Wolf Router table use (yeah I know its a cheap piece of kit)

[Cret]

Hi guys

I picked up this Wolf router table at a garage sale some time back for next to nothing and have buckled up my Bosch router beneath it securely.
I know it's a cheap piece of kit and not that well liked so I don't have massive expectations but I'm looking forward to using it, and my router experience in general is very lacking so I think this is a good way to learn.

One thing I'm unsure about as I don't have a manual for it (and this is probably a really stupid question), but how does the power control work for this???

It's got effectively a normal mains switched socket on the front of it to plug the router plug into, and to switch the power supply on/off, but how to I effectively bypass the controls on the router itself for hands free operation? I.e. I can't turn this router on and lock it running, but surely you're not expected to run workpieces through with one hand constantly under the table keeping the router switches running?!

I think I'm missing part of the equation here, so appreciate any help (other than "throw it away and buy an expensive one" - I appreciate the sentiment of that response but it doesn't help).

Cheers!

 

[MMUK]

In most cases you should be able to clamp the router's switch in the ON position with a small spring clamp or G clamp.

 

[Cret]

Thanks mate - I did wonder if I'm supposed to just tape down the controls or something but despite my illustrious bodging lifetime I try more & more not to do it these days and it seemed, well, like a bodge way of doing it.

I don't mind if that's the norm, just thought there must be a more 'proper' way of running one of these, i.e. in the manual I can't picture it just saying to use electrical tape or a clamp surely?
Guess maybe it does but as I say I don't have the manual.

 

[Cret]

I think from the look of it and other pics I've seen online, its already been bodged as I can't imagine it came from the factory with a standard 240v socket/switch on the front to control it - I think it's in place of probably a plunge stop type on/off button. Might get one to put back on it I think, although it'll still need the socket but at least it'd have a big red off button again, just in case...

 

[n0legs]

When you've figured out how to lock the router in the on position, get yourself one of these:-
http://www.axminster.co.uk/nvr-switch-with-13a-socket
Might be a finger saver if the power goes out when in use.

 

[Cret]

Just the ticket actually thanks!

Next stupid question though is while it's obviously the sort of thing that ought to be on there anyway, how does it help if the power goes out? Every day's a schoolday!
I guess by shutting off when there's no power it means it's not going to suddenly come back on unexpectedly.

A cable tie did the job for the 'trigger', and I've checked it works ok from the socket switch controlling it but it's pretty 'ghetto' and I don't intend it staying like this.

Have bolted on the side supports for the table and they're an awful fit. They don't provide a smooth feed in at all:

Here's the offending switch setup. Like I say it functions ok, but no big red off button is not a wise idea I don't think!

There's a little section on the outfeed side of the fence that has its own slide in/out bit. Not sure what the purpose of that is unless you set it out to the position you've removed from the workpiece to help support the feed?

 

[n0legs]

Next stupid question though is while it's obviously the sort of thing that ought to be on there anyway, how does it help if the power goes out? Every day's a schoolday!
I guess by shutting off when there's no power it means it's not going to suddenly come back on unexpectedly.

No such thing as a stupid question when it comes to safety.
Yes that's it exactly.

Your table looks a lot like the ones Aldi sold a while back. A mate bought one, took his time setting it up and fiddled with it for a while. It produces good results now.

 

[Cret]

Thanks. I figure it's not going to be amazing but I'm used to tweaking and meddling to try and improve things and expect to on this.

I think this specifically was UK Home Shopping, as it has their website address on it, but still branded as a Wolf one:
http://www.ukhs.tv/Tools/Power-Tools/Router-Table

Will have to see what else I need from Axminster although they don't have stock of those switches currently. Still, I can always fit a separate socket (not a bloody bakelite one!!!) and NVR instead of an all in one. Just not quite as neat.

 

[Fergal]

I had the Aldi version of that table (mine still had the NVR switch though) and I tried fiddling with it for ages to get it to work properly, I even modified it so that I could crank the router up and down from above, but it just never worked very well and annoyed me so much I ended up giving it away. The Aldi router that came with it was rubbish, and your Bosch is probably much better, but that doesn't make up for the inadequacies of the table.

I ended up making my own table and fence out of scrap melamine chipboard. It didn't take long and it's much less annoying to use.

