Hey Guys,
I’m about to build my own speakers, and I’m in need of a router for the driver holes. The wood is 40mm thick ply. I plan to first route the recess for the mounting flange to mount the drive flush , and then cut out the holes for the drivers. After that I may do a 45 degree chamfer.
so I’m contemplating what router to get.
this will be my first router, and I don’t know when I will build the next set of speakers. Any suggestions, like what power rating, corded or cordless, other tips?
as a note, I don’t mind renting one before purchasing, but I’m assuming that I still need to get new router bits and templates .
I’m about to build my own speakers, and I’m in need of a router for the driver holes. The wood is 40mm thick ply. I plan to first route the recess for the mounting flange to mount the drive flush , and then cut out the holes for the drivers. After that I may do a 45 degree chamfer.
so I’m contemplating what router to get.
this will be my first router, and I don’t know when I will build the next set of speakers. Any suggestions, like what power rating, corded or cordless, other tips?
as a note, I don’t mind renting one before purchasing, but I’m assuming that I still need to get new router bits and templates .
40mm is a pain, I used a 30mm panel and had to work both sides for the speaker holes because the bit was too short and the machine didn't have much vertical travel. This is very important !
So it forces you to place the bits very close to the end, which is a danger, because they can escape and cause serious injuries.
Avoid cheap bit boxes for that very reason.
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/tips.htm
So it forces you to place the bits very close to the end, which is a danger, because they can escape and cause serious injuries.
Avoid cheap bit boxes for that very reason.
http://www.troelsgravesen.dk/tips.htm
I was considering doing the holes from two sides partly for that reason 😊.
i know some people use the jigsaw approach, but 40mm is pretty thick, also for a jigsaw
i know some people use the jigsaw approach, but 40mm is pretty thick, also for a jigsaw
In any case, go slow, meaning the bit cuts only, say, 8 mm deep, then readjust, cut another 8mm, and so on.
Slow but safe.
Slow but safe.
I limited myself to 5mm when I was routing the kitchen top 😊. It’s good advice though, because too big cuts either blow the bits or rip the wood
As much as it is done in steps, if the bit is short and/or the route of the router is not enough, it must be done working on both sides. And the template/compass takes away more travel, I had to lower it to the minimum possible.
To work from both sides with the compass, it is very important that the central hole is perfectly at 90 degrees. Otherwise, both cuts will not meet exactly, I speak from experience, see the attached photo. In that case, I was lucky that the error was on the chamfering side. Use a hole punch with a square guide for that, it is 40 mm, if you do it trusting your hand, it is very possible that the hole will be inclined.
To work from both sides with the compass, it is very important that the central hole is perfectly at 90 degrees. Otherwise, both cuts will not meet exactly, I speak from experience, see the attached photo. In that case, I was lucky that the error was on the chamfering side. Use a hole punch with a square guide for that, it is 40 mm, if you do it trusting your hand, it is very possible that the hole will be inclined.
Attachments
I've been happy with my vintage Black & Decker (corded) 1/4" router, paid $35 at a pawn shop, less than most of the carbide bits I used with it. Rack-and-pinion depth setting, so it's possible (maybe not advisable) to adjust depth on the fly. Same as the later Dewalt DW610 but black instead of yellow. I made a larger base for it out of thick acrylic that made it much better for working around edges and corners of boxes.
But, if cost was no object, I'd probably choose a 1/2" router with more power.
But, if cost was no object, I'd probably choose a 1/2" router with more power.
+1.
Many years ago was a year when you could buy a serviceable plastic 1/4" router for $35 new. 3 years later there was nothing under $70.... the fad had faded. Both my recent routers were yard-sale gambles. The battery Makita lacks power but did all the kitchen countertop. The vintage Craftsman did a lot of the garage trim.
I've got several routers, so here are my suggestions. Go with a plunge router, and something that has both 1/2" and 3/8" collets, perhaps one with variable speed for large diameter bits. The cordless are nice for small, trim work, and that's what they're meant for - not routing deep passes. The tool repair shop I frequent claims Bosch is the best for parts availability, and I do like my Bosch. And avoid Porter Cable - I have a large, plunge, PC router that has a defective soft start module and the part is not available. Luckily I can yank the module, stick in a router table, and not worry about trying to hold the beast, but not supplying parts is simply wrong.
Also, buy good carbide bits - Whiteside typically rate the best - and not high speed steel. Cheap bits are like cheap anything, may chip, and will dull quickly.
Also, buy good carbide bits - Whiteside typically rate the best - and not high speed steel. Cheap bits are like cheap anything, may chip, and will dull quickly.
This advice is probably too late to help the OP, but I agree with prairieboy. I would suggest a 1.5 HP router as a minimum. I recently bought a Bosch 2 HP 1613 and it works great for routing driver recesses and holes. My old circle-cutting router was a 1 HP trim router, and I pushed it to the edge of failure on several occasions when routing driver holes.
When making the thru-cut, I use a 1/4" diameter spiral up-cut bit. I have this bit in both 1/2" shank and 1/4" shank so I can use whichever collet is installed in the router. Both work equally well. The spiral up-cut feature allows me to make 3/8" deep cuts (9mm). Compared to a straight-cut bit, there is significantly less effort and much better chip removal. I prefer Whiteside or Freud bits.
When making the thru-cut, I use a 1/4" diameter spiral up-cut bit. I have this bit in both 1/2" shank and 1/4" shank so I can use whichever collet is installed in the router. Both work equally well. The spiral up-cut feature allows me to make 3/8" deep cuts (9mm). Compared to a straight-cut bit, there is significantly less effort and much better chip removal. I prefer Whiteside or Freud bits.
Thanks guys, good food for thought. I noticed that on amazon it’s next to impossible to know if a router is 1/2” or 1/4” (complicated by the shank being expressed in mm). Google isn’t much better.
I also noticed that some models are provided with a 1/4” chunk, but can be fitted with a 1/2” chunk, which makes it even harder to find out which current models are 1/2”…
I also noticed that some models are provided with a 1/4” chunk, but can be fitted with a 1/2” chunk, which makes it even harder to find out which current models are 1/2”…
I should mention something about the up-cut spiral bits: The surface of the cut is not as clean as a straight-cutter bit. The spiral bits leave a bit of "fuzz", which is very easy to remove with a sanding block or a file. This is no problem for me, because I apply veneer AFTER I cut the driver recesses and holes. I then use a laminate trim bit to cleanly trim the veneer to the shape of the recess.
Some people prefer to apply wood veneer BEFORE they cut the recesses and hole. In this case, the spiral bit may leave a poor edge cut on the veneer. If anyone wants to use a spiral bit on sheet material with the final veneer already installed, I highly recommend making a test cut. You may find the spiral bit is fine, or not. The straight cut bit might be the only option for a very high quality cut.
j.
Some people prefer to apply wood veneer BEFORE they cut the recesses and hole. In this case, the spiral bit may leave a poor edge cut on the veneer. If anyone wants to use a spiral bit on sheet material with the final veneer already installed, I highly recommend making a test cut. You may find the spiral bit is fine, or not. The straight cut bit might be the only option for a very high quality cut.
j.