Elu MOF177E Router

[dickm]

Like others, I'm a great fan of the 177E. Got a couple of them (plus a 96 and a 97 - seriously underrated machine IMHO). One of the 177s is mounted in a Ryobi table, which I think is the original of the Record table and has a cast iron top. Certainly would not be classed as flimsy, though I got it for <£100. There are lots of small engineering shops up here, who used to do specialist services for the oil industry, and are still hanging on. Our local one machined out a recess under the tablle into which the base of the 177 fits, so more or less obviating the need for chuck extensions. Done a lot of sub-spindle moulder tasks on it; spindle moulders are reputed to be the most dangerous kit in the workshop, and they certainly scare the sh-you-know-what out of me.
Sadly, my workshop days are coming to an end, so most of this kit will be up for sale in the near future.

 

[NeiljohnUK]

There are a number of router tables out there, I've got an original Black & Decker workmate one that I've never used, a Triton Mk3, a Wolfcraft one, and the one that's done the most work, a slab of kitchen worktop routed out to mount the router under, oh and one of the small e-bay ones from china I use as an expanded router base. Each has advantages, my 1/2" router is a beast and needs to be handled with care, which ever way up it's used, my 1/4" routers actually get more use, the battery trim routers are upright only and that suits me just fine, whatever you do watch lots of users/video's and understand feed direction and kick-back, before you use it!

 

[dickm]

NeiljohnUK said
"the battery trim routers are upright only and that suits me just fine, whatever you do watch lots of users/video's and understand feed direction and kick-back, before you use it!"

Second that strongly. Not sure what he was doing with his trim router, but he routed a very neat v-groove from the top joint of his thumb to the end

 

[Tom P]

Elu produced their own router table for their routers. I have one and it suits the tasks I take on. It's mounted on four tubular legs, like their flip over saw. I fitted my 177E with a fine depth adjuster which was an assessory available for these routers. Well worth fitting if one can be found.

 

[johnnyb]

Whilst i extol the virtues of swiss engineering(love the old bosch 3 inch belt sander) i reckon a 1/4 inch would be a much more sensible option to cut your teeth. Sell the 177 and buy a smaller one, cutters and instruction books with the cash.

 

[johnnyb]

I also extol the virtues of making a router table. Brought ones are usually stupid expensive or cheap and nasty, all have fence alignment "issues"

 

[Rhossydd]

I fitted my 177E with a fine depth adjuster which was an assessory available for these routers. Well worth fitting if one can be found.

No great magic in that. You can make your own with a length of pipe and a nut soldered on the end and any old knob on the other end.

 

[dickm]

Elu produced their own router table for their routers. I have one and it suits the tasks I take on. It's mounted on four tubular legs, like their flip over saw. I fitted my 177E with a fine depth adjuster which was an assessory available for these routers. Well worth fitting if one can be found.

+1 for what Rhossyd says. Mine comprises a suitable nut welded into a tube salvaged from a 1938 Atco mower, topped with the knob used to adjust the stiffness of the backrest in Volvo Amazons!

 

[Tom P]

If you go down the road of making your own fine depth adjuster, you'll need a 12mm coarse nut pitch of 1.75