What do use your Overarm router for?

[Paul Steiner]

I the school I teach at recently recieved a donated shopsmith overarm router. I have been using it to make mortises and it works very well for that. The instructions for the machine have some examples but to me it all looks like things you can do with a router table.
What other things do you all use an overarm router for? I want to get the most out of the machine.

[Stephen Edwards]

I the school I teach at recently recieved a donated shopsmith overarm router. I have been using it to make mortises and it works very well for that. The instructions for the machine have some examples but to me it all looks like things you can do with a router table.
What other things do you all use an overarm router for? I want to get the most out of the machine.

I always get the terminology confused between a pin router and an overarm router. Is yours the kind where the router is above the work piece, with a pin in the table underneath? Or, is it the opposite of that, with the router underneath the work and the pin above the work?

Both kinds are good for pattern work, especially the former if it also has a plunge mechanism. One end of my new and still under construction router station will have an overarm router (router above the work piece). It will also have a hands free plunge mechanism.

Hopefully, I'll have that part of the new router station completed within a few more months.

Can you post a pic of your overarm router, please? I'd like to see it.

[Steve Clardy]

Repetitive work.
Make a pattern to hold the work.
Routing out back of picture frames, making chair backs, etc.
I have a pin router. Old enough that parts are not available. 7hp unit. I don't use it much anymore.

[Peter Quinn]

We have a Grizzly at work, and it has been put to a variety of tasks including HVAC return air grills, basic pattern work, stop dados in case pieces, and dados in plywood cabinet caucuses. Its nice for the plywood for two reasons. First, we use prefinished interiors, and the overarm router leaves the prefinished surface unscratched versus any face down operation or dragging a plunge router over the plywood.

Second, when you make a long run of cabinets, or multiple boxes to be joined to one face frame, length becomes some what critical. And to get the length correct the depth of the dado is less important than what is left! With an over arm router you can set the bit a certain distance from the table, say 1/2", and this becomes your working number to add to your horizontal member lengths to achieve over all length regardless of the thickness of the plywood, which can vary significantly these days.

[Kirk Poore]

When (not if) I get one it will be to rough out relief carvings, getting the background down nice & flat so I can concentrate on hand carving the foreground.

Kirk

[Dave Lehnert]

Here is the tool he is talking about. Here is a link you may be interested in.
http://www.woodshoptips.com/tips/022403/index.htm

[Michael Kellough]

We have a Grizzly at work, and it has been put to a variety of tasks including HVAC return air grills, basic pattern work, stop dados in case pieces, and dados in plywood cabinet caucuses. Its nice for the plywood for two reasons. First, we use prefinished interiors, and the overarm router leaves the prefinished surface unscratched versus any face down operation or dragging a plunge router over the plywood.

Second, when you make a long run of cabinets, or multiple boxes to be joined to one face frame, length becomes some what critical. And to get the length correct the depth of the dado is less important than what is left! With an over arm router you can set the bit a certain distance from the table, say 1/2", and this becomes your working number to add to your horizontal member lengths to achieve over all length regardless of the thickness of the plywood, which can vary significantly these days.

Peter, I guess you run the panels along a fence, but what do you do to route a groove through the middle of a long panel such the side of a refrigerator cabinet? Hmmm, on second thought I suppose they just stick a small cabinet between the two panels.

What I'm getting at is, are there overarm routers with 24" or more of throat? Are they needed? What is a good amopunt of throat to look for?

[Perry Holbrook]

My Delta RU 50 has a throat of at least 24". It's a great tool. I picked mine up on ebay srveral years ago.

Perry

[Paul Steiner]

Yes that is the one I have. But mine does not have that table. I need to build a nicer table with a fence and t-track. Thank you for the link it is a big help. Placing a router below the table, that is a great idea.