# Making a pin router



## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Thinking of making a pin router. Poplar mechanics had a set of plans at one time but I can't seem to find them on the web. Came across a couple of pics of it on the web but nothing close enough to see how it goes together. If anyone knows where I can get a copy of the plan your help would be apreciated.

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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I didn't find the Popular Mechanics plan, but ran across this one.










 







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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Yeah, I seen that one two . Seemed a little overwhelming.

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## Down and Outman (Jun 13, 2011)

Bingo! I have an old grizzly router with a bad switch that would work just dandy with that.


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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_y...ot/171971-overhead-router-pin-attachment.html. This is what I'm thinking of.

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## Pirate (Jul 23, 2009)

I made an overarm mount for my router, to mount in on my ras. Worked good. The old CM ras, I used, had a flat bottom, with 2, tapped holes, for mounting the router mount!


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

One thing to consider is how commercial machines are made.Try to get a handle(ha)or understanding of the forces involved.In which planes do the most benny's come from?Where does material selection enter the picture?Those sorts of questions should be addressed before starting.


Go on E-bay and start getting educated on whats commercially available.It'll provide(hopefully) insight to some of the design criteria.Good luck,BW


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Moorewoodwork said:


> http://images.search.yahoo.com/r/_y...ot/171971-overhead-router-pin-attachment.html. This is what I'm thinking of.
> 
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That link doesn't work.

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## Down and Outman (Jun 13, 2011)

Good point BW! I have checked them out. One would take up a fourth of my shop and be severe overkill, but would really be cool. 

I'm learning to build guitars and other woodworking for my retirement, if that ever happens, and I've seen videos of pin routers being used to shape bodies and necks, carve out pickup and neck pockets and shape the backs of necks. Very handy tool. 

My son in law has a mig welder ( he's a Ford shop foreman, very handy to have around, LOL) and builds mini trucks, so he's good. I could get him to build a frame out of metal making it more stable than that design, so I can use it against notorious hardwoods that I like to use, like Ipe and purpleheart. Then make a height adjustment device for routing out pickup and control cavities. Plus any other type of woodworking I come across. Like the lab table I built for my lab at work (boss man was floored, it's too nice for our lab). 

For building stuff like this:


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

JMO...and worth exactly what ya paid for it,haha.I would much rather spend the money on a Bridgeport milling machine.And use it for wood(some are equiped w/highspeed heads).They're about the same price as a decent pin router but has tons more general usefulness in a shop environ.We may be inletting a one-off rifle stock today and milling a metal part for a fixture tomorrow.I was using our BP today for a part on the router table.....which was long overdue.

But,took the time and milled the pce.WHICH,then spurned another idea for an overthetop fence addition,fixture.......this is how my days go.Been runnin 14 hrs or so a day.Just sayin,milling machine opens up so freakin many possibilty's in our cabinet shop.

I've passed on some pretty cheap pin routers....had the money,have the space.Well,that last part isn't 100% true.Yeah,I have the space....just not willing to spend the sq ftg on a pin router,haha.A friend just sold a big knee mill for 1200.....and it came with tooling...duh.Best of luck with your project.BW


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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Maybe I'm not seeing it but I don't see any mills that are running fast enough for a router bit, many are there phase power

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## Down and Outman (Jun 13, 2011)

Not a bad idea going with a milling machine. Have to investigate it. As I said, I could build one heavy enough. I have seen some of the cheapies, and have seen the industrial size machines. Need something inbetween. My son in law is building a frame from his newest minitruck and has a stack of frame scraps I might be able to talk him out of, especially since last fall rented a bobcat and overhauled their yard. Ya know what I mean. 

Biggest thing will be to come up with a good flat top. I'm sure he's talented enough we could put our heads together on it. Biggest thing will be actually getting together to get it done. Maybe draw him up a plan and let him do it when he gets to it.


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

Well,you've got one of,what I consider prime motivators when considering....building vs buying.Uhhh,theres nuthin commercially available.

Concrete is an interesting material.........just spitballin but.Imagine building a bigazz plywood form in the shape of,in this case a C.Well that looks more like an English wheel,haha.Make it a square C.....you would have all the predetermined points of precision located with steel plates,angles or tube,ect.Attatching them to form.Then pour concrete in the whole thing.In this case,leaving the "forms" in place.

It would prolly work pretty durn good.And have several advantages over typical cast or weldments.If it was so smart,why dosn't everybody do it?....would be a fair question.The answers are many.......but then you aren't trying to sell this,right?Basically,concrete IS a viable material....if used "on-site".Think bridge beams.....concrete vs steel.The former can be in much more complex shapes.The latter...travels better.

I see you're in Ga......any machine scrapers around you?Need to look in usual resources and find as many used machinery dealers within whatever self imposed radius.The more "stuff" there is to pick from the better.For a top....a big ole bandsaw top would be high on the list.


And speaking of mills....if you ever see just a mill table goin for scrap....grab it.They are the basis for almost unlimited fixtures/jigs.Bicycle builders gobble up most of the used ones.They make one of the very best welding fixture/tables.....I've been looking for a cheap one for years.Keep missin by just a bit,haha.BW


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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Biggest motivator these days is cost. I have started building one this weekend. I have the plans all drawn up, need to do some welding on it so I will work on that before work each day this week. I have plenty of steel cut offs at work I can use. The rest will be made up from scrap plywood at home and a couple parts from the hardware store. Will post some pics when it's done. It may not be as nice as a pin router or mill but it will get the job done.

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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Ok, here is what I have so far. Welded up a support arm with a threaded rod going thru the front. I have that attached to a bearing that is attached to the router platform. I set up the router base so that it can accept guide bushings ( not sure why yet ,but all the people who build guitars with there's have them on there.). Used drawer slides as guides to assist in raising and lowering of platform. Still need to add two corner blocks to keep router platform level. Also going to make a secondary top with inserts for different size pins, thinking melamine.



















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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

I'm all done. Made a top out of mdf and oak, with different inserts for different pin sizes. Will update after I use it but seems like it will work great.



















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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Does the machine need to have the drawer slides with that much movement? Will you need to have that much throw? What advantage do you gain with a pin router that you can't find in using the router with bushings?

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

Al, not sure how much height I will need. Building les Paul style guitars now but would like to do an acoustic down the line. The les Paul tops are carved in an arch so using a template and bushing dosn,t work

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## Moorewoodwork (Jan 2, 2012)

It has nine inches of travel

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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

Moorewoodwork said:


> Al, not sure how much height I will need. Building les Paul style guitars now but would like to do an acoustic down the line. The les Paul tops are carved in an arch so using a template and bushing dosn,t work
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Wood Forum


I see. Thanks for the response. The reason I questioned it was because I have just completed two router machines. A slot mortise cutter and a table router lift. Both require very little movement when you think about the operation involved. Once the setup is made. The slide mechanism is locked into place and no longer used in the routing procedure.

Al

Friends don't let friends use stamped metal tools sold at clothing stores.


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