I have two fixed base routers-a PC 690 and an
older Bosch. I need to route out a 3" square 1/4"
deep inlay in a box top. I was considering
purchasing the plunge base for my PC 690
router ($89) and adding a 1/4 or 1/2" bearing
guided straight sided carbide bit...or getting
an inlay bushing set with a bit. Then I was
looking at a Colt and PC Laminate trim router
and was wondering if I could tip the square
base on its side and carefully plunge it into
the top using an inlay bushing and small spiral
bit. The problem arises when trying to adapt
inlay bushings for PC to the Colt. I think it
will require a new base plate and an adapter
to mount the PC bushing? I found the PC
trimmer well made but not as well made as the Colt.
Questions: Is it safe to use a square base
trim router to plunge a small bit by tilting it's base?
What do I need to add a PC bushing to the
Colt and is it worth the trouble? Would I be better
off just getting the plunge base to do this job, sharpen
my chisels or what?

I cut 16 hinge mortises on Thursday and used a jig to guide me.
I used a Bosch 1617evs fixed base router with a 1/2" flush trim "TOP"
bearing bit. Just being careful and setting the spinning bit down on the
wood works out very well with out the need of a plunge mechanism. I cleaned
up the corners with a chisel. I would save the money unless you are going
to be doing this daily, maybe not even then. Try it out on a piece of
scrap, I think you will find that if you go in 3 or 4 progressively deeper
steps with a bit that is 1/2" or smaller in diameter you will be able to
free hand close enough to the lines and clean up with a chisel.

A hint, use a utility knife and straight edge to establish the borders and
make several passes with the knife going deeper each time. This will help
you get a good clean line to clean up with the chisel after routing.



"bookman" wrote in message
...
I have two fixed base routers-a PC 690 and an
older Bosch. I need to route out a 3" square 1/4"
deep inlay in a box top. I was considering
purchasing the plunge base for my PC 690
router ($89) and adding a 1/4 or 1/2" bearing
guided straight sided carbide bit...or getting
an inlay bushing set with a bit. Then I was
looking at a Colt and PC Laminate trim router
and was wondering if I could tip the square
base on its side and carefully plunge it into
the top using an inlay bushing and small spiral
bit. The problem arises when trying to adapt
inlay bushings for PC to the Colt. I think it
will require a new base plate and an adapter
to mount the PC bushing? I found the PC
trimmer well made but not as well made as the Colt.
Questions: Is it safe to use a square base
trim router to plunge a small bit by tilting it's base?
What do I need to add a PC bushing to the
Colt and is it worth the trouble? Would I be better
off just getting the plunge base to do this job, sharpen
my chisels or what?

Questions: Is it safe to use a square base
trim router to plunge a small bit by tilting it's base?


Well, for what it's worth, I've done it and it doesn't "feel" unsafe.
As long as you're using a smallish bit (1/4"?) and it's not set too
deep (1/4"?), you should be fine. As with anything else, practice on
scrap to get a feel for it.
I can't help you with bushings on the trim router. But could you make
a larger template so the whole subbase of the router rides inside the
template? More like routing against a straightedge, but in this case,
your straightedge would be a square. Of course this would depend a
lot on the size of your project etc., but I would think it should be
doable since you're just routing a square. Also, I might leave a
strip of un-routed material in the middle of your square - just so the
router base has something to ride on, and doesn't slip down into the
area you've already routed. Does that make sense?
Good luck,
Andy

In article , bookman wrote:
I have two fixed base routers-a PC 690 and an
older Bosch. I need to route out a 3" square 1/4"
deep inlay in a box top. I was considering
purchasing the plunge base for my PC 690
router ($89) and adding a 1/4 or 1/2" bearing
guided straight sided carbide bit...or getting
an inlay bushing set with a bit. Then I was
looking at a Colt and PC Laminate trim router
and was wondering if I could tip the square
base on its side and carefully plunge it into
the top using an inlay bushing and small spiral
bit. The problem arises when trying to adapt
inlay bushings for PC to the Colt. I think it
will require a new base plate and an adapter
to mount the PC bushing?

I recently purchased a Colt. I've only used it
for laminate trimming so far and am far from
an expert on routers. However, I think this
may help you:

http://patwarner.com/pr20_subbase.html

I'm still trying to understand what I can do
with my Colt so any comments are welcome.


--
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|
| Malcolm Hoar "The more I practice, the luckier I get". |
| Gary Player. |
| http://www.malch.com/ Shpx gur PQN. |
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Dec 10, 1:22 pm, bookman wrote:
snip
Is it safe to use a square base
trim router to plunge a small bit by tilting it's base?

Probably not an issue since you're filling it with an inlay, but by
pivoting the bit into the wood will leave a gouge.

JP

Jay Pique said:

On Dec 10, 1:22 pm, bookman wrote:
snip
Is it safe to use a square base
trim router to plunge a small bit by tilting it's base?

Probably not an issue since you're filling it with an inlay, but by
pivoting the bit into the wood will leave a gouge.

JP

If it is an issue and you have a selection of bits, you could first
use a hemispherical coring bit to cut a starter hole, then swap to the
end cutting straight bit.

FWIW,

Greg G.