Router Table/ Speed Adjustment

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Hey, quick question. For those with router tables, how do you adjust your router speed? Open the door and turn the knob or external switch?

Seeing as I can't really build anything right now, I am working up plans and specs. Helps to keep my head straight.
 
My Hitachi M12V has the speed control in a very awkward place to get to under the table. Changing speeds on it is not fun, but I can't think of any other way to do it.

BTW, on a variable speed router, you're not supposed to use an external speed control - I guess they fight each other, or something. :D

As for those external models, I've had two of them, and neither one worked well. The motors kept surging, rather than holding a steady speed. My wife does use one of them on the high-speed bobbin winder for her quilting machine, though.
 
that was what I was going to say about the speed control not working on routers that come with speed controls. My older PC works with a variable control that I picked up at Grizzly but the new one only goes off and on. I have to lift the lid and change the speed directly on the machine if I wanted to change speeds.
 
ha this is easy, just have a router table for each speed ...:D

but really, I pick the insert up out of the table with the router attached and move the little knob. Be glad you dont have a shaper and have to crawl underneath to move the belt on the pulleys

I cant remember where I saw it but I saw a tutorial of how to add an external speed knob to a milwuakee router, Ill see if I can find it
 
That's great - if you have an insert. :(

My router is bolted directly to the underside of my Corian® top.

You got any pics of that? I'm not 100% happy with my router table top. It's only two layers of mdf with laminate.

Solid surface corian sounds interesting.

Just wondering how you handle changing bits, the hole diameter, etc...
 
I positioned my router in the lift so that the speed knob faced toward the door. I open the door and turn the knob. I don't change speeds that often. I would say 90 out of 100 times I use the table I run bits that call for full speed. There are definite bits or cuts that call for speed changes and I would be lost without the variable speed control but, it is not frequent enough to warrant an external control for me. YMMV.
 
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You got any pics of that? I'm not 100% happy with my router table top. It's only two layers of mdf with laminate.

Solid surface corian sounds interesting.

Just wondering how you handle changing bits, the hole diameter, etc...

No pix right now, but maybe later this week when we get back from Niagara.

The Corian® works very well, but scratches easier than you'd think. I epoxied it to a 1" thick piece of plywood, with a hole in the middle to accommodate the router base, so that the router could be bolted directly to the Corian®.

Hole diameter is about 3½ inches, with a ¼" rabbet around the edge to allow using insert rings. Changing bits entails running the router all the way up, and using a bent wrench to loosen/tighten the collet.

I have a Router Raiser® installed for depth adjustment. Works okay, but could be better...
 
Hey everyone,
I'm new here but i figured I'd try and contribute since so many of you have such GREAT information!

I'm just starting out but I stumbled across these speed controls from MLCS. I'm an electrician by trade and think this is a great option for an older router that doesn't have any type of speed control and it's fairly cheap.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/speed_control.html

Hope this was helpful!
 
Thanks Cory and Welcome to the board. Please put your location in your profile. You might have some neighbors on here.

I should also add that I am attending school studying to be an electrician.
 
Hello Cory. I burned one of those speed controls up using it with my pc7518. I ended up using a variac I had sitting on the shelf and haven't had a problem since.
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