right angle/tight quarters router?

D

drew gandy

Junior
Jul 17, 2011
419
0
16
Chicago
I've got a mod I want to do in some boxes where I want to get a router bit inside the box and pretty close to a side wall. I've been looking around for a right angle router but not finding anything. I did find this cute little "micro router" but I don't think a 1/4" bit is gonna do what I want & it still might not get close enough to the side wall to cut the recess that I want.
PROXXON TOOLS: Micro Router MOF - The General Store
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Now don't go confusing me with "solutions"! ;)
I basically need to router out a circular recess in a panel so a woofer can be mounted to it face down and have room to "move". (clearance for excursion) I may only need to get about 2" or so from the side wall but I need to remeasure again to be sure. I decided that my ryobi trim router was just a pinch too big to fit where I need it. I'm kind of surprised that I haven't seen anything right angle in my google searching. I would think that there would be demand for a tool that could get right up to an edge on 2 sides with limited vertical clearance. I could probably do something with a dremel but I think it would take a long long time.
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

drew gandy said:
I've got a mod I want to do in some boxes where I want to get a router bit inside the box and pretty close to a side wall. I've been looking around for a right angle router but not finding anything. I did find this cute little "micro router" but I don't think a 1/4" bit is gonna do what I want & it still might not get close enough to the side wall to cut the recess that I want.
PROXXON TOOLS: Micro Router MOF - The General Store
Click to expand...

See if there is anything you can do with this.

Rotozip

There seems to be no end to the cool things one can do with a Rotozip....
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

I used to have something like this:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200406380_200406380?cm_mmc=Google-pla-_-Power%20Tools-_-Power%20Tool%20Accessories-_-331403&ci_sku=331403&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw={keyword}
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

"Used to"?

With a recommended RPM of 400 I don't think it would work well for a router bit. But the price is right.
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Mark DeArman said:
Hah, maybe fit a router bit to a right angle disc grinder 8O~8-O~:shock: (PS. I wont be responsible for the results)
Click to expand...

This has crossed my mind a few times. Not sure what kind of chuck it would take but the RPMs are there. The crucial part is the "base". But crossbreeding tools like this might be beyond the scope of this project. I'll have to think about it some more. Thanks for the input guys.
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Tim Padrick said:
Would it not be far easier to put a second gasket on the driver to space it farther from the surface that you intend to route?
Click to expand...

What I really want to do is router out 2 rings. One to recess the woofer a bit and the other for the excursion. Seeing as that seems especially difficult I'm willing to forgo the woofer recess. But I don't want to go any "higher" than that. And even still it's looking like this modification might be more trouble than it's worth.
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Craig Hauber said:
Really high quality chisel set and hand carve it. (not as difficult as you think with good tools)
Click to expand...

Nice! But I still expect Baltic Birch to offer some significant resistance.

I just looked at a corded laminate trimmer @ a friend's shop & I think it might work. Don't remember the brand (either Bosch or Ryobi I think). It looks like it's quite a bit shorter in height than a rotozip or the Ryobi battery powered trim router.

Btw, just to gauge the interest, who here would buy a right angle router if it existed?
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

drew gandy said:
Nice! But I still expect Baltic Birch to offer some significant resistance.
Click to expand...

Not as hard or as much resistance as you might think.

Draw a line around the area to cut
Tap the chisel around the line, making sure it penetrates the layer you want to remove fully
Remove one layer of plywood at a time.
The thin layers in Baltic birch make this a more precise job than plywood with thicker layers.
(use a sharp chisel and keep your fingers out of it's way)
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

drew gandy said:
Btw, just to gauge the interest, who here would buy a right angle router if it existed?
Click to expand...
I ran in to a similar problem as you, but my smallest router is only about 4 inches wide and fit in the space I needed, so I'll just stick with the four I have.
Didn't like changing that bit though..
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Art Welter said:
I ran in to a similar problem as you, but my smallest router is only about 4 inches wide and fit in the space I needed, so I'll just stick with the four I have.
Didn't like changing that bit though..
Click to expand...

Same here, although I'm darned good at changing bits, blades, etc.

Drew, Craig's suggestion of a wood chisel and mallet are viable, I've done it many times on Baltic Birch. I often times use a handplane to level edges of cabinets I've just assembled too. Quiet, and you keep those arms in shape. ;>)

The art of sharpening these tools is mandatory though, a dull chisel can be more dangerous than a sharp one.

Best regards,

John
 
Re: right angle/tight quarters router?

Hi Drew. Long time lurker, first time poster. I hope I'm not too late with this...

What might work for you is an "offset base" for a trim router. The offset base uses a small belt to drive the offset router shaft. The wedge-shaped base plate enables you to get up close along walls, about 3/4" to the center of the bit. Bosch, Porter Cable, Dewalt, Freud, Festool, etc. all have them.
@ John Halliburton. You are quite the woodworker. I'm surprised you don't have one of these. :razz:
Offset Trim Router Base 2.jpgOffset Trim Router Base.jpg
 
Top Bottom