20 years ago I purchased a Black and Decker router for a few projects, which I used it for and put it away in storage. Today, new home, new projects. I have decided to setup a small wood shop to work on a few projects and to give me something to do when the projects are complete. So I am trying to figure out how to use/integrate this router. It is model# 7613 type 3, 8.5amp and spins at 25000rpm and runs great, might have been used 10 to 15 hours.
Step one would be for recommendations, when I search the net for anything about/dealing with this router I find virtually nothing. Of course I would like recommendations to fit with what I want, need and desire if possible.
The biggest, grandest thing I would like to do with this is setup a router table. I do know of a plate that fits this router to use in a table. Is there a plate or a universal plate or would I have to make one? Another is bushings for cutting dovetails and other patterns, is there something to fit the base on this router? Maybe a replacement base that would accept bushings?
If you were me how do you see this router getting its best use? What do you see doing to this router to get the best use of it? What would you not do with it?
Any recommendations would be appreciated, along with recommendations, a means to accomplish them. Websites, vendors, books, etc.
Good little 1/4" tool. The latest generation of that guy was the DW(DeWalt) 610, which has been replaced by the 618. A modest trimmer for light work, would not recommend for router table; you'll burn it up.
Now, you're serious about doing this crazy stuff again?..........ok If'n it were me, I would keep the old B&D for trimming and lite duty stuff, and put down a few for a nice new router to fit in a table. If you look back at some of the postings about routers in the past you will note one thing, most of us sawdust nuts have more than one router. There aren't many things that are time consuming/aggravating/PITA than having to disconnect, change the bit, reset the depth......etc, etc, on just one router. Oh, it can be done, but,............ he that has the most routers wins!
I appreciate your feedback but must disagree with this statement. This forum functions on interactive dialogue. Each of us has an interactive dialogue on different levels, at home I have it with my wife, at work I have it with my co-workers, here I have it with a world forum. I asked this question because I want your opinion and that of everyone else. So I ask again, if you were me how do you see this router getting its best use? If you have no opinion don't give one, if anyone else does I would love to here it.
I want to thank you for your recommendation, I have no problem with a having more than one router around. As you can imagine I want to make the best use of the tools I have on hand. If that be getting a different router along with a table then so be it. As I work towards my goal I do not need to throw out every option and start new. It helps me to have a working plan that will grow with me. My wife has bought off on the idea of my investing in new tools, it she see the payoff continuing to use the old ones in addition to the new works.
And I must disagree, he who dies with the most frogs wins!!
Pat I have been to your site and it has a lot of information. Let me rephrase that it has a lot of GOOD information. I would certainly like to make good use of the tools I have, I don't thinks there is one of us that buys a tool and does it with the intention of burning it up.
Pat I know this question is asked repeatedly and I see it through out these news groups. What would you recommend as a good all around router and one that would work good in a table. I realize there a lot of pitfalls to a learning curve, but that is what brought me here. So give me some pointers.
Oh man, they dropped the DW610? As an owner of one of the early B&D 365 models, that makes me rather sad. Some product life, though, to be sold for 40-45 years. I like mine even though it's something like 6A.
some of these older routers are hangin around my shop too, and they are often funky in appearance but they predate the time when folks was tossing routers into tables. Upside down, they wasn't exactly prepared to be inundated with sawdust.
I like the old routers, they is from a time when a HP was a HP, not some conjured up number for marketing....but there limitation is typically the
1/4" collet size, and while that's OK for the time when if you wanted to use bigger cutters, you obviously shoulda bought a (boat anchor) shaper.
Methinks that building a router table for 1/4" shank stuff is OK as long as you know you are limiting yourself. Sooner or later you will require a further iteration to handle 1/2" shank bits. Ergo, forgo the temptation to do what you suggest, rather use these beasties in the format they were intended for, and enjoy the ergonomics of the hand held router.
As folks have suggested, most find that one router just ain't enuf and some folks even find themselves losing count of the routers-at-hand. Not that everyone has to go that route, but these older routers can be picked up at garage sales for 10-15 bucks, with lots of life left in em.
Router table construction makes an implicit statement that a router sees a fair amount of utilization, and when that is happening, the need for multiple routers becomes self evident. And while the router table is a defacto requirement for moderately serious woodworking, that requirement also includes the capability to handle the 1/2" shank bits. Ergo, a router table for a router with 1/4" bits only will inevitably lead to frustration, and also inevitable replacement. (but frustration and upgrading is also an integral part of the learning curve- t'aint all a bad thing!)
Bushings for cutting dovetails? available, almost certainly, and equally certain, substantially cheaper than when you bought this device. The jigs, now they aint cheap, but here again, many star-struck woodworkers bought them and now they too often appear in garage sales at reasonable prices. The utilization of them takes one off on another learning curve, and while dovetails are good, a feller doesn't necessarily require a router to make them. In fact they have been made by hand for many centuries before the age of the electron. It is in fact doable without a router, and I would dare to suggest, that should dovetails be in the plans in anything less than say 30 or 40 drawers, , that simple wood-butchery techniques like marking, sawing , and chiseling ....may be applied to yield more "braggin rights" than a dovetail produced by a screaming normitic device. Simply my observation (Cowtown is ducking)
As you asked, if I were you, I'd not attach this device to a router table, just keep it for regular routing, and enjoy it as it was intended
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