LOOK here ...

[Swingman]

SWMBO say's if he's not obviously pissed/scowling, it's a smile. I saved the big smile for right after cutting the first mortise, considering that I futzed with the necessity of damn near a separate, shop made, mortising jig for every single mortise on my current project.

Actually, the second hardest part in gearing up for the first cut was making the mobile base; the first, finding a place to put it.

The machine is intuitive in its methodology and the learning curve basically non-existent for cutting mortises, which is what is needed for the current project, and most of my future projects using mortises and loose/floating tenon joinery. Judging from what I've seen with DJM, and from talking with other owners/DAGSing, this is the number one use for the machine.

Tenons are a bit more complicated, but not much, and only because they require the use of templates, which the three tables follow using a stylus.

Mortises don't need templates, and at this stage, neither do I. Template$ are expen$ive.

Basically the multi-router is three tables; the router is attached to a vertical table, which moves in the z axis, with sliding stops which can be set to define the up and down limits of a cut; and two horizontal tables, which move in the x and y axis, both having stops which can be set to limit length and depth of cut.

It's that simple, and if you've ever used a stop block for a cut, you're off to the races immediately.

FWIW, the engineering is absolute awesome. I don't think I've ever seen another piece of woodworking equipment with this level of precision.

Every wooddorker needs to put his hands on one just for the fun of it ... but, what really makes the multi-router experience astounding is all that previous screwing around with the time consuming, imprecision of homemade mortising jigs for compound angled joinery.

[Lee Michaels]

"Swingman" wrote

I think we can safely write swingman off the list for the neander-amish woodworker of the month.

[Upscale]

So, there you have it, what every woodworker strives for when he/she buys a new toy ~ that it performs above and beyond expectations. Enjoy.

[Swingman]

:)

Never aspired to the honor ... what a smart Normite does is mentally bank a nickel for every M&T joint he's cut by hand down through the years, add those cut after moving up to table saws, drill presses and hollow chisel mortisers, and when he gets old enough he can then spend all that hard earned cash on a Multi-router to comfort him in his old age.

There are some benefits to being an old man ...

[CW]

The Z axis is always in line with the spindle axis. The slide that the router is mounted to moves along the Y axis. The stock is moved along the X and Z. What the multi router is is a horizontal milling machine.

[Swingman]

Would've sworn that's what I said, but thank you for your prompt corrections, per usual.

... with a few more features than the run-of-the-mill horizontal milling machine, NPI.

[Swingman]

Be careful of your assumptions, and your reference.

The _documented_ axis reference for the Multi-router is as follows:

The "z" axis is the up and down axis of the vertical table.

The "y" axis is left and right movement of the horizontal table.

The "x" axis is the in and out movement (toward the vertical table) of the horizontal table, in line with the "spindle axis".

[CW]

If you meant to say that your typical horizontal mill has more features, I will agree with you. The horizontal mill, with its calibrated measuring system, power feeds in all axis, ability to take a very wide variety of cutter, variable spindle drive, (often) swiveling table and easy conversion to a lathe tend to give it a might bit of an edge. Years ago, there was a horizontal mill on the market that was about equivalent to the Multi Router. It was known as a hand milling machine. It gave way to far more versatile machines. I have not seen one in quite a number of years.

[Swingman]

In the woodworking world (after all, this is a woodworking forum and the thread is dealing with a machine that was designed specifically for _woodworking joinery_) the closest machine is known commonly by woodworkers as a "slot mortiser", which some also class as a "horizontal milling machine". AAMOF, an old Burke horizontal milling machine is used in one local millworks as a slot mortiser for their door division.

[CW]

As per usual, you've got your head in your ass and your trying to pull it out before someone notices.

>

[Swingman]

You know, CW ... it doesn't pay to try and get along with you. I figured you wouldn't be able to resist and would show your usual know-it-all, smart ass on that one.

This is a woodworking forum ... keep that firmly in mind when you read/reply to posts that deal with machinery designed with woodworking in mind.

Now, once again, go f*ck yourself.

[CW]

Then they don't know themselves. You can call a rotation to the left clockwise if you want, still doesn't make it right. The axis direction, as I described, is an international standard in the machine tool industry, based on the Cartesian coordinate system. My point of reference is 20 years in the industry. Working for and with users and producers of machine tools, machining any type of machineable material.

[charlie b]

Though it doesn't have guides for tenons, the Robland X31 combi comes with a horizontal boring/mortising set up - the bit in a V chuck on the' end of the jointer/joiner - planer cutter head, an X-Y-Z table to hold and move the stock. In/Out and Left/Right stops complete the set up. See second and third pics on this page.

X31 sells for around six grand. the Multi-router - with bare essentials is around $2000? For another four grand you get a 10", 3hp table saw with sliding table, 3 hp shaper with 1 1/4" bore, a 12" planer AND a 12" joiner/jointer - in addition to the horizontal mortiser with Left/Right, In/Out and Up/Down table. (Notice how I avoided getting into which is X, which is Y and which is Z? Fortunatel, there's no pitch or yaw.

And here's a slick jig Ray McInnes came up with for it that extends its capabilities. Handy if you do chairs.

shortcoming of these things is the table size. Building a four or six panel door on it is a bit tricky. Gerald Masgai has it worked out. Have a look at his process for making a four panel door - using loose tenon joinery and the mortiser on the X31. Click on "continue" at the bottom of each page to get to the next page.

the Multi-Router handle door building?

Oh, BTW - YOU SUCK!

charlie b

[Swingman]

It depends on the point of reference. If viewed from the opposite side, a clocks rotation would be counter clockwise.

Multi-router is, in fact, correctly using the "three dimensional Cartesian Coordinate System" to describe the axis' of their machine, instead of the two dimensional, "rectangular Cartesian coordinate system".

[Swingman]

Biggest shortcoming with all the above for me would be size, followed closely by price. The MR is 16" w x 21" d x 20" t +/-, and weights about 96 pounds ... which barely made it into my shop as it is.

I think you could probably devise a method, maybe with outfeed tables/rollers, but I don't think it would be remotely considered a "forte".

The $uckage i$ mo$tly $ucked up by the expen$ivene$$, but thank$. ;)

[Leon]

So uh Swingman it $ound$ like you developed a li$p. Have you gotten any saw dust on the multi router yet???

I have been heavily debating purchasing a Fein Multimaster to help with exterior repairs around the house. I really like the plunge saw feature. Rockler has the XL steel case version on close out price for $297. I recall you saying that you have one. Do you have the profile sander accessory and if so is it any good?

[Rick]

I have used a Multi Router to make 15 or so doors . . . so yes it works fine . . . loose tenons . . . I don't use it for raised panels, but it's fantastic for the stile/rail tenon joinery . . .

Rick

[CW]

[Swingman]

Just the kind from a few test cuts ... been too damn busy.

I have a finger style and the tri-cornered sander accessory ... don't know if that is what you're speaking of. I am not all that impressed with its use as a sander, although it will get in some corners that few other tools will. I really don't have many accessories as I didn't buy the full monte.

I used the saw accessory just this last week to free a lost circuit behind some cabinets for a builder friend. It beats the hell out today's carpenter/plumber/electrician's way ... a sawz-all.

You're certainly welcome to try it out before you buy. I would recommend doing that. Just come by and pick it up.

[Swingman]