Shopsmith 555970 - Manual (Page 30)

555970 MARK V – MOUNTED OVERARM PIN ROUTER
30
CONVENTIONAL
ROUTING OPERATIONS
WITH THE OVERARM
ROUTER
The Shopsmith Overarm Pin Router is also
well suited for more ordinary routing
operations . . . functioning in a very similar
fashion to more conventional under-table
router set-ups. There are a few differences:
• With the Overarm Router, your rotating
bit is almost always in plain view, provid-
ing an added measure of accuracy.
• Changing your depth-of cut (and seeing
your change as you make it) is a much
simpler matter with an Overarm Router.
For maximum efficiency, under-table rout-
ing requires a special router lifting device.
Such devices often expensive, adding a
couple of hundred dollars to the cost of a
router table.
• The improved visibility of your work-in-
process also makes forming stopped cuts
(such as travel slots, grooves, dadoes and
mortises) much easier and safer with an
Overarm Router.
ROUTING AGAINST A TABLE PIN
Against-the-Guide-Pin routing is usually
performed with a non-piloted router bit – on
a workpiece with irregular or rounded edges
that cannot be guided by the Fences. That’s
because the job of the pilots (solid or bear-
ing-types) on piloted Bits are to control your
lateral depth-of-cut . . . and the profile they’re
making.
Since non-piloted Bits have no pilots to con-
trol their lateral depths-of-cut, you must rely
on Guide Pins to control this for you. Some
typical against-the-Pin operations include
creating special rabbet cuts (usually with
straight bits or slot cutters) and making deco-
rative cuts with non-piloted profile Bits.
Here’s the step-by-step process.
1. Set up your Overarm Router, following
the “General guidelines for overarm
routing” on page 18 in the front section
of this Manual.
2. Once you get started, always set your
depth-of-cut to make your first pass
very shallow. Doing so will give you far
better control over the accuracy of your
cut, since the rotating bit is much less
likely to grab or pull your workpiece off
your planned profile when your cuts are
shallow.
NOTE
In some cases, your lateral depth-of-cut
must also be adjusted to produce the pro-
file you desire. With straight-edged work-
pieces, this can be accomplished by slid-
ing your guiding Fence in or out. With ir-
regular-shaped edges, just change the size
of the Guide Pin you’re using.
3. Screw the appropriate sized Guide Pin
into the threaded hole in the center of
the Pin Routing Table Insert and tighten
it securely.
4. Position the Table Insert as shown in
Figure 23 and screw the 1/4" Starter Pin
into the threaded hole just to the left of
the center hole in the Plate. Tighten se-
curely. When installing the Table In-
sert, the Starter Pin must always be po-
sitioned in the Insert so it is to the left
of the Guide Pin.
5. Prepare to make your cut. Lower the
Router into the position and lock it se-
curely. Turn on your Router motor. Rest-
ing the edge of your workpiece against
the Starter Pin, ease it gradually into the
rotating bit to start your cut. Continue