Router Recommendation

[Pappy]

I usually use trammel points with a pencil to mark my curves and then cut them with a sabre saw.

When using a router always go counter clockwise on your guide. That will pull it towards the guide and not away from it. If you are doing the inside of a template, say you are cutting out the center of a picture frame then you would go clockwise.

[waaytoomuchintothis]

Just a hint- check out how Rigid weasels out of their guarantees. Since Home Depot bought them out, they do crazy crooked things to people. My buddy had 5 warranteed tools from Rigid, and the first time he had trouble (he's a pro), they not only denied the claim, they cancelled all 4 of the other warrantees with his name on them. They are crooks- don't go near them.

[FC47]

Wow Rob, no kidding? Gee whiz.

I have an old Dewalt, alum body and base, been good to me. Will see how she does track. I think if you're good with a plunge it may make track working easier in that aspect..

Good tips there Butch,


Good luck with your track work!

[chappy]

I stick with the Bosch. It has a lot of nice features , can be used as a set depth or plunge type router , soft start so it dosent jump as soon as you hit the go button, and is useful for so many more things than just slot routing. Only issue i ever had was sawdust in the on off switch which was a real easy quick fix.
It is my go to router. After 4 tracks and many other projects it has never let me down.
It can even be mou ted upside down and attached to a table for running board .
Bob

[waaytoomuchintothis]

My upside down mount for a 1/2"-1/4" router table is a Porter-Cable. Like I say, my best router is my little Bosch Colt. The router under my table is as powerful and as easily adjusted as I could find, and that's Porter-Cable, but I reach for the little Colt for almost everything.

[Scott V]

I made this little autocross track as a test to learn about routing a larger permanent slot car track and it was fun. Did it with my trim router and a Rockler compass. Did the layout in CAD, printed it and marked the MDF. I did a separate smaller piece to test braid gain depth to get it flush. If you go with copper tape you don't have to worry about laying braid, but if you still want some magnetic downforce you will want to go with "magnetic" braid that has steel in it.

There is a lot to learn how a router functions before you cut into your real materials so I highly recommend lots of testing. Hand routers like to move in one direction so it takes planning. Most fudged areas can be repaired with wood putty.

[Pappy]