Ski Builders Forum

Hello,
just build a device for sidewalls beveling but immediately faced the problem with router. It is second time when router armature breaks. I don't know what the reason...

The guys from repair shop say that there might be to big pressure on the router but still not sure. I do not understand the real reason and repairing is expensive((
Has anybody faced this problem before?
Maybe there is another way for beveling sidewalls? I saw on one video that it is possible to use band-saw.
any advices are appreciated!!

Thank you in advance.

What do you mean by the router armature? And where does it break? Based on the pic, the top part of the setup needs to be able to follow the contour of the ski. I see that there is a spring there so looks like that's will allow it to flex up and down.

skidesmond wrote:What do you mean by the router armature? And where does it break? Based on the pic, the top part of the setup needs to be able to follow the contour of the ski. I see that there is a spring there so looks like that's will allow it to flex up and down.

Dear Skidesmond,
by the router armature I meant this

It was broken under the graphite brushes.
Here is the picture of place where armature was broken ( you may see melted plastic on the wire).

It is second or third time when we meet such problem. I was told that when armature is replaced once the router life would be much shorter.
As for contour, I did kind radius that corresponds to sidecut radius of the board. It keeps edge from contact with router bit blade.

But this method is not that good. The best way is to use router bit like dovetail with bearing.
We made router inclined and let it be set for any angle. But this way do not allow to use bearing.
And second picture shows the setup of the router (it just need to be bolted to metal plate.

here is pic of the device we use. Not the best on the market but promised to work long)

Now I see what you mean by armature. I never had one of those break. Maybe you're over thinking the process. I have been thinking of getting a router table and beveling edges also. But I was thinking of having the router mounted underneath as you have it with a straight cutting bit. Instead of tilting the router make a sled at your desired angle for the ski to sit on. You can hold the ski in place or make some kind of attachment to hold it in place.

Thoughts?

skidesmond wrote: But I was thinking of having the router mounted underneath as you have it with a straight cutting bit. Instead of tilting the router make a sled at your desired angle for the ski to sit on. You can hold the ski in place or make some kind of attachment to hold it in place.

Thoughts?

Excuse me, what do you mean by the sled? Do you mean that it has to be kind of stand and ski has to be fixed on it? And instead of moving the ski we move stand with fixed ski on it?
I might do not understand))

Basically think of it as a board with an angle that is as long as the ski. Put the ski on the board. Hold it in place by hand or clamp. Then slide the board with the ski on it along the router. The router is mounted in the table just as you have it but do not tilt the router.

Does this help? I can try to draw a pic and post later.

skidesmond wrote:Basically think of it as a board with an angle that is as long as the ski. Put the ski on the board. Hold it in place by hand or clamp. Then slide the board with the ski on it along the router. The router is mounted in the table just as you have it but do not tilt the router.

Does this help? I can try to draw a pic and post later.

Oh, great, I have understood you right!)
It is interesting idea, but there might be difficulties with holding ski down to the board. Clamps might help a lot (maybe even clamps that press some board to the ski in order to get uniform fit. Kind of sandwich construction) but there have to be such way to place them and not to interfere the working process.
Also may be it will be possible to place pressing rollers at an angle and it will be the same construction as I have now but with angular table.
But in general dovetail with bearing would be nice solution.
Or at the worst I'm thinking to use tilt base for router and move router back and forth along the sidecut.

Hi,

i think the dovetail is the easiest way. tilting the whole board on the table might lead to problems with the sidecut of the board, as the board is wider near the tail and tip.

Afaik most people here just turn the ski/board upside down when routing the sidewalls, seems the easiest way.

And you do not need a dovetail with bearing when using the upside down method. just a normal fence on the router to limit the routing depth. Like this you can rout in several passes if needed. Hope you get what I mean.

pmg wrote:Hi,

i think the dovetail is the easiest way. tilting the whole board on the table might lead to problems with the sidecut of the board, as the board is wider near the tail and tip.

Afaik most people here just turn the ski/board upside down when routing the sidewalls, seems the easiest way.

Hello,
using dovetail with bearing makes it easier, indeed. And yes, upside down also seems the easiest way.
But as it was written in some previous topics, it is difficult to find dovetail with small bearing. And even more, this joy is not cheap.

PMG, Actually that's what I'm doing. But some day I'd like to build a router table and bevel my edges on that.

Motoman, Maybe you need a better router. Your setup looks ok. I never had a router burn out.

Hi,

don't really get the big difference between using a dovetail router with fence or a dovetail router with a bearing...


@skidesmond: Why do you plan on changing? Any issues with the upside down method?

skidesmond wrote: Motoman, Maybe you need a better router. Y

You are probably right. The reason lies in in our router.
But now I am filled with a sense of confusion. I'm right afraid to touch the router and understand that I do not have a choice))

pmg wrote:And you do not need a dovetail with bearing when using the upside down method. just a normal fence on the router to limit the routing depth. Like this you can rout in several passes if needed. Hope you get what I mean.

I might understand you. This is handmade accessory that copy the curve of sidecut and is located on the sides of the dovetail, am I right?

motoman wrote: I might understand you. This is handmade accessory that copy the curve of sidecut and is located on the sides of the dovetail, am I right?

Yes, but not neccessarily handmade. Its a standard thing with most routers, e.g. mine:
https://images.bosch-professional.com/d ... -24345.jpg