Cheers

Fergal

 

[mseries]

NVR = no volt release. So when the power goes off from the mains side, the switch is released (opened) and has to be reset by pressing the start switch. So if the mains goes off, your tools stops, you start dicking around with your tool to see what's wrong, the power is restored, the tool does not restart and you don't lose a digit.

Older routers and some new old pattern ones have a latching on/off switch that do not require holding to keep the tool powered up. Three of my four have this.

 

[Cret]

Sorry - missed these last replies - thanks for the info.

Fergal, I've just been busy doing the same sort of thing - making my own table.
I got round to trying out the wolf table and it was indeed horrible to use. So I've built a fairly crude table of my own which has the wolf one embedded beneath it for the sake of ease/laziness just keeping the legs and all the mount points for router/fence/feather board etc.

It's not very good, and I've yet to try it as I only finished tonight (too late for firing up a router!), but for what it's worth this is it:

The hole in the fence is huge, so I made an insert for it to make it work better when working with short workpieces. In theory at least....

So in the morning I'm going to try it out, and if it works a bit better than the original then I intend to get busy practising how to use it and trying to make a few bits & bobs.
Kind of excited about learning some useful new stuff!

 

[Cret]

Update!

Ok this morning I have had a play with my new table, and while it does leave a bit to be desired it's WAY better than trying to use the original.
Finally I can make good use of my router, which opens up a whole world of stuff to me now. I'm really pleased.

There's one issue I've found which I'm sure will be down to me, and not the table/router, but I'm hoping someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong here if possible.
One of the test cuts I've been trying is a rounded bit to cut an oval recess into two pieces of batten, so that they can be hinged together as a basic pen box for a single pen.
I'm just using scrap bits of pine for trying this as it's new to me so I realise of course I need to practise using it, but every time I cut a slot like this, I get a bit at each end where the path seems to deviate to the side a little, and I can't see how it's happening, i.e.
1) The workpiece seems to move smoothly along the fence without moving side to side at all (whether I use the feather board or not)
2) It doesn't 'feel' any different when it's at either end, except of course for lowering the workpiece onto the bit at one end (I'm doing it in small steps then raising the bit higher and doing another pass)

But it seems to be consistently at the same sides each time, even though I can't feel it doing something wrong. But, I only seem to get this happening with this particular bit/slot. I.e. I've used other bits and run a profile along the length of another batten and it's fine at each end, so I don't get why this one is behaving differently.

I'm certain it must be moving a bit at each end (the wood I mean) but don't get why I can't notice that, and how that's happening when it all appears straight & smooth along the fence. Maybe I should just get busy making a new fence, since that seems to be a popular thing to do. This one is limited after all in the length of the slots etc.

The other question that's occurred to me is that on the exit side of this fence it has a small section that can be slid in & out and locked in position. Is this just there for using as a stop, or for some other purpose? Not sure it'd be that useful as a stop since you can't vary how close to the bit it is, just the in/out movement of it, so I think it's for a different purpose.

Thanks!


Not ok:

What I'm trying to do basically:

Other profiles that seem ok:

 

[Cret]

Update - ok, I made my own fence, which isn't quite as tall (might have to change that later some point), but it has removed the doubt over surface variations where I had added the insert section, and the other piece I described that moves in & out, plus I used the router by hand to cut the slots and made them much longer than the original one for more space to move bigger workpieces etc. Also made the fence itself way longer:

At some point I might add something to fill the heads of the screws perfectly flush with the surface as they're ever so slightly recessed but it's not a priority I don't think.

Anyway, I tried cutting the same kind of slot again and it was a big improvement, but the problem I described still happens ever so slightly, so now I'm more baffled I guess since I was trying to make sure the workpiece didn't move at all as I lowered it, or at the end of the cut etc, and I used a much longer workpiece, yet it's still done it slightly.

Hard to see on this pic, but you might be able to make out the slight variation in the cut, just to the right of the top of the dark bit where it's got hot lowering the wood onto the bit:

The other end:

So I'm pleased with the new fence as it's much more practical (except for being less tall), and seems to have given a big improvement in results, but not quite spot on with these rounded bit cuts.

If someone can point me out where I'm not doing something right I'd be really grateful, cheers!
By the way the edge of the workpiece that runs along the fence is flat & smooth despite appearance in these pics, so it's not because there's a bump the makes it move etc.