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View Full Version : Need advice for buying router to build wood airplane....



jtrom
12-27-2011, 11:30 AM
Looking for a router to cut my 3/32 plywood ribs off a template. Router also needs to be able to cut the 3/4 inch template for the ribs and cut out the spar made of 3/4 inch spruce. Also needs to do intricate work such as making 1/4" by 1/4" grooves. Will a small laminate trimmer handheld router work for this?...and do I really need a router table for this kind of work?

Tom Downey
12-27-2011, 03:45 PM
I have one of these http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Porter-Cable-Router-7310-Laminate-Trimmer-NEW-/370570123195?pt=Routers_Bits&hash=item5647b357bb#ht_1889wt_1216 since I bought it I've never used my big Sears router.

it will accept all the 1/4 bits and with an adaptor it will take all the dremil bits too.

Tom Downey
12-27-2011, 03:49 PM
you might want these too,http://www.grizzly.com/products/Router-Bit-20-pc-Set-1-2-Shank/H5555

WLIU
12-27-2011, 08:21 PM
I will suggest that the thin stock will be cut easily and cleanly by any of the small 3/4 hp or 1hp "laminate trimmer" style routers using 1/4" shank bits. For spar stock, to get the clean cut and precision that I think that you want, you will be better served by a larger router in the 1 3/4 hp range and bits with 1/2" shanks. For both sizes, the work that you are doing only needs straight bits with either a top or bottom bearing to follow a template with.

I find that when shaping 3/4" plywood, the 1/2" shanks in my 1 3/4hp Dewalt hand held router does nice clean cuts if I take 1/8" of material off on each pass. If you are tapering board stock, set yourself up so that the bit is rotating, and your are moving the router, to cut with the grain, not against it. Cutting against the grain will often result in splintering that you don't want to have to fix.

You do not need a router table for the work that you describe. But once you have a router or two, and you start expanding your woodworking into non-aircraft stuff, you might find that you want to build a router table to make nicer looking doors and drawers for your workshop storage and maybe the new kitchen that your wife will suddenly ask for....

Best of luck,

Wes

Tom Downey
12-27-2011, 10:28 PM
For the work on a wooden aircraft the dremil tool with a router attachment will do it all.
But if you are doing a 1/2" cut in real oak there is never enough power.

Mike Switzer
12-27-2011, 10:56 PM
I personally don't like to buy any (electric) power tool not made by Milwaukee, but Dad has a Makita router that is pretty nice. Bosch is good also.

WLIU
12-28-2011, 07:02 AM
With routers, as with most other tools, you get what you pay for. If you are making templates from 3/4" stock, and you want them to last through making a number of parts, you will be using harder material. So I will suggest that the router that you bring to that job will need to be a little more powerful and precise than you might use for some other tasks.

This is the educational part of home building. You can do lots of jobs with a Dremel tool, but it will take a long time and you will need to use hand tools for the follow on finish work to get a high quality result. Using a tool that is more closely tuned to the specific job at hand makes the work go 10x faster with 10x more quality. And I find that, within limits, every more capable tool that I buy opens the doors to solving other workshop challenges more quickly and with a higher quality result.

In the router world, Bosch is near the top of the line, with Porter-Cable and Dewalt (made in the same factory I think) not far behind. Makita does well for smaller jobs but seems to be somewhat less durable and precise. Like many tools, holding one in your hand will let you see a lot of the differences. Features that are less obvious, but that make your work easier, are the "soft start", the location of the on-off and speed controls in relation to where you grip the tool, and the balance point of the tool in relation to the size of the base.

And if you are working with wood for your airplane, take yourself to a real woodworking store like Woodcraft or Rocklers in addition to the big box discount places like Lowes and Home Depot. You will find much more knowlegeable people, classes, higher quality choices, and even tools that you did not know existed to make your work easier and safer.

Best of luck,

Wes

Tom Downey
12-28-2011, 08:52 AM
If I were 17 and had intentions to be a wood worker the rest of my life I'd buy the best tools possible, But If I were building 1 aircraft on a budget, I'd buy the cheapest tool that would do the job.

WLIU
12-28-2011, 06:23 PM
I can' resist offering the opinion that if you are involved in an airplane with wood components, and you finish and fly the airplane, you WILL be a woodworker for the rest of your life, whether you plan to or not. I started out with hand tools and a little wood airplane in front of me. I now have a full blown shop with dust collection, all of the major power tools, and bench space for the work. Accumulated one tool at a time. You have to love the building... and the tools.

Regards,

Wes
N78PS

FlyingRon
12-28-2011, 07:12 PM
I like Porter Cable, but I agree with Tom, unless you have need for massive horsepower (and this application appears not to be it), get the little guy. It's hard on your arms and tedius to use the big guy when you don't have to. Mine's been clamped into my router table forever.

corsair82pilot
12-29-2011, 02:58 PM
I have a Porter Cable, and love it. Get a router table, too.


1342

This shows the rib screwed to a template. I am using a 1:1 copying bit.

jtrom
12-29-2011, 05:00 PM
Thanks for all the replies. I think I am gonna buy a small hand held (I saw a nice 1 horse power Bosch at the store). I can use a friends big plunge router if I run into a big job. I'm gonna wait on the router table, as I really don't need one for this stuff even though it would be nice. If I get a larger router some day I will probably build my own table as cheap store bought tables seem to small and the large ones are $$$$$$$$$$.

Piet
02-18-2012, 10:51 AM
I am just finishing a Pietenpol Aircamper and I think it would qualify as a wooden airplane. I like WLIU have several tools. I have 3 routers and 1 dedicated to the router table. They are all cheap routers. I have a Craftsman, a Black & Decker and the other 's name I can't recall. I like having multiples because I don't have to breakdown a setup to do another routing job. I do most of my heavy duty wood removal with a tablesaw and finish with my"cheap" routers. I have a good table saw with a good fence although it was cheap ..... used. You can get by with a cheap table saw but my Delta 10" contractor model only cost me $80 and a new cheap saw is like $150. Note the trim under the date stamp is an "L" shape or corner trim made from a red oak board 2 X 8. Every bit of it done on the table saw, even the chamfers. A quality 60 or 80 tooth carbide blade and it running true saves a lot of sanding. That said a band saw or scroll saw would be a nice addition to you tool chest. I have both but for building a Pietenpol again and could only have one or the other I would choose the scroll saw. I saw aluminum with it up to 0.080 or so. Choose a scroll saw by how easy the blade is to change. The first one I had was a bear to change so I gave it to a guy I didn't like!
Take this advice for what it cost you!
Jerry

Piet
02-18-2012, 11:07 AM
>corsair82pilot,
I am no trying to hijack the thread but doing a real good job of it.......
Your copy method is great. I assume you are using a bushing on the router to follow the pattern. I made a pin router by using a wood dowel the same size as the router bit. It was adjusted down so it almost touched the bit and on a home made pivot. All it accomplished was to make it so you could see the pattern. It is not any better than what you are doing just in my case I wanted to see what was happening and made following the pattern easier for me.