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Router ?'s - Slot-cutting, Countersinking, etc.
mkdevo:
hello all,
well, i finally started working on my cabinet (control panel) last weekend! this weekend i'm looking to rent a router, and i have a couple questions:
- i'm using 3/4" MDF and competition joysticks. should i countersink?
- also, players 1 & 2 are going to use Oscar's restrictor plates. will this affect the way i install the sticks? (i don't have joystick mounting plates - do i need them?)
- i'd love for my trackball plate to NOT show on top of the CP. how do i do this? countersink? how?
- slot-cutting for t-molding: while i plan on using the router, i saw someone saying it was easy to do with a circular saw, which i already have. is it easy? and how exactly do you do it? wondering because apparently it's tough to find the slot-cutter router bit locally?
- lastly, what kind of router and accessories do i need to get to do all this? plunge router? router table? what?
sorry, i'm very new to the world of tools, and i've never used a router before.. below is a pic of what i have so far. i haven't trimmed it down at all yet, so it's not gonna be as deep as it is in the pic, but you get the idea.
thanks in advance for the help!
SirPeale:
You know, I've got my own question.
My father-in-law, who has been working with wood for the last 30 years of his life, adamantly states that there is no such thing as a 1/16" slot cutting bit. He claims that such a thing would be too small, and would be too flimsy to work.
Now...as I've been hanging out here an awful lot ;) I've seen too many mentions of this bit to dismiss it, but I just can't ignore the man's skill. Is he just mistaken, or is there some trick to the bit that I'm unaware of?
rampy:
--- Quote from: Peale on May 29, 2003, 02:36:46 pm ---You know, I've got my own question.
My father-in-law, who has been working with wood for the last 30 years of his life, adamantly states that there is no such thing as a 1/16" slot cutting bit. He claims that such a thing would be too small, and would be too flimsy to work.
Now...as I've been hanging out here an awful lot ;) I've seen too many mentions of this bit to dismiss it, but I just can't ignore the man's skill. Is he just mistaken, or is there some trick to the bit that I'm unaware of?
--- End quote ---
Well they have 'em here mlcs woodworking where I got my slot cutting bit... *shrug* it's where I got mine.
Rampy
EDIT older thread of interest/info
mkdevo:
--- Quote from: Peale on May 29, 2003, 02:36:46 pm ---You know, I've got my own question.
My father-in-law, who has been working with wood for the last 30 years of his life, adamantly states that there is no such thing as a 1/16" slot cutting bit. He claims that such a thing would be too small, and would be too flimsy to work.
Now...as I've been hanging out here an awful lot ;) I've seen too many mentions of this bit to dismiss it, but I just can't ignore the man's skill. Is he just mistaken, or is there some trick to the bit that I'm unaware of?
--- End quote ---
yup, that one's in the faq:
http://www.coastaltool.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/a/ab/aman/slotting.htm?L+coastest+dkxv1470ff213621#cart
edit: whoops! rampy beat me to it! *shrug* ;D
rampy:
--- Quote from: mkdevo on May 29, 2003, 01:43:09 pm ---hello all,
- i'd love for my trackball plate to NOT show on top of the CP. how do i do this? countersink? how?
- lastly, what kind of router and accessories do i need to get to do all this? plunge router? router table? what?
sorry, i'm very new to the world of tools, and i've never used a router before.. below is a pic of what i have so far. i haven't trimmed it down at all yet, so it's not gonna be as deep as it is in the pic, but you get the idea.
thanks in advance for the help!
--- End quote ---
You should/could recess the mounting plate ( I guess you'd need the happs flush mounting plate ) ... you can use the mounting plate to set the depth of the router that you don't have yet. =P trace the outline of the plate, and set up some guides or freehand carefully...
I wouldn't think you'd *need* a table router... a plunge router is nice, but optional... so hypothetically, depending on how many cabinets/other projects you'll do in the future -> maybe get a ryobi or whatever on sale at HD. (or rent/borrow one from a friend)
You'll probably spend nearly as much on different bits (16 beans here, 10 bucks there) as the router =P
You'll need to cover the control panel regardless with *something* for that flush look. What did you plan on doing? Artwork/underlay with Lexan on top? Laminate (a router is handy for that)? Some of that new fancy vinyl oscar's discovered?
some of those decisions will factor into your (do i route out joysticks or not) decision. which is largely a feel thing.
Good luck!
Rampy