Nifty accessories from Stew-Mac for marquetry

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atlr

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Thought I would share.

I was considering buying a Dremel plunge router base today. Amazon reviewers point out that the Dremel base lacks precision. A couple reviewers mentioned a Stew-Mac base so I searched for that.

Stewart-Macdonald has a nifty collection of accessories for marquetry.http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Inlay_and_Pearl_Cutting/http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Bits/

The Precision Base Router Base Set and carbide bits are now on my wish list.
 
I've taken inlay and veneer classes at Marc Adams and a couple of the other students had that plunge base it is built with fabulous quality and precision. It's definitely on my short list. Cool stuff.
 
I have the Foredom and the William NG version of that router base.  William's is more expensive only because it adds a gooseneck LED and a down-port for air.  The air port is worthless, to me, since I don't want it stirring up the dust continuously and having an additional drag on the base; just puff air yourself and be done with it.  The LED is nice, but you could buy any number of small LEDs from Lee Valley and stick them on that base and they would work as well or better since the body of the gooseneck flops around.  The Stew-Mac version also has nicer micro-adjuster screws.

I am actually using mine for wire inlay right now on a project... 35 feet of inlay :)  With all the straights, I made an adapter to use the 1400 guide stops with it:

[attachthumb=1]

One product William NG sells that is pretty nice is the carbide router bits. They are the same-ish as the Stew-Mac bits, but include a collar that indicates their size.  While that's nice, the important part is the collar is a fixed distance from the tip.  This means you can set your router for a specific depth with, say, the 1/16" bit, route the outside edges, then switch to the 1/8" bit to "hog out"  [tongue] without recalibrating the base since the bit will bottom out against the collar with the same cutter projection.

 

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If these were hard drugs ... I'd be in therapy and you'd both be in lockup [embarassed] [crying]

Now - what do I "need" ?? [smile]
 
Kev said:
If these were hard drugs ... I'd be in therapy and you'd both be in lockup [embarassed] [crying]
Click to expand...

Laugh, chuckle, snort...Good one, Kev!

That is the funniest TRUTH I've read in a long time.
 
PaulMarcel said:
I have the Foredom and the William NG version of that router base.  William's is more expensive only because it adds a gooseneck LED and a down-port for air.  The air port is worthless, to me, since I don't want it stirring up the dust continuously and having an additional drag on the base; just puff air yourself and be done with it.  The LED is nice, but you could buy any number of small LEDs from Lee Valley and stick them on that base and they would work as well or better since the body of the gooseneck flops around.  The Stew-Mac version also has nicer micro-adjuster screws.

I am actually using mine for wire inlay right now on a project... 35 feet of inlay :)  With all the straights, I made an adapter to use the 1400 guide stops with it:

[attachthumb=1]

One product William NG sells that is pretty nice is the carbide router bits. They are the same-ish as the Stew-Mac bits, but include a collar that indicates their size.  While that's nice, the important part is the collar is a fixed distance from the tip.  This means you can set your router for a specific depth with, say, the 1/16" bit, route the outside edges, then switch to the 1/8" bit to "hog out"  [tongue] without recalibrating the base since the bit will bottom out against the collar with the same cutter projection.
Click to expand...

Paul, the Stew Mac version is only for Dremels. Do you think the Foredom is worth the extra cost?
 
I'm pretty sure the NG and the StewMac versions of the router are the same one.  The SM version doesn't come with the LED or the tubing for the air blower, but it does have that port in the body.  Also, the "solution" for using the router with a foredom is pretty simple, there's a handpiece for the foredom with the same threading as found on the front of a dremel.  http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Routers/Foredom_Power_Tools/Foredom_Handpiece.html

Or just buy it as a package from SM  http://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Routers/Foredom_Power_Tools/Foredom_Power_Tool_with_Precision_Router_Base_Set_Domestic.html
 
Hard to know if a Foredom is better than a Dremel.  I only have an old Dremel I used for grout replacement.  The Foredom is nice because the motor is more powerful and is separate; the handpiece is pretty small.  There are literally a dozen handpieces to choose from.  There's the basic handpiece for rotary tools, but also hammer handpieces and special ones for polishing.  Motor is reversible.

Many other accessories for the Foredom have likely been copied for the Dremel like the angle-grinder head, lathe, drill-press, etc.

I swear the StewMac version of the base comes in a version for the Foredom.
 
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