WoodRat

[Jake]

I'm considering getting a WoodRat - any comments? Is a plunge router really necessary or will my old Makita fixed router work?

Thanks Jake

[bridger]

you may be able to do a few basic operations on a woodrat with a fixed base router, but the rat is really meant for plunge routers.

but hey, you can never have too many routers....

[Greg Vaughn]

Hey, I'm new here and to woodworking in general. Sorry to dredge up this old thread, but it's all I could find about the WoodRat and it doesn't address more than the fixed router question.

I requested the brochure on the WoodRat and I'm intrigued, but it seems so unconventional. I've got a second hand PC router with fixed and plunge bases and I've been thinking about building a router table. I like the idea of using the plunge router right side up and the space efficiency of the WoodRat, but is it worth the money (around $650 USD)?

I guess based on financial reasons, I've got two choices:

1) Build my own MDF router table, probably imperfect, cuss it for a few years, learn, and eventually upgrade to something better 2) Stick with handheld router operations until I can save up for the WoodRat, which hopefully would last me a long time and my skills could grow with it

Suggestions?

[bridger]

do both.

first build yourself a router table. make it a simple one- a sheet of whatever you have with a hole in it for the bit ad the router screwed to the bottom. clamp a stick on for a fence. it's zero dollar and lets you get on with making stuff that matters. it also lets you figure out how you would want a router table to be better than what you have and hack away at it without having to worry about messing up your nice pretty factory router table. a few rounds of that and you'll have a table that works like you need it to, rather than how someone else thought they could sell it to you. you'll figure out what parts are worth it to you to buy, fences or lifts or whatnot, but don't be afraid of unconventional configurations.

eventually you'll run into the limits of the router table. then go ahead and look at stuff like the rat, fmt, or multirouter. you'll still want the table though.

[bugbear]

That's rather the point. And it's patented, so it will stay unconventional, since copying it would be illegal.

Many owners speak highly.

Try here:

owners of this British product are British, natch)

BugBear

[Prometheus]

Build it and cuss it, it's fun! You can get some angle iron, and bolt together a small frame if you want to do slightly less cussing.