Compression Router/Mortise Comp Router?

[nat_wheatley]

What's the difference between these types of bit?

[bleeth]

A compression router (standard) will usually have a longer up-cut area as well as more efficient plunge geometry at the tip making it good for cutting out parts with a cleaner cut top and bottom and causing less stress on the bearings of your router while plunging. A Mortise type will usually have a shallower upcut portion and flat end machining making it better for shallower dados in things like cabinet sides. You can also get compression cutters with deeper upcut and flat bottom machining for deeper dados.
All I want for Christmas is a tool-changer so I can have all three of these babies as well as my 5mm bit useable for cutting cab parts more efficiently with no manual tool changing!! Tool-changing will probably be the only reason I ever go elsewhere than SB for my flat bed CNC.

[mikeacg]

Maybe if enough of us ask, they will build it for us? I'm with you, Dave!

Mike

[jimmya]

Shopbot tool-changer Shopbot tool-changer Shopbot tool-changer
NEED I SAY MORE SHOPBOT

[jerry_stanek]

If you have the Porter cable router look at the Midwest rapid quick change tool changer. John Forney has one that he showed us at his camp shopbot

[bleeth]

They were working on one a few years ago but it hit the back burner. With the PRS Alpha large bed it would be a natural at this point IMHO. I understand that by the time you bought a new fully equipped Alpha it would be far from the entry level pricing of a basic bot but for the Alpha to truly live up to it's advertised use as "the machine for serious production work" it is not really an option but rather required equipment. Without it it is sort of like buying a Vette with a hand crank starter!!

[Gary Campbell]

Dave..
Too bad you dont have a PRS... My project for 2009 is to make a tool changer that works on both my A & Z. You can send a big development check and I will mfgr it to be backwards compatible.

Gary

[mikeacg]

Gary,

Think PRSAlpha Buddy 48"!!!

Ha ha! I'm making pinned jigs so I can run all of one tool and then switch and run all of the next on production stuff but a tool changer would be easy to justify (though my bookkeeper might not see it that way...)

Good to hear that they are considering it though! So far I have been very impressed!!

Mike

[Gary Campbell]

Mike...
I dont think that most buddy users would be willing to give up the space required for the changer or the $5-7K it would cost to add one. That would be in addition to Alpha with spindle pricing. It would include place holders for 8 to 10 tools. Now you know why we all dont have one.
Gary

[bleeth]

Gary: By the time I paid the development check and we had a working module I could buy a Haas with a proven history!!

[mikeacg]

Gary,

I was visiting my buddy at Sound Machining last week and he has a tool changer on his mill. It was an extra $5 thousand and he wouldn't be without it. You are right - most people wouldn't pay for it. I bought a 48" Buddy and put the 12 ft. PowerStick on it. Most of the time I don't need the extra travel but if I do, I just open up the garage door and let it run out into the yard. I would make room for a changer! (I have a chainsaw and I'm not afraid to use it!)

Mike

[mikeacg]

Nat,

Sorry for hijacking your thread!

Mike

[wberminio]

Nat ,
Getting back to your original question,
I have been using Mortise Compression bits from Centurion Tools to cut my cabinet parts,blind dados,and tenons.I cut hardwood veneer ply(mostly
cherry,prefinished maple ....)and have had great success with them.No chip out,clean crisp cuts.

Erminio

[Gary Campbell]

Nat...
Echo what Erminio says, the Centurion 3/8" MC is our goto bit for plywood. Many other things too. If we could only get them to start cutting O flutes.

Dave.. I should have never showed you that machine!

Michael... You guys with the Buddy have a built in tool holder. Buy the ATC spindle and make it work.

Gary

[myxpykalix]

Centurion makes a straight flute bit.
http://www.centuriontools.com/router_bits_toolcase/centurion_tools_showcase.html?cart=122870864321456 45&splashPG=y&__max=6&pageID=1&id2=5&noitems=T&sta rtat=1&--woSECTIONSdatarq=5&--SECTIONSword=ww

[Gary Campbell]

Jack...
Sorry, you cant collect your nickel on this one. I talked to Fred some time back, they dont have the tooling to cut O flutes.
Gary

[mikeacg]

Gary

I have the HSD spindle but I never saw anything about an ATC... Where do I find this?

Mike

[Gary Campbell]

Mike...
The ATC (automatic tool changer) spindle has a hollow shaft that acommodates a drawbar which secures the toolholder to the arbor instead of a collet. This drawbar is usually air operated and allows toolchanging. the price of an ATC spindle is a major part of the expense of the changer. This post gives some insight: http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/312/30299.html
Gary