Building a miniature router for inlay

For very fine inlay work in hardwood I sometimes feel a tiny but precise router would be very useful (the Bosch Colt is about the smallest I use and it's very good but still feels a bit hefty for inlaying bell flowers on a table leg).

There are various commercial offerings around based on the dremel multi tool e.g. Stew Mac base which looks well made (and also like something I could make in the home workshop easily).

However, my experience of dremel tools of recent years has not been encouraging in terms of bearings, longevity, rigidity and I felt that if I were to build this then I could probably devise something better, but before I do, I wondered if anyone knew of a design which had been published for such a tool.

I've got the general type machines that you'd expect to find in a small home workshop (HLV-H / Boley UFR / Hand Surface Grinder) so am quite familiar with making precision items.

Alan, I've PM'd you.

Have you thought of using an Air grinder tool there are some slim powerful tools available. The CP 91042 Chicago is my favourite and with a base makes a great micro router. The only draw back is the compressor you woukd need could be prohibited with noise and cost.

David

Edited By David George 1 on 02/02/2020 08:04:07

Lots of router spindles as used in cheaply CNC machines on eBay. Kress spindles are supposed to be very good but more expensive than Dremel. Or regard the dremel as disposable!

I've muttered about dental handpieces before - high speed one's would probably need coolant (for mere timber you might get away with air coolant) but low speed ones might well do the job albeit air hoses can get in the way. Wires for mains 'dremel' type tools could be a nuisance too. Lidl had some cordless dremel like stuff recently and their warranties are good....
I guess the choice would depends a lot on whether you chisel the outline and use the router just for depth or whether you plan to cut the outline with the router.

Alan,

Have you considered using a pantograph engraving machine ?

The Taylor Hobson A might do nicely, unless you need to work on large panels.

MichaelG..

Thanks for the pantograph engraver suggestion. Strangely (in the way of life) I have a David Dowling machine stored in a back bedroom that I had completely forgotten. Bought for I think one pound in an auction because nobody wanted it it has sat in storage for a while in pieces. Time to get it out - it looks ideal and make some cutters - I know very little about them but it appears that they have some kind of ground taper shank of unknown taper...

Alan

Alan

The David Dowling uses standard Taylor Hobson taper cutters which can often be found on ebay.

I have model 858A along with the correct cutter grinder that goes with it. I also have a PDF manual if you would like a copy.

Phil

.

Phil,

Could you please post some photos of the David Dowling cutter grinder, for reference

... much appreciated

MichaelG.

Made these the otherday for a couple of acoustic guitar builds. Got rid of all my guitar building stuff years ago.

Cheap and cheerful dremel router base and circle/rosette cutter. acrylic , tufnol and delrin scraps and a couple of roofing bolts. Quite solid and works well, only a couple of hours to make..

Hi Michael

I had a blonde moment earlier, the engraver is actually a model 731, I have contacted Alan and arranged to scan my paper copy of the manual to PDF tomorrow.

I will take a few photo's of the 858 cutter grinder and post them up later.

Phil

Alan

You should have got an email from me a while ago.

Another thought I had was to make a new spindle for the Dowling engraver so it will take parallel shank cutters.

I wondered about using ER11 collets, but I have a good stock of the taper shank cutters so never went any further with the idea. The dowling spindle is separate from the actual motor itself, so should not present too many problems in making one with a different nose. These are the bits of a spare spindle and housing I have.

As an aside, I have done a bit of routing for inlay on some of my Victorian musical box cases and lids, I had good results using a Proxxon drill and router kit.

**LINK**

Phil

Without wishing to derail this thread any further off topic than necessary, I, too, have a David Dowling 848 engraver. When I bought it last year, it came with the original typed operating instructions and a couple of pieces of period adverts for the 858A and 595 cutter grinders as well as some of the David Dowling accessories. I've made the whole lot into a combined Word document and pdf version and tidied it up somewhat. PM me if you want a copy.

There are a number of ER11 CNC spindles both with and without power supplies available on eBay for around £50 to £60. They have mounts which, from the pictures, seem to be eminently suitable for grafting onto a DD engraver.

My engraver:

John

P.S. I have been in correspondence with this company, based in Leeds, regarding cutters . They have an extensive range of products.

Pantograph Services

Here as promised are some photo's of the David Dowling 858 cutter grinder.

I have the original bill of sale for this and the engraving machine, the paperwork dates from 1957 and has survived intact through various owners of the machines which must be pretty rare these days.

And finally one of the actual engraving machine.

These can do 3D work up to a point. I used mine to copy some brass emblems for a 3" scale Ruston Lincoln Imp steam tractor.

Phil

Edited By Phil P on 02/02/2020 19:09:39

Many thanks for the pictures, Phil

Impressive kit

MichaelG.

Nice photos Phil - impressed by the emblems!

Alan

We used to own the full size engine back in the 70's, so I was on good terms with its new owner and he lent me one of the original emblems off the engine for a while.

I got a full size copy cast from it, and then used that as the pattern for the 1/4 size version on the engraver.

The model now belongs to yet another new owner of the full size engine, but I still have the full size copy of the emblem hanging on my wall as a memento.

I think we seem to have wandered of thread a bit with all this reminiscing about old times, sorry.

Phil

Well as the original thread creator I have enjoyed the wanderings and have a solution to my inlay problems at the same time. Cannot really complain!