# Katsu as an overhead router



## Glynne (16 Jul 2018)

I have a DeWalt RAS (2nd hand off eBay) which I was persuaded to buy by Dodge after spending a week in his workshop.
Although I only use it for cross cutting, there is evidently an attachment you can get for mounting a router onto the arm (again Dodge).
Having kept an eye on eBay for one (which clamps onto the motor housing of the saw) and never seeing one for sale, I decided to make my own.



Pretty self explanatory - the jig fits to the saw spindle (16mm) and is further fixed to the blade guard mounting screw at the top. 


Again straightforward, a perspex / acrylic base is added to the router which then slides into the base and is secured with 2 screws. 


The view of the cutter isn't brilliant but there again it isn't normally - but you can see to line up the workpiece underneath.
I'll probably use it to cut housings in small boxes but Dodge used his to cut ornamental grooves in some of his furniture.
Hope its of use to someone.


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## sunnybob (16 Jul 2018)

got any further away pics? I cant work out how fixing a router to a motor helps anything


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## Inspector (16 Jul 2018)

He can put profiled bits in the router and make repeated cuts for surface decoration. Diagonal flutes across a panel with a 1/2" radius bit for example that would be hard without jigs free handing or on a router table. He could also cut arcs the same way buy swinging the arm from side to side. 

Pete


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## sunnybob (16 Jul 2018)

ah! I was thinking it moved with the radial arm


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## Inspector (16 Jul 2018)

It does. You draw it to make the cut same as with a saw blade. The arc cutting was just something I would do. You could also tilt the saw head and that would change the profile of the cut. Picture a core box bit laid over. instead of a round bottom groove you would have more of a comma shape. All kind of possibilities. You could really expand the type of work you could do if the saw motor was removed from the carriage and the router put in its place to take advantage of the tilt and rotation within the carriage to modify the profiles.


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## sunnybob (16 Jul 2018)

nooooo, now my head hurts. I need more vodka.


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## Inspector (16 Jul 2018)

Glad I could help but if you need a little more of a push to the bottle taking the router in the saw and spinning the arm out over the back of the table and making a vertical table and fence would let you make a WoodRat type machine to cut mortices and dovetails. :wink: :lol: :roll: 

Pete


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## peter99 (14 Mar 2019)

Eumenia RAS. 600mm rail. 
I have a virtually new one. Also with an overhead router attachment. 
It's one of those 'got away' items that you never saw and if you did you'd wish you had.


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