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Leon, or other toolmen

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/14/2005 : 22:43:18

I have a drill press which is currently set-up for stainless (880 rpm). By set-up I mean the speed belt is set on the pulley combination that sets it at the recommended speed. I bought some router cutters. I tried one on a piece of wood and it chewed more than anything else. Will my drill press go fast enough to "route". It has five speed settings the two top are 2600 and 3600. I want to route teak, like the over lap edge on crib boards and such.

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 12/14/2005 22:44:29

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2005 : 22:49:15

Hi Frank, 3600 should work, but you should go slow. I never thought of using my drill press as a router....great idea. Cheers.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2005 : 22:51:44

Hi Frank, on a whim, I just went to Homedepot.com and checked out the routers. They spin at 22000 rpm. So maybe 3600 would be too slow. I am going to try it anyway. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/14/2005 : 23:17:14

I am seeing a 10 x speed difference as well in the ones I am finding online. But the only ones I can afford are classed as laminate cutters which makes me less than confidant that they can cut teak. Leon taught me to check Harbor freight for tools that are seldom used. That would be most of my tools. Should I spend this much and go for this?
[url="http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=55252"]rebuilt skill[/url]

Edited by - Frank Hopper on 12/14/2005 23:26:06

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 00:22:09

Hi Frank,<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I bought some router cutters. I tried one on a piece of wood and it chewed more than anything else. Will my drill press go fast enough to "route". It has five speed settings the two top are 2600 and 3600. ... Should I spend this much and go for this?<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">
<center>

</center>
That looks like a good price for that tool. At over 2HP I don't expect bogging down would be a problem!

It's hard to say from just a small picture, but that particular model might be overkill in collet bore, power, and weight. ("Shipping weight: 19 lbs." gives me pause...)

Yes, wood router bits need to spin fast to work. There's no way around that. No home style drill press is going to be able to get up to the required speed range safely. (In other words, even if you changed the stock pulleys or installed a much faster motor you would only have succeeded in building something too dangerous to use.)

Sharpness counts for a lot too. That's why the carbide bits sell well even at several times the price of hardened tool steel. When buying your first 'set' of bits, I suggest starting out with a promising looking assortment of high speed steel bits. Then, when you decide which ones are your favorites (the worn out ones), replace them one at a time with carbide.

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 06:30:26

Routing requires the high speed. A lot of things can be done if set up properly on a table saw. The tool you buy needs to be good enough or you will be dissapointed. The one pictured should do anything you need. You can also get a good set of bits for $20 from them as well if you catch them on sale.

Sears also makes a decent low cost router. Amazon also has blow out deals every now and then.

Tom.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 09:37:29

Hi Frank, I am of the school that the amount and type of use dictates the $$$ I will spend on a tool. Some kids broke into our garage a number of years back and stold a number of things including my router. I only used the router about three times per years so I found a 1/4 bit 1hp for about $30.00 and it did just fine for the time I used it. If I was a woodworker, I'd have gone for the $150 1/2 bit version. It is Xmas time and I'm sure you could fine good deals. Cheers.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 13:32:14

I need a router too, for building a new hatch for my Capri 15. Buy one and I'll rent it from you. I need to cut that nice tapered and rounded bevel like on our companionway boards. I built my new hatch from popular.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 14:34:13

Frank,
Your activity brings back some memories. Not too long ago I used my bench top drill press as a make do lath to cut our a little plastic sheeve for a tiny pully I needed for some other project.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 14:48:45

Two years ago while on the hard I needed to drill three holes in a SS backing plate for a new gudgeon. I did not heed Leon's advice about Harbor Frieght, spent way too much money on a drill press, and an index of double pointed cobalt bits, drilled the three holes, (and maybe 5 holes in other stuff since) and there it sits. It would be nice to use it, but it doesn't look like routing will be the task.

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 15:45:54

Sears has a few routers from $59 to $79 that could probably handle the job.

