Lathe based router

[Wildman]

Ok hard hat on and ready for the oh my God brigade.
My Coronet Major is still keeping me occupied, I have finished the adaption of a minor front turning rest to suit the Major and wondered what to sort out next. Having a 1hp motor would make it a powerful router compared to a hand held Job although it would mean working at 90 deg to normal. so before I start constructing a router table to suit (which will have to be moveable as router will be fixed) I wonder what problems you all forsee, obviously limited in the length I can machine vertically. Anyone done it. Any really good reason why I should not do it.
It would I presume be considered safer than using the spindle moulder that came with it along with a complete set of cutters.

 

[adidat]

i cant help thinking it might be a bit slow (rpm wise) what speeds can you get from your Major?

adidat

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I had a Shopsmith that would go up to 6500rpm or thereabout, and that was nowhere near fast enough for a clean cut with any router cutter - your lathe probably only has half that. Maybe find a way of doing something small and easy first, to see if it actually works, before investing too much time or money in it.

 

[adidat]

a good cut is achieved with a fast shearing motion something like 22K rpm for a smaller bit.

adidat

 

[Phil Pascoe]

My small Bosch ran at 28000rpm.

 

[Wildman]

good thinking everyone, never gave speed a thought. Will lash up something and see what happens before going too far but fear you are correct and it will be a no go. I assumed if fast enough for the moulding spindle then smaller dia cutters would be fine. So something simple and safe needed for a trial.

 

[Wildman]

max speed is 4000 rpm and the Coronet manual shows lots of processes carried out with a router bit so assume it must work to a point.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Advertising laws weren't quite so strict then - a little exageration might have figured.