Power Tools

[rockislandmike]

Greetings. I've been trying to put one power tool on my Xmas wish list every year the past few years, and stocking up at other times of the year when possible.

My wife and I now have a circular saw, jigsaw, palm sander, and of course electric drill.

My lovely wife now thinks I should add a router to my wish list, but I can't really think of any useful purpose this would serve in model railroading (while my wife of course can think of lots of projects she could use it for).

Any thoughts on how the rest of you use routers, if at all ??? What other power tools would be useful ???

(( the other one I was thinking about is a dremel ))

 

[sumpter250]

Mike,
I use a router to put a 1/4" groove in 1" X 3"'s, which are then glued to 3" X 8' X 1/4" plywood to form 2" X 4" "I" beams, whic are used as portable benchwork for my modules. A router can also be used to cut circles, as in turntable pits, and could be used to build jigs for construction projects.
All in all, routers are pretty versatile devices.
Pete

 

[spitfire]

Router? -- awesome idea. Besides, wouldn't it be a good idea to let your wife have a turn with the power tools?

Once you get one of those, your next thought should be a miter saw - when you find out how easy it is to cut studs with one of those babies you'll be building fences and sheds everywhere (in 1:1 scale) and benchwork supports will be a breeze.

Of course a dremel is pretty indispensable too.......

You've got a tough decision there my friend.

Cheers
Val

 

[billk]

(( the other one I was thinking about is a dremel ))

Dremel - Dremel - Dremel !!
The usages in model railroading and a lot of other hobbies are endless.

 

[jon-monon]

I could not live without, my heart would stop beating, and I would keel over dead, without:

(no specific order, I would just have to buy them within 4 minutes, else dain bramage)

Sawzall (jig saw on steroids) - cut through walls, wood, metal, thick or thin.

Drill - (cordless with removable battery, small) use as a screwdriver and drill an occasional one or two holes.

BAD - (Big (_!_)ed Drill) 1/2 inch drill

Hammer drill - (Cheap one or a good 1/2 one to also use as the BAD) drills ten holes in cement faster than one hole using just the BAD

Angle grinder - grind, wirebrush, and injure self

Dremel - or other roto tool, mine's a Ryobi

Circular saw

Jitterbug sander

Also can limp, but not live in harmony without:

Small drill press

Bench grinder

Small table saw

Wagoner power sprayer (this one buys itself as soon as the wife wants the house painted, just quote it in the cost of paint!!!

After all that, we can go on to air compressors (and air brushes!), wood working tools and eventually, groceries

 

[Gary Pfeil]

No contest in a choice between a router and a Dremel! I use my dremel all the time. A router is nice, I bought one to build my helix and have had occasion to use it elsewhere, but a Dremel is virtually vital! Perhaps she can buy the Dremel for you and you could buy the router for her!

Gary

 

[NYCentral]

I agree with Gary, Dremel!! I use mine almost every day.

 

[t. alexander]

Jon, good to see your priorities are right.

Hummm, bench sander & bandsaw beside the Dremel is what I find most useful to me.

t.

 

[Wyomingite]

Hey Mike

I would agree with most tools mentioned but being a woodworker had all those tools before getting into the hobby. For me the Dremel tool is wonderful for model railroading and a good cordless drill for drilling or running screws is a big time saver and sure keeps those cords out from under foot. Ron

 

[Vic]

If y'all decided on the router get a table to go with it....makes those projects your wife is thinking about go a lot easier

The next tool I want is a Roto-Zip...It looks like a small router but is actually a plunge saw with a spiral blade...you can use it to cut out holes or shapes but it will move in any direction at anytime. In other words you can make one continous cut in any shape. Dremel makes one too but I forget what they call theirs.

 

[60103]

Mike:
Have you ever used a router? I heard that lots of guys get them but get scared off the first time they actually try to use them.
One of the worksop shows on TV showed a plunge router -- spring loaded so you put it in position, push down and rout about (if yr Canadian "root aboot") in the middle of a surface.

But how have you survived this long without a Dremel?

 

[farmer ron]

Mike, I agree with the dremel, they are a tool that is something that you will use throught your hobby life. There is so many uses for one, once you own one you will wonder how you servived without one. If you can aford it get the drill press that is made for the dremel, this is perfect not only as a drill press for 90 degree holes but also can be perfect for usages where you want to handle the product and have the tool stationary.
One other tool that I get a lot of useage out of is a stationary sander, you can get them for around $100 to $150 canadian at most tool supply centers (sears, revey, home depot etc) they are a bench mounted device with two samders on them, one on a wheel and one on a belt. They range from 1 inch belts up to about 4 inch belts (of course the larger the belt the larger the wheel sander will be and of course the more money). I do lots of scratch building and it is perfect for getting the ends either 90 or 45 degree. Also use it for sanding woodworking projects like cupboards under the layout, book cases etc.
Ron..

 

[Vic]

I've always and still do have a Dremel tool but a couple of years ago I got a Ryobi motor tool....sure does run smoother and quieter than a Dremel. Just about all the Dremel stuff will fit it.

 

[pcentral]

David, I think e must live out in the tullies, eh! If you don't have a Dremel and you do just about any hobbies, you're doing things the hard way. I have a Black and Decker motor tool and want to get a Dremel now. My B&D works great but I want the Dremel deluxe set that has the flex shaft, tons of attachments, a Roto Zip type attachment and the case to keep it all together. I have a router and it barely gets used. My next power tool on the list to get besides the Dremel is the combo disc/belt sander mentioned before. I do alot of creative projects to relax besides mrr , and one of those sanders would be a timesaver.

 

[jon-monon]

Originally posted by Vic
I've always and still do have a Dremel tool but a couple of years ago I got a Ryobi motor tool....sure does run smoother and quieter than a Dremel. Just about all the Dremel stuff will fit it.

I've had dremels, and sears, and now ryobi, and I would say it's at least as good and costs less. Got the flex shaft for under $10 at a road show, so now it hangs off a rafter in the garage ready to go. Ryobi attachments are a lot less expensive too. From a modeling prospective, this type of tool is probably onthe top of the list, but man, the sawzall is a great testosterone booster!

Power tools are like model trains, man, ya just gotta have 'em ALL!

 

[Vic]

Hi Jon, About the only thing so far that I found that wouldn't fit the Ryobi was the Dremel drill chuck but I solved that problem too.

The shaft of the Ryobi doesn't have enough thread to screw the chuck down tight onto the tool. So what I did was stick a small wheel collet inside of the back side of the chuck and screw it on to the tool. Works fine now.

By golly Where there's a will there's a way!!!

 

[jon-monon]

Good thing to know, Vic. I sure like that flex shaft. Ryobi makes decent stuff.

 

[John Sneed]

tools

Jon How does your sears tool work.I was looking at them,and just about dicided to buy it.I got distracted,and then forgot about it.
John

 

[Casey Feedwater]

Originally posted by Vic
Hi Jon, About the only thing so far that I found that wouldn't fit the Ryobi was the Dremel drill chuck but I solved that problem too.

The shaft of the Ryobi doesn't have enough thread to screw the chuck down tight onto the tool. So what I did was stick a small wheel collet inside of the back side of the chuck and screw it on to the tool. Works fine now.

By golly Where there's a will there's a way!!!

Where there's a wheel there's a way. hehehe

 

[Vic]

Re: tools

Originally posted by John Sneed
Jon How does your sears tool work.I was looking at them,and just about dicided to buy it.I got distracted,and then forgot about it.
John

Hi John,
The Sears brand is made by Dremel. Check Home Depot or Lowes. They usually have real good prices on Dremel sets.