Edited by - on

boatgt
Navigator

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117 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 16:08:14

Hey Frank,
You got me thinking. I have a desktop CNC milling machine that I use to make guitar parts. I wonder what kinds of cool things I can make with teak???
Gene

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 17:12:45

Hi Gene, I know a guy that makes layered speaker cabinets with his table top CNC milling machine. Very good sounding speakers and very cool looking. To a milling machine, wood is just like a very soft metal and is not a hard on your bits. Cheers.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 17:21:50

Gene,<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I have a desktop CNC milling machine...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">I'd like to know more about that CNC machine. Do you think it's similar to the ones used to drill & mill prototype circuit boards? What's its capacity? (work piece L,W,D, X,Y,Z axis travel, collet bore, spindle speed(s), etc.) You could indeed be onto something there regarding low volume teak parts. At the very least I could imagine custom carving text into small flat slabs of wood, such as boat name plaques to display in cabin. Maybe also custom trophy plaques for organization events, other 'flat' carvings. Engraved C-25 teak 'eyebrows'? Trail boards? Boat profile silhouette paper weights, tree ornaments, etc? Similar work in sheet acrylic or polycarbonate?

-- Leon Sisson

Edited by - on

Waterboy
Navigator

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USA
204 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 19:27:40

I'm with Leon re: Harbor Freight for tools that are seldom used; I might add for tools where precision and accuracy are less important, otherwise, I'll get the best tools I can afford. A low cost tool that does a crappy job is money down the crain IMHO. Being on a budget myself, I peruse various want ads regularly for tools. Currently I'm seeking a drill press, and went to check out an add by a local rancher advertising four old (1950's) Delta industrial models. Beautiful old machines, well maintained in perfect running order. Trouble was he wanted to sell all four at once as the were mounted on a large cast table weighing 1200 lbs. My search for a press, and a stick welder continues.

Edited by - Waterboy on 12/15/2005 19:28:26

thaind
Navigator

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Canada
145 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 20:34:27

A drill press can be pretty dangerous to use for routing. The speed is comparitively so slow that it can easily stall, grabbing the wood and your hand with it. There are some remarkably inexpensive 1/2" routers that will also work well as router tables. My first router was an attachment for my dremel tool that still works well.

Edited by - on

boatgt
Navigator

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117 Posts

Response Posted - 12/15/2005 : 23:13:20

Leon,
The milling machine I have is made by Taig. It’s the larger bed but is still small in my opinion. Travel is X=12” Y=5.75“ Z=6“. Plenty big for the stuff I make with it. Basically vintage guitar parts and custom parts and engraving you can’t buy. I have also made a few molds for guitar parts similar to making a mold to produce “Catalina 25 logos”??? It works great for engraving and custom switch panels look great too. I have used it on all types of plastics and some soft aluminum. It will engrave tracings on a solid state card as well. I haven’t used the mill much since I got my boat but with winter here will have more time to spend inside. Even if you want to machine something that is in excess of the machines limits you can always finish one part then reorient it on the mill bed and continue. I’m sure it will do teak as well, just never tried it (Yet!) If you have any other question just let me know!
Gene

Edited by - on

tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2005 : 02:30:00

Frank I have used my drill press as you describe. It goes up to 3100 rpm. I used it to route the edge of starboard and it worked ok. I made a fence that I could clamp to the table top. It gave me pretty good control. I have a router but the pieces were too small to clamp practically. It worked out ok but it was a little scarry. I have not tried it on wood.

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MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2005 : 11:40:13

Hi Gene,
I have a shearline CNC mill in my class, it is very cool. Do you have a web site that I can show my students. Some are cruious about real things that can be done with what we do in class. A couple kids had me order some skate board blanks so they can make their own boards, that kind of thing.
thanks
Matt

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boatgt
Navigator

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117 Posts

Response Posted - 12/16/2005 : 16:47:56

I will see what I can get together and post them. I always take pictures of my projects, just need to dig them up. The Sherline is a good mill too. I opted for the Taig due to it's a little more robust and is supposed to be able to handle mild steel if you wanted to machine it. Typically all I use are plastics and soft aluminum but it’s nice to have the option if you ever need it! I bet you could use it to make some neat custom grip tape jobs (your students will know what that means) What program do you use with the mill?
Gene

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