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MacGyvering #1: the router

Blog entry by scottb posted 905 days ago 594 reads 0 times favorited 18 comments Add to Favorites Watch
no previous part Part 1 of MacGyvering series Part 2: clearing the air »

My cousin (first, once removed if you're keeping score) has a knack for finding deals -closeouts, and so on. He recently found himself at Sears looking at some routers on clearance - all former displays, out of the box, never used, selling for $31 a piece. Too good a deal to pass up, he bought all four.

Of course, he didn't need all four, so calls were made to try to unload a couple before he got in trouble with the missus.

Sure. I'll take one or two at that price!

Naturally he was able to find enough interested parties, but I was able to snag one.

The first time I went to use it was to practice bullnosing for a stair job I was starting the following morning. I've only used a router once before (in class) and after a little finagling I was able to get the set up perfect. I was getting a great cut with no burning and only a little chip out on the ends.

Fortunately I knew how to address that... what I didn't no how to adress was this problem with keeping the locking lever down. Loosening or tightening it didn't help. It just wouldn't stay closed - and consequently the depth setting wouldn't remain fixed.

Now I was really regretting the great deal on this router, and I wondered if the other three were having the same problem.

Next morning I swung by the "big orange box" - I really didn't want to drop a couple hundred for a new router, even though I needed one immediately. I checked out the (similar) latching mechanisms on all the other routers and they really clamped shut securely. So this was how mine was supposed to function.

Didn't have time to see if I could get replacement parts at Sears (and really doubted I could get on off the shelf). So instead, I bipped over to the hardware aisle and snagged a long bolt and couple of nuts to clamp the adjustment thingie tightly.

Works great, though granted it takes a little doing to loosen and retighten to make adjustments. Not the ideal solution, but a workable one. This fix, and a benchtop router table (also on sale!) really helped me fly through those stair treads!

Voila! a 97 cent fix for a $31 router... if only I could find a similar deal on good bits!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/


18 comments so far

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5981 posts in 991 days


posted 905 days ago

Great deal. You can never have too many routers.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View mot's profile

mot

4901 posts in 930 days


posted 905 days ago

I agree with Wayne. I have 6 routers, though three get the heaviest duty. Nice score!

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View Greg3G's profile

Greg3G

770 posts in 979 days


posted 905 days ago

Great fix….I Had a simular problem with a cheapie I bought on Ebay… my solution was to give it to my brother. :)

-- Greg - Charles Town, WV

View mot's profile

mot

4901 posts in 930 days


posted 905 days ago

Greg, I use the “Give it to (insert any name here)” solution to questionable tool purchases, alot! Tough to find someone that will say, “no,” to a free tool…even if it’s a piece of junk.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

View TheGravedigger's profile

TheGravedigger

211 posts in 918 days


posted 905 days ago

I used to have a Sears router, and ran into the same problem. My solution was a nut and bolt, but you won’t need two wrenches to change depth. I wonder if this is universal to Sears units?

-- Robert from Raymond, MS. "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is therefore not a practice, but a habit." - Aristotle

View scottb's profile

scottb

3402 posts in 1221 days


posted 905 days ago

I can hold the nut furthest from the hook end in place with a wrench or screwdriver, then all I need to do is twist it to tighten/loosen. I’m surely not going to be buying another one of these as my second (and likely more oft used) router.

I know that Dick has a couple set up for one particular function. This one would work well for that. set and forget!

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View woodspar's profile

woodspar

705 posts in 993 days


posted 905 days ago

And now you can hang it on your pegboard!

-- John

View WayneC's profile

WayneC

5981 posts in 991 days


posted 905 days ago

As far as another router goes. The PC890s are showing up on the second hand market now. I picked one up for $65 a while back and put it in my router table.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

View Bill's profile

Bill

2561 posts in 1055 days


posted 904 days ago

What a great bargain Scott. Is that your router table router now? It seems like it would be a good place to use it.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

View Karson's profile

Karson

25792 posts in 1294 days


posted 904 days ago

A router table where you have a router lift for depth would be ideal. Whats the HP on the router?

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

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14156 posts in 1055 days


posted 903 days ago

that was my problem with the Sears—it destroyed a bit / a thingy (lol ) and a template kit. I was NOT a happy camper.

I’ll show Rick your “fix” and hopefully we can save this router from making it to the garbage. I cursed that thing for a very long time—I’m over it now.. really.. honestly… #$)*#$

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Jojo's profile

Jojo

580 posts in 866 days


posted 781 days ago

I know is an old post Scott but… I think I might have a quicker solution for you. Have you tried the ‘quick release nut’n’bolt from a mountain bike seat or wheel? You know, the type with the lever that you first tight and then fold 180º…

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin

View MsDebbieP's profile

MsDebbieP

14156 posts in 1055 days


posted 781 days ago

that’s a great idea Jojo…
definitely worth a try – and I’m getting tired of seeing the Sears router sitting in the corner.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3037 posts in 916 days


posted 781 days ago

My first router was a Sears.
I don’t purchase anything from Sears now.

Bpb

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View Jojo's profile

Jojo

580 posts in 866 days


posted 780 days ago

Don’t know whether it would work *Debbie but I’m pretty confiden it will. At least, if I take in account the crazy workloads mines used to take without failing… And if it doesn’t… well, they’re not expensive at all (you can even borrow one just for the sake of trying).

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin

View scottb's profile

scottb

3402 posts in 1221 days


posted 780 days ago

I was looking for just the thing Jojo… not having been on a bicycle since college, that solution eluded me. What a great idea. – especially since I haven’t used the router since this initial set up – for bullnosing stairs. it wasn’t the best fix, but a cheap and workable bandaid at the time.

-- I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso -- http://blanchardcreative.etsy.com -- http://snbcreative.wordpress.com/

View Jojo's profile

Jojo

580 posts in 866 days


posted 776 days ago

Hey, If you guys decide to give it a try at the bike bolt, please jlet us know whether it works or not.

BTW Scott, it helps to have a bicycle as a main way of transportation, you’ve gotta love Japan. :o)

-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin

View Zuki's profile

Zuki

1229 posts in 971 days


posted 775 days ago

I like your post title ScottB . . . MacGyvering. That would be a good title for title for a Forum Topic as we all do that from time to time. Im thinking Niki would be the lead MacGyver with all the stuff he dreams up.

My first router was from Sears . . . but a core box bit got stuck in it . . . and that was that. I then got my DW616 and have recently got a 1/4” plunge from Canadian Tire.

-- The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them

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