An introduction to the Overhead Router

[Yojevol]

Here's another variation. In this version the pin is overhead
The image is from the manufacturer's website

 

[ScottyT]

Great to see that there are still people out there making good use of these great machines. I had a light dig about didn’t find as much as I thought I had on the photo front but never the less there is a couple to show.

Here’s one set of the couple of louvres the overhead knocked out in their finished state. Came out pretty well and didn’t take long at all. Not sure about them finishing flush? The boards will widen and then protrude the stiles unevenly up and down but I only follow the drawings I am given. The traditional way would always be my preference

Here’s a four panel door I made a few months back, slight curve ball here the overhead actually got me out of trouble as the bevel block chewed it’s clamping screw so I couldn’t machine the raised panels on it, but the overhead did it for me using a small angle cutter with a few passes. Not first choice but ideal given the circumstance.

It’s a job like this gate where the machine really hits the ground running. All of the halvings in the curves in the top section of the gate and all of the halvings in the lattice work in the bottom section are done on the overhead. One template and off you go, super quick, super clean and superb results.

This is the back of the gate, it’s showing it’s plugs! On the far stile (right hand side of photo) there is a detail on the top and then a V cut all the way around it, that’s also done on the O/H. I have only made a couple of these in my time as they are really expensive but if I do get the chance to make another one I will document it to show how immense and invaluable the O/H is for joinery like this.
If you are accurate in making templates then the machine will do all the rest for you over and over again.

Stop chamfering, chamfering, arrising (especially curves) is superb on this machine too. I wouldn’t be without one in my shop. Thanks for sharing and thankyou for taking the time to look at this thread.

 

[Spectric]

Some very nice work has been done there, shows the ability of the overhead router but would a spindle do the same ?

 

[ScottyT]

Some very nice work has been done there, shows the ability of the overhead router but would a spindle do the same ?

Thank you
Pretty much all of the above work I have mentioned cannot be done on a spindle, either not at all, or not practically (mainly not at all)
That’s why it’s such a significant machine to have use of in the shop.

 

[Yojevol]

If anybody fancies one this could be a bargain, but not much time left.
Brian

 

[worn thumbs]

An excellent machine as long as you can work with the 3 phase supply it needs.

 

[ScottyT]

If anybody fancies one this could be a bargain, but not much time left.
Brian

This is as near identical to the one I use, looks to be just a later edition with the modern Wadkin colouring and some other minor details.
No bed extensions that I can see though, and the collets look scarce.
On the flip side a decent selection of pins with it, they cover most of the standard size tooling, I always have one spare in silver steel that I can turn to what I want job dependent.
Great machines.

 

[1Will]

View attachment 160626

Could you elaborate a little on the process used for making this, order of operations, what joints and fixing methods you used? very impressive dude,

thanks

 

[ScottyT]

Could you elaborate a little on the process used for making this, order of operations, what joints and fixing methods you used? very impressive dude,

thanks

Thanks for the kind words.
There is quite a lot of basic detail on the lodge gate that applies to almost anything else in traditional joinery methods. Very briefly it’s stub morticed and tenoned in all of the joints, including the lower lattice work and the upper curves.
The rails are fixed with 1/2” dowel in an age old fixing process called drawboring, this rids the construction of exposed end grain for the harsh Dartmoor environment this was set in.
the halving’s for the lattice work and the curves were machined on the overhead router from jigs I made up to run from the pin.
There is no glue used in the lattice and curves, they simply go into the rails and stiles during final assembly, where they’re locked in until it’s time is done.

 

[James carter]

Now it’s all set and I am happy, I can dog Into all the stiles, 4 are going in one direction 4 are going the other (we call this handing) means no more than 4 are going left and 4 are going right and when you pair them together to make the door they are both going in same direction as they are opposites to each other. No need for two jigs though you simply flip the ply over and Roberts your dads brother!
I mark them all out from my rod so I have a reference and then it’s insert and go, just sliding it up to the mark every cut. I cramp up every time to avoid slippage and break out. Once I machine all the way through I lift the head gear up out the way and return the work back through ready for resetting, I don’t want to back my work up through the cutter again on the reverse slide as it may widen my groove ever so slightly and fluff up my joint.

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Ready to go

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Guard In place, pin up through the jig, cramped up to avoid tear out, push and go.

View attachment 158986

You get the idea from this shot at the repetition and accuracy and how clean it is. It takes minutes to get this done it’s a fantastic machine.

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View attachment 158988

One jig and a few hours work. I have loads of stuff I can load up here if interested! I’ll have a dig about in the archives for some interesting bits

hi I'm just reading through this and am struggling to understand how the jig keeps the work square I assumed the work would try and spin as it went through the cutter any chance you could shoe me somehow hoe this works ? maybe a little sketch or something would be greatly appreciated. many thanks James

 

[SimonStevensCanes]

thanks for sharing this. It's great to learn about uncommon machines and the possibilities that they present. I'm a big fan of creating jigs for highly efficient batch work, and with my limited tools that can be quite challenging. Sometimes it's difficult even using the full range of tools available, so to be able to add another to my palette of tools available for purchase is great.

I can definitely see how a tool like this is better in some cases than a cnc. Removes the risk of the machine being set incorrectly and BRRRRTTTZZZ right through your irreplaceable material. With some jigs it'll be quicker too, albeit at the expense of an operator required 100% of the time.

 

[stuart little]

Fab info thanks, I've seen them often going for some pretty low prices etc and thought a little about how they worked but never seen in action. Too big for my little shop, but with a house move on the horizon I could end up with more space for more machines!

Warning preach incoming!
No intent to upset but the breath you take after lifting your dust mask to blow off the dust is likely undoing any benefit of the mask, you have your face in the dust zone by the work piece and are taking a nice hard breath in. Preach over!

Good bit of 'preach' advice. I guess we're nearly all guilty of doing that, without thinking, at some time or other.