some of these older routers are hangin around my shop too, and they are
often funky in appearance but they predate the time when folks was tossing
routers into tables. Upside down, they wasn't exactly prepared to be
inundated with sawdust.

I like the old routers, they is from a time when a HP was a HP, not some
conjured up number for marketing....but there limitation is typically the
1/4" collet size, and while that's OK for the time when if you wanted to
use bigger cutters, you obviously shoulda bought a (boat anchor) shaper.

Methinks that building a router table for 1/4" shank stuff is OK as long
as you know you are limiting yourself. Sooner or later you will require a
further iteration to handle 1/2" shank bits. Ergo, forgo the temptation to
do what you suggest, rather use these beasties in the format they were
intended for, and enjoy the ergonomics of the hand held router.

As folks have suggested, most find that one router just ain't enuf and
some folks even find themselves losing count of the routers-at-hand. Not
that everyone has to go that route, but these older routers can be picked
up at garage sales for 10-15 bucks, with lots of life left in em.

Router table construction makes an implicit statement that a router sees a
fair amount of utilization, and when that is happening, the need for
multiple routers becomes self evident. And while the router table is a
defacto requirement for moderately serious woodworking, that requirement
also includes the capability to handle the 1/2" shank bits. Ergo, a router
table for a router with 1/4" bits only will inevitably lead to
frustration, and also inevitable replacement. (but frustration and
upgrading is also an integral part of the learning curve- t'aint all a bad
thing!)

Bushings for cutting dovetails? available, almost certainly, and equally
certain, substantially cheaper than when you bought this device. The jigs,
now they aint cheap, but here again, many star-struck woodworkers bought
them and now they too often appear in garage sales at reasonable prices.
The utilization of them takes one off on another learning curve, and while
dovetails are good, a feller doesn't necessarily require a router to make
them. In fact they have been made by hand for many centuries before the
age of the electron. It is in fact doable without a router, and I would
dare to suggest, that should dovetails be in the plans in anything less
than say 30 or 40 drawers, , that simple wood-butchery techniques like
marking, sawing , and chiseling ....may be applied to yield more "braggin
rights" than a dovetail produced by a screaming normitic device. Simply my
observation (Cowtown is ducking)

As you asked, if I were you, I'd not attach this device to a router table,
just keep it for regular routing, and enjoy it as it was intended

Eric





Doug wrote:

20 years ago I purchased a Black and Decker router for a few projects,
which I used it for and put it away in storage. Today, new home, new
projects. I have decided to setup a small wood shop to work on a few
projects and to give me something to do when the projects are
complete. So I am trying to figure out how to use/integrate this
router. It is model# 7613 type 3, 8.5amp and spins at 25000rpm and
runs great, might have been used 10 to 15 hours.

Step one would be for recommendations, when I search the net for
anything about/dealing with this router I find virtually nothing. Of
course I would like recommendations to fit with what I want, need and
desire if possible.

The biggest, grandest thing I would like to do with this is setup a
router table. I do know of a plate that fits this router to use in a
table. Is there a plate or a universal plate or would I have to make
one? Another is bushings for cutting dovetails and other patterns, is
there something to fit the base on this router? Maybe a replacement
base that would accept bushings?

If you were me how do you see this router getting its best use? What
do you see doing to this router to get the best use of it? What would
you not do with it?

Any recommendations would be appreciated, along with recommendations,
a means to accomplish them. Websites, vendors, books, etc.

Thanks!