My New Radial Arm Router

I like it.

Me too.

Great repurpose. Very innovative.

-- Respectfully, Paul

Not bad. Not bad at all. Pretty darn nice, in fact.

-- Mistakes are what pave the road to perfection

TTF,

You beat me to the punch. I came across a Radial Arm Saw very inexpensive and in really good shape. So, I bought it and had the same idea. I have a Rockwell router that I rarely use and thought that the two combined might give me some additional options.
Looks like you fabricated the “router holder”.
I just moved and am in the process of resetting up my shop so the overhead wood milling machine might have to be delayed a bit.
Keep us posted of your progress.

-- I can see the cheese heads from here and it is great.

Maybe insert a pin in the T slot and make an overhead pin router?

Marty,

Yup – I fabricated the router holder out of white oak, so it would be solid.

Here is a picture from the bottom. Half circle cradle with hose clamps. On the right side of the cradle, I put in a metal tab to lock in the router so it wouldn’t spin.

Here is the back. I cut a hole to access the speed control, and it allows some additional airflow.

Good luck with your shop set-up.

-- Troy | http://tf-workshop.com | The more I see nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator. - Louis Pasteur

I will try the pin router idea.

-- Troy | http://tf-workshop.com | The more I see nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator. - Louis Pasteur

Update: I’ve been using this thing for about 6 months, and I really like it. I use it to cut slots and mortises all the time. I have also ended up using it for regular router functions, like edge rounding. Unlike my router table, I can see the bit and do slight adjustments easily.

I ended up buying another radial arm saw – a larger 1950’s DeWalt – as well for $30. I keep a 1/2” dado on it for removing lots of material fast. Between these two tools, my woodworking has gotten a lot more efficient.

-- Troy | http://tf-workshop.com | The more I see nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator. - Louis Pasteur

Sweet. Wish I had room for one.

-- Rick M, http://thewoodknack.blogspot.com/

Ya just gotta love creative ingenuity. TTF your awesome!

Rick & Bob – thanks.

-- Troy | http://tf-workshop.com | The more I see nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator. - Louis Pasteur

Always wanted to build an over arm router but never got around to it!
This is a superior machine you have there now, really nice work.

-- "I never met a board I didn't like!"

Oldnovice, thanks very much for your kind words and encouragement.

-- Troy | http://tf-workshop.com | The more I see nature, the more I am amazed at the Creator. - Louis Pasteur

TTF, you know that many of the manual production routers use the over arm routers!
Multipe templates, many routers, much production without a CNC.
A shop, I once visited in Wisconsin, has a number of these along with a number of very large 4 spindle routers.

-- "I never met a board I didn't like!"