Protecting table mounted routers from debris??

Folks -

Okay, the router wasn't stout enough to draw the plate down flat, so I put a couple of threaded inserts in the table and pulled it down flat... I know, not as clean as I'd like, but I've got some edges to profile tonight.

I got to thinking about chips falling/being sucked into the inverted router motor and got to thinking. Rather than a shield that just clears the arbor nuts and keeps debris out, what about a thin piece of plastic (think milk jug) that pushes onto the shank of the bit, spinning along with it and throwing debris clear of the motor vents? What gave me the idea was the big "washers" for lack of a better term, that you would find behind an oil seal on a crankshaft or pinion shaft... They throw the bulk of the oil away from the seal and seal lip so that it doesn't have as much to contend with...

If I cut the flexible plastic round and had it centered, I don't see that balance could be affected. Whatcha all thimk?

John

PS: I will NOT be mounting a wire wheel on the router, in case any of you smarty-pants type were going to chime in.

Reply to
John Moorhead
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Plastic at 22,000 rpm scares me.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

John,

My routers have a small fan attached to the shaft as probably most other routers also. The fan causes air to be drawn in from the top of the router and blown downwards toward the bit. Even with the router inverted, the airflow is enough on my 3hp model to keep it from being clogged. Really don't see what purpose your shield would serve.

Bob S.

Reply to
BobS

i had a crapsman years ago that was killed by a peice o debris falling in the fan. what a noise it made! not a total loss though. [ i saved the cord!!!! ] you are correct however that MOST routers would not let this happen. the fan was a mangled mess when it finaly stoped grinding and i got a look at it. sure glad it wasnt body parts! lol

skeez

Reply to
skeezics

John, you are trying to solve a problem where no exists. Your router will do fine in a table without jury rigging a shield.

David

John Moorhead wrote:

Reply to
David

Wed, Dec 15, 2004, 11:53pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@sbcglobal.splinter.net (John=A0Moorhead) started thinking: I got to thinking about chips falling/being sucked into the inverted router motor and got to thinking.

Thinking? Danger, danger, danger. LMAO

My router table has an opening of better than an inch across. My previous router quit, so when I pulled it, I opened it up to check for sawdust, etc. Totally clean, not even dust. It doesn't suck anything in, it blows it out. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

JOAT We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

- unknown

Reply to
J T

John.. don't mount a saw blade on it either.. *g*

Your protector may or may not be a good idea... if it stops a chip from trashing your router, it's a great thing..

if it comes loose and hits you, or deflects a chip away from the router and at you, it's not as great..

Bottom line for me is that my ol' craftsman router has been hangin' upside down for about 12 or 15 years and still runs when I flip the remote switch...

Reply to
mac davis

On the routers that I've looked at, the internal cooling fan is designed to exhaust through the opening at the shaft end of the motor, in other words, whatever air the tiny fan pulls through is exhausted in such a way that it helps blow chips & dust away from the insides of the motor. Aside from spinning a piece of plastic at 23000 RPM you might also cause the router motor to overheat.

Reply to
Lawrence Wasserman

that's a lot of RPMs. I don't think it's gonna last long.

I had a problem with chips fouling the vents on my table router. I solved it nicely by reversing the air flow. I put a fan blowing air into the cabinet of the router table and set up dust extraction above the bit.

Reply to
bridger

I had a problem with my plenum box collection router table where the motor would suck chips in the "top" and clog the airflow. I ended up collecting above the table and directing airflow up through the table insert.

Reply to
bridger

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