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J. Clarke

wrote:

Hi,

I am an electronic hobbyist though I am always building housing and
other related stuff for my projects. I do not have to many building
tools (though I have plenty of electronic testing and measuring
equipment) and am looking to buy some especially for my current
project.

My current project involves putting a 12"x16" acrylic windows on a
piece of particle board. The acrylic window is .220" thick and I need
it to sit flush in the particle board (the board is 3/4" thick). I
want to cut a hole in the particle board which is smaller then the
window allowing for a 1" lip on all sides. I then want to lower the
lips by at least .220".

I have experimented with some of the limited tools I have currently
available to me to accomplish this and have found I need some new
tools. I am on a small budget (still have one more year of school). I
tried to cut through the particle board with a very inexpensive jigsaw
that was borrowed (3.2 amp Black and Decker) with a brand new wood
blade. The results were terrible; it was extremely slow and the blade
kept bending (even on a straight cut). I was able to achieve much
better results using a handsaw (though starting the cut was rather
tedious). To lower the lip I think I need to use a router. I have the
router attachment for a dremel and was able to test the idea on a
smaller scale. I used a 1/4" straight bit and it produced what I
needed on a small scale.

As you can see I need some new tools. I am having a hard time figuring
out what tools to buy. I think the right tools would be a better
jigsaw probably an orbital one and a router that can hold larger bits
(probably need an 1" straight bit unless they make a rabbeting bit that
can do a 1" cut). Now I would like to get some quality tools that
would last me a while, though I do not think I can afford them right
now (at least the quality I would like i.e. DeWalt, Porter Cable). I
have thought about getting a RotoZip since it has a jigsaw and plunge
router attachment. I know these attachments would be nothing compared
to high quality tools of a jigsaw or plunge router, though they may
allow me to accomplish this job relatively easily and the RotoZip
should be useful for other projects I do.

I don't expect to use these tools to frequently probably 6-12 times a
year. In the future I hope to have more time and be able to spend more
time on projects (more tool use). I also understand that quality tools
make your life much easier (this is also true with electronic test
equipment). For tools I think my maximum budget here is $200.

Here are my possible options I thought of:
1. Use a hand saw to make the hole and use my dremel router to make
the lip (would take 8 passes per side)
2. Buy some "single use tools" (cheap tools from somewhere like harbor
freight) to do this job. Maybe an edge router and a jigsaw. I would
also have to buy a 1" straight bit from somewhere else.
3. Buy a RotoZip and attachments.
4. Buy some low-mid level tools (like Ryobi). Maybe I don't need a
plunge router.

I would like to hear from some experienced people. Maybe you have
other ways to accomplish this or know of some decent quality tools that
are inexpensive.

You say that you are a student. First thing to try is to find a shop on
campus and see what you have to do to get access or to get them to do it
for you.

Forget the Rotozip--it is very nice for cutting out holes for electrical
boxes in plaster walls but that is about all that it does really well.

My inclination would be to go with "1".

An alternative would be to get a good jigsaw and redesign the part so it can
be cut with one (for example set the windows in a hardboard surround rather
than cutting a recess in the particleboard).

Another would be a good fixed-base router, which can do both cuts that you
need and can be had for considerably less than a plunge router--you don't
really need a plunge router for what you are describing.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)