha:
If your router is moving up you need to adjust the clamp or plunge lock. We don't want your router to fly away.
Ok, you have your plunge router mounted on the plate, drop it into the table and want to make a height adjustment. With one hand you release the plunge lever, with one hand you lift the router and the router plate and all come out of the table. Sure, you could hold the plate down with your forehead but that makes it difficult to see the adjustment. You could fasten the plate down but that defeats the entire purpose of having a plate. Even if you are smart and pop the router out of the table to make height adjustments the springs will fight you. Removing the springs is one of the "Keep it simpe" methods taught by the guys from the Router Workshop.
Richard, upward creep? Did you scold it and tell it to stay? :haha:
If your router is moving up you need to adjust the clamp or plunge lock. We don't want your router to fly away.
Mr
Those of us that work in both wood and metals realize that these numbers may be fine for someone such as yourself, but when you sell commissioned works for five figures and habitually work with your Bridgeport and Clausing machines in the 0.00002 +/- an inch range (over the equivalent distance), then this is just sloppy workmanship. When you are advising a person to make a change that may or may not hurt the performance of the finished product, then you can only speak from personal experience. I will try to keep it simple for you - keep the spring then no harm, remove the spring and you do not know what will happen to him, you only know about your own situation. Ruin a $300.00 piece of mahogany because you removed a spring then know some things were designed that way for a reason. Read up on metrology and why it is important in the design of machines - your projects might benefit from it; after all it is only a router, what is important is the end result. A router is just one of many ways to achieve an action that is part of the sum of actions required to create a finished product.
Regards - Baker
ps - Removable router plates were originally designed so people could attach and remove routers more easily from tables, thus making greater use of a lesser number of machines. Originally tables did not have plates and many are sold today, usually cast iron, that have no provision for a plate.
The spring provides an addition to gravity and was placed there by the manufacturer for a reason. On most routers it is to counteract gravity, ergo making its use unneeded when the plunge router goes into the most unnatural state of being inverted. I actually bought a third router to remove my Freud from this service as the spring was needed, but the removal of the spring would have made my life much easier; this model Freud is a great plunge router and a very bad table router. Some routers are meant to stay as there creators meant and not switch sides (in this case positions). My Freud, without the spring, would creep upward by a 1/32" over a 6 ft run when cutting a 1/4" slot in mahogany and a 1/16th when using clear pine.
Those of us that work in both wood and metals realize that these numbers may be fine for someone such as yourself, but when you sell commissioned works for five figures and habitually work with your Bridgeport and Clausing machines in the 0.00002 +/- an inch range (over the equivalent distance), then this is just sloppy workmanship. When you are advising a person to make a change that may or may not hurt the performance of the finished product, then you can only speak from personal experience. I will try to keep it simple for you - keep the spring then no harm, remove the spring and you do not know what will happen to him, you only know about your own situation. Ruin a $300.00 piece of mahogany because you removed a spring then know some things were designed that way for a reason. Read up on metrology and why it is important in the design of machines - your projects might benefit from it; after all it is only a router, what is important is the end result. A router is just one of many ways to achieve an action that is part of the sum of actions required to create a finished product.
Regards - Baker
ps - Removable router plates were originally designed so people could attach and remove routers more easily from tables, thus making greater use of a lesser number of machines. Originally tables did not have plates and many are sold today, usually cast iron, that have no provision for a plate.
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11,921 Posts
Baker, please post photos of your commisioned five figure's woodworking projects? I would like to see them.
I am having a hard time understanding how a person that can maintain 0.00002+/- tolerances can't adjust his router so it stays where it is set? I repair heavy industrial equipment, (IE.. Bridgeports) and build robotic weld stations and assembly lines for the Big 3.
We are working with wood on this forum, not metal. When I give advice it is from experience. I buy (and sell) routers on a regular basis for the simple reason that if you have not used a product you really don't understand it.
I am having a hard time understanding how a person that can maintain 0.00002+/- tolerances can't adjust his router so it stays where it is set? I repair heavy industrial equipment, (IE.. Bridgeports) and build robotic weld stations and assembly lines for the Big 3.
We are working with wood on this forum, not metal. When I give advice it is from experience. I buy (and sell) routers on a regular basis for the simple reason that if you have not used a product you really don't understand it.
Because I work with wood and metal, I really am interested in seeing shots of your shop set-up, by the sound of it my equipment is but toys compared to yours. I'm also intrigued by the description of your projects, any chance of a few photos?
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