Shopsmith Joint Matic - Horizonal Router

Thanks for the review. I’ve never seen one before.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

i imagine it works well, but how safe is it to use?

-- making sawdust....

thanks for the review. there is another horizontal router table that is now manufactured. if i can find the link i’ll post it.

oh here it is http://www.eaglelakewoodworking.com/index.htm?mlcs.htm

Nice find Dan.

MLCS sells the same one as Eagle.

Someday I’ll show you a picture of the horizontal router I made.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is the one MLCS sells.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

Hi Dan;

I recall considering one of these I guess close to twenty years ago, (complete guess). I never did buy it, and now I kind of regret it.

Thanks for the review.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Never seen one. thanks for the review.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

safety is always a concern.

it has an exposed router bit.

all I can say is I’m very careful and have never been hurt using it.

I always follow these rules:

never use power tools when you are tired or sleepy

never use power tools under the influence of alchohol or other things like drugs … legal or otherwise

If it doesn’t look safe or feel right … there is always another way.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

This is a horizontal mortiser I made, based on a plan by Yeung Chan. I modified the depth adjustment mechanism to use a bolt, instead of clamping to the work bench. I’ve used this for years and it works very well. The only thing different about it’s use is, you feed the work with the rotation of the bit, instead of against it. Other wise you get a lot of splintering. I made the sliding table a little tight, to prevent it from sucking the work into the bit.

-- Tim -- http://tmuli.com

looks like something easy to make and use. I may have to take a crack at it.

-- making sawdust....

I also found a Shopsmith miter gage that fits the Joint Matic. ... Ebay ,, where else. I’ve also made jigs and special fixtures for different projects.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

My uncle use to have a shopsmith way back when (in the 1950’s and ‘60”s. He could change it into a table saw, a lathe, router, and I think it even jointed and planed smaller pieces. I remember, it was a fabulous machine, but every time you wanted to do something, you had to tear down that set-up to go to the other one…...then if you had to come back to that set-up…....whewww….what a waste of time etc.
Nice post Dan
Dave

-- Dave Leitem,Butler,Pa.,http://dlcarver.etsy.com

Shopsmith makes an OverArm Pin Router. (ignore the Pin part for now because it does so many more functions)
http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/rm_overarmpinrouter.htm

The beauty of the OPR is that it functions in the horizontal configuration also.

-- John, Nor-Cal, shopsmith.net/forums

Cool. Is this like the multi router that David marks uses? I don’t get why the horizontal-ness of it helps to do things, what is the main reason of haveing it mounted horizontaly?

-- Tyler, Illinois

WSF, I think joinery (like dovetails) is a great function for the horizontal routing systems. You can see the work, it isn’t underneath your work piece.
BTW, I received my Overhead Pin Router from Shopsmith yeasterday morning.
When I get the opportunity, I’ll experiment with it in the horizontal mode.

-- John, Nor-Cal, shopsmith.net/forums

Hi,

Just happened to be looking at some reviews tonight and spotted this one. The second and third photo just happens to be one that I took of my Joint-Matic. A little surprised to see them here!

It was one of those machines I wanted but couldn’t afford back then. Thought I’d never get one but then came e-bay. Horizontal routers are a good addition to a shop in my opinion and this happens to be one of best. If you happen to get a bevel miter gauge with it you can do dovetail corner picture frames. Of course it does all the other stuff that you want from a horizontal machine too.

I have posted quite a few photos over at the shopsmith site if you would like to see more.

BTW it does have a guard that covers the bit as someone seemed a bit worried about that. And as was mentioned the dust collection is great! It is normally a stand alone tool but I have adapted mine to sit like a SPT on end of the shopsmith or I can clamp it in my B&D workmate.

Hey it has only been 427 days since someone last added a post…

-- Knight of the Shopsmith

Hey Knight ! I remember surfing the internet looking for photos, must have found your webssite.

It is a fun tool to use … I’ve built a few jigs for it and when my mortising machine broke, I used it allot. It cuts very repeatable joints. Worked very good for small pieces too. I have a Porter Cable 690 always attached to it. Sits right next to the band saw. Bought mine on ebay. I got a steal.

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Dan,

I just acquired a Joint-Matic at an auction in Shelby, Oh for $60. It appears to have been unused or only used once or twice. A bevel miter gauge was included and a home-made jig came with it. I don’t know hat the jig is for, maybe it’s described in the manual. I have ordered a manual from ShopSmith. I also have a Rockler router table and a Jet Mortising machine. Is the Joint-Matic a good substitute for the Jet mortising machine? The reason I ask is that I am considering selling the mortising machine so to free up funds for another purchase. Also, since you seem to be very knowledgeable regarding the Joint-Matic perhaps you could log on to the ShopSmith website and share your expertise with the SS forum members.

Sincerely,

Ron

Hey Ron
Keep the mortising machine too. The joint-matic will do all sorts of things, but I use my mortising machine also. You got a real bargain for 60 bucks. They sell for much more then that on ebay.
Regards
DAN

welcome tolumberjocks

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Dan,

Do you have the bevel miter gauge for you joint-matic? The reason I ask is I know a fellow who has one, but does not have the joint-matic. He wants a joint-matic, but since he doesn’t have one I could ask him if he would sell the gauge if you are interested.

Ron

PS – Sorry to hear about Pratt Whitney. Have you found a new job?

Looks like a cool tool. It looks like it does much of what my Multi router does at a whole lot less money.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

I’d still like a multi router …. >grin<

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever