Popular Woodworking 2002-06 № 128, страница 29
Freud's SH-5 Router Table Fence System Freud Inc., known for more than half a century as a leading manufacturer of carbide bits and blades, now is offering another accessory to put those router bits to good use. With the addition of the SH-5 router table fence, Freud now offers everything you need to get routing, including the router. The SH-5 is a split-fence system with micro-adjustable faces that work like the fence systems on high-end shapers. Made of cast and machined aluminum and steel parts, the Freud fence system offers infinitely and independently adjustable in-feed and outfeed fences, with graduated marks on the micro-adjuster calibrated to .001". The fence faces are ^s" melamine-clad medium density fiberboard, with a bearing length of 25" across both fences and a height of 23/16". The fence is designed for use on the Freud router table, but it can be used on any homemade table by installing threaded inserts in your tabletop. In testing, we found the micro-adjustability of the fences to be a strong selling point. The precision and adjustability allowed for any offset required for use as a jointer, for offset profile work or for easy and perfectly flat alignment along the faces. Locking knobs hold the fences in place effectively, once they are positioned for your cut. The housing is constructed of a simple but sturdy steel casting that should last for many years of use. While the fence faces included are designed to be replaceable if damaged and are certainly adequate to the task, we'd likely replace them with taller plastic (phenolic resin) fences for increased support and durability. We continue to wonder how much woodworkers will spend for a fixture, rather than make their own. But considering the micro-adjustable split-fence feature (not available on many other aftermarket fences for router tables) and the durability of the Freud unit, we'd spend the money on this nice fence and build our own router table. For more information, circle #143 on Free Information Card. Freud SH-5 Router Table Fence System Street price: $120 Materials: Steel and aluminum Fence accuracy: .001" Fence size: 23/16" x 25" Performance: ••••◦ Value: •••◦◦ Freud: 800-334-4107 or www.freudinc.com Bench Dog ProLift Offers Convenience and Stability It used to be you just cut a hole in a top and screwed your router to the underside and voila! You'd made a router table! Nowadays it's a science in its own right - with a price tag that would make the Department of Defense smile. Well, truth be told, the new router table inserts are pretty slick, and there are real benefits to them. Two new models from Bench Dog are essentially similar, with the ProLift Ni's motor housing and base plate constructed of cast iron, while the same pieces on the ProLift Al are made of aluminum. The Ni version is designed for use with large fixed-base routers such as the Porter Cable 751S. It also prices at about $380. The Al is designed for use with the 11/2 horsepower fixed-base routers, but still includes the same steel columns and bronze bushings. Priced at $260 (which still isn't chump change) it's more approachable for the home woodworker, so we'll focus on the aluminum model. The ProLift allows convenient from-the-top adjustment of router height using a 9/16" socket driver. In fact, with the reduction ring removed, the router can be run up above tabletop height for easy bit changing. The router is clamped tightly in place in the motor housing and raises and lowers on two 8 teeth-per-inch acme-threaded rods for smooth and balanced adjustment. Two reduction rings adjust the opening size from 2" to 33/4". The ProLift operates smoothly, provides stable, sturdy support and fairly easy access for bit changing. We weren't in love with having to remove three hex-head screws to remove the reduction rings (a snap-in or twist-lock design would have been better), but we like the performance and convenience offered by this lift. Bench Dog has provided a rock-solid and convenient lift; you need to make the decision regarding its value in your shop. PW For more information, circle #144 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Bench Dog Pro-Lift Al Street price: $260 Routers accepted: Porter-Cable 690 Bosch 1617/1618 DeWalt 610 Makita RF1100/01 Bit openings: 2", 25/s", 33/4" Performance: ••••• Value: ••◦◦◦ Bench Dog: 800-786-8902 or www.benchdog.com |
