I've been told to go buy another router by LOML

[crokett]

I'm with Larry on this one. I have a 690 mounted in my table and I have a DW621 handheld that I absolutely love. I have not yet had a need for a bit that the 690 can't spin. 99% of its work is rabbetts, roundovers and the like.

[Knottscott]

Thanks for the info everyone. After looking over your recommendations and browsing around I have made the purchase, but not the way I planned. We went to Lowes to get some drawer handles and there in the clearance pile were several Frued FT1700VCE routers for $126. That has everything and then some I was looking for including above the top height adjustment and spindle lock for easy bit changing and variable speed I'll need for larger bits when I start on the cabinet doors. Strangly it just happens to fit exactly to the BT3100 router mount plate and that is what I milled my table top to take. Almost like it was meant to be.

,,,

Nice deal on a nice router. I've been extremely pleased with my 1700. Changing bits with one hand from above the table just seems like the way life should be! My 1700 sits in my router table most of the time, but once in a while I feel guilty and toss the MW5625 (aka "Moose") in to justify it's existance! Enjoy!

[JimD]

I have two PC690s and 4 bases (two fixed, one plunge and one D-handle). I have an old Ryobi R500 in my router table, however. It is a little more powerful (13.3A) and the plunge mechanism started sticking so I made an attachment to my home-made lift for just the motor part of the Ryobi and it works fine in the router table. I am sure your Freud will work well in a router table too.

I have 3 windows finished in plantation shutters using the woodline router bits. I do not mind the woodworking part of this, it is kind of fun, but I do not care for the finishing part. I am painting them white to go with the trim on the windows and painting 42 louvers/window is a pain. Norm primed his before assembly and then put on finish after that. I am finishing before assembly to do a better job on the louvers.

The woodline shows a pretty decent jig for boring the holes in the louvers. It is just side guides you clamp to the table of the drill press. I do not know where they got the goofy idea of raising the louver into the drill bit, however. Just lower the drill bit/chuck with the handle of the drill press in the normal manner. I have a fence on my drill press so I simplified this jig and just clamp it to the drill press fence.

Norm's jigs for stapling are better than the woodline instructions describe, however. Principle is the same but Norms arrangement works better for me.

I put mine together with loose tenons and make the mortises and the holes for the louvers with a jig and a plunge router. Works well. I drill half inch holes and put a 1/2 inch template guide on the router and a 1/4 sprial carbide bit in the router.

I can cut all the parts to dimension for a set of shutters in a weekend easy but that is only about half the effort. Then is finishing. I am priming with water based primer (Kilz total one) and then applying white tinted Resisthane with a Wagner conversion gun. I like the results, just not the time required.

Last tip, when your route the louvers, do at least two passes to finished dimensions. I have had good luck raising the bit for the final pass rather than moving the fence. I have a lift in my router table so it is easy to raise a precise amount. The main tip is to use plenty of feather boards, however, pressing on the middle of the louver where it is not cut by the bit (my louvers are 3 inches wide). I have found I get much more consistent profiles with a feather board in the middle and on the outfeed instead of just one in the middle or no feather board.

Jim

[smorris]

Thanks for the tips Jim. I had been mulling over how to do the louvers and what you describe makes sense. I'm sure I'll be back to look over your description again as I start on these. This project is looking to become a jig fest.

[LinuxRandal]

Edit: All right! I see you pulled the trigger. We have a club that meets once a month, but you need to have at least 5 routers to join.

I ordered two of the Freud routers BEFORE posting my question on wether they had the above the table feature (didn't want to miss out if they did). One for my father (table router is a Bosch/Craftsman 1617) for his router table, and one for me (Thinking of getting another plate for two 3+ HP routers with tongue and groove, or cabinet door setups). If I didn't miss any, that makes me up to 9.

Maybe someday I will have one for every one of my bits, then I can be PRESIDENT of your club.