I have five late 60's Craftsman routers. They are underpowered for large bits, and only have 1/4" collets anyway, but they work fine and I prefer them for free hand routing because they are light in weight and have a trigger switch in the handle. I have found four at garage sales for $5 to $10. Three of these are set up for single use applications; for example, one is set up with a dovetail bit and used with my old Craftsman half blind dovetail jig saving me the trial and error setup each time I use it.
I purchased a Porter Cable router package with fixed and plunge bases, and later a D-handle base. I was surprised to learn that the edge guide for the PC690 fixed base did not fit the D-handle base which used different sized rods and spacing. I modified a junk Black and Decker edge guide to fit my D-handle base using some scrap rosewood and hardware store metal rods.
I don't like the thin stamped steel collet wrenches which come with most routers. I picked up some inexpensive wrenches at a surplus store and made these collet wrenches to fit my PC and Craftsman routers.
When using very small bits, especially round over bits, I like to use a Porter Cable laminate trimmer which I also found at a garage sale. The small size makes it an ideal tool to use free hand, or with edge guides for bits without guide bearings.
I frequently
use the PC 690 motor in my new router
table. The base of the table contains my shop built air
filtration unit. The table top came from Rockler and accepts
a feather board, stop
blocks, and other accessories in the fence slots. I made
some new fence locking fixtures using
carriage bolts which are a little easier to use. A backing plate
made from Baltic birch ply makes sure the fence does not move
and can also be used as a pivot for fine adjustments to the fence
setting. I am using the Rockler version of the JessEm
Router Lift Fx in this table. Router motor bodies slip into
this device and are held securely with a
cam lock lever. I use my PC 690 motor and also a Craftsman
1/4" router motor -- it takes less time to switch router
motor bodies than to install a bit. A speed
control unit is mounted to the side of the table.
I added a horizontal joint making jig as described in Patrick Spielman's book on Jigs and Techniques. It was made from a kitchen sink cut-out to which I laminated some scrap Formica left over from a 70's home improvement project. A dust collection port is mounted beneath the opening on the top rear of the table. This jig allows cuts on the edge of large panels to be made with the panel laying flat on the table top. I have also used it with vertical panel bits (mounted horizontally) to make raised panels.
My original router table and fence uses one of the Craftsman routers. The base of my old router table also fits over the top of my 8" Craftsman table saw which allows me to use both router tables at the same time.
I was looking through the local Craigslist recently and saw a listing for a 16" model #5116 Porter Cable Omnijig. The price was very attractive and it came with 6 templates (5 unused) so I bought it. The Omnijig has been described as the "Sherman tank" of dovetail jigs, and that's a pretty good description. The precisely machined base weighs more than 55 pounds and the stock hold-down bars are very robust. All templates are milled from aluminum.
Note: The joint samples in the following paragraphs were made from poplar with one side stained to improve contrast.
The Omnijig has long been recognized as a production machine for 1/2" 14 degree half blind dovetails, but can also produce 14 degree variably spaced through dovetails using the variable spacing combined pin and tails template. It can also cut 2" evenly spaced 14 degree half blind dovetails which give the impression of hand cut dovetails on drawer sides.
A common criticism of the older model Omnijigs centers on the use of 14 degree bits rather than those with a lower angle which produce dovetails which are more aesthetically pleasing. A little research on the Internet led me to an article by Jack Loganbill describing the use of 1/2" 8 degree bits with the 1/2" half blind template to produce 8 degree half blind dovetails. The setup is the same as for 1/2" 14 degree half blind dovetails, just the depth of cut is different. I found a good starting depth setting to be 7/8" from the router base to the tip of the cutter which gives approximately 5/8" deep sockets. Here is a comparison view of 14 and 8 degree half blind dovetails.
The older Omnijigs do not have a low angle through dovetail template. I looked at the through dovetail template that Rockler sells as an accessory for its low cost dovetail jig and decided that I could adapt it fit my Omnijig. This turned out to be quite easy. I drilled an extra hole in a couple of Omnijig template mounting brackets and used a cut down 5/16" T-bolt which fits the slot in the bottom of the Rockler template perfectly. With the Rockler combined pin and tails template mounted on the Omnijig, I am able to produce evenly spaced 8 degree through dovetails.
I bought a set of spacer fence jigs at a woodworking show a few years ago. Spiral upcut cutters are used to produce box joints with 1/4", 3/8", and 1/2" spacing. I didn't like the idea of drilling a bunch of holes in my router table, so I mounted an unused PC690 base under my table saw outfeed table. I use one pivot bolt and a deep throat C-clamp to hold each jig. The height of the bit and the offset of the spacer fence are set using machined brass bars. These jigs can also be used to create rabbet, dado, combination and sliding dovetail joints.
Many of my older router bits are 1/4" shank, but I am buying mostly 1/2" shank bits today. A local woodworking tool supplier went out of business and was selling off Amana router bits for 30% of list and I bought quite a few. The storage boxes shown were made from thrift store silverware chests. I reinforced the bottoms and glued spacer strips to the sides to support the panels which hold the bits.
I have made several router accessories including some through dovetail jigs, circle jigs, and square offset bases. The shop made dovetail jigs are described on my Assembly Aids page. A router rest made some scrap poplar and four dowel pegs allows me to park a router without waiting for the bit to stop spinning.
I recently completed a project which required me to apply 3/8" thick walnut edge banding to MDF panels with paper thin walnut veneer. I made a special precision fence which I bolt to an unused Lexan router table insert. This fence makes it much easier to keep the bit at exactly 90 degrees and trim the hardwood bands which I cut oversize and glue to the panel.
I purchased an inexpensive shaper with an integral motorized 1/2" spindle many years ago when I was building my kitchen cabinets. I show it on this page because it looks much like a router table and has only a little more power than some of my routers. It does have a nice cast iron table and fence support however.
Like my router bits, I store my 3 wing shaper cutters in an old silverware chest that I have modified for this purpose. The cutters at the rear are 1/2" bore, and those in the foreground are 5/16" bore. I have not seen any of these 5/16" bits for many years. I rarely use the shaper, but I do use the 3 wing shaper bits occasionally. I have a couple of shaper bit adapters which allow me to mount the bits in a router which has been slowed down with a speed control unit. The larger adapter fits into a 1/2" collet, and the 5/16" adapter is driven by a router with a 1/4" collet.
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