Who has a AUK 2400w router?

[Calum Bettison]

Hey all,

I’m on the cusp of pressing buy on the AUK router and Incra lift combo. Ideally with the Woodworkers workshop 10% off Black Friday deal. Ends 4th Dec I believe.

I plan to install it into a cabinet with below table extraction, but have two concerns (which I believe many other people share).

• Router blows air up whilst DX sucks air down, putting strain on motor and reducing effectiveness of DX.

• Dust in enclosure gets circulated through router motor (clearly bad for motor).

I’ve seen the new Jessem power tek router who’s design features solve both of these issues, but I don’t think I can justify the cost.

The two design features that I’m hoping I can replicate with 3D printing for the AUK are:

• Some sort of flange which can sit below the collet, deflecting motor exhaust air to the side

• A shroud to sit around the router air intake which can draw fresh air from outside the cabinet via flexible ducting.

My question to any AUK/Incra owners:

Would there be space below the collet/above the motor fan to fit a neatly designed flange, whilst leaving enough space to use the wrenches?

I’ve spent ages looking at AUK videos and photos, but I just can’t tell the scale and space available.

And if a flange and intake shroud is feasible/successful I’d be more than happy to share the 3D file to fellow router owners!

Any help and advice much much appreciated.

Thanks, Calum.

 

[Sideways]

Your router motor blowing down (up from below) into the cut will help clear the chips.
work with the machine don't fight it because you have some preconceived idea that it doesn't suit. Or buy a water cooled spindle so you don't need to consider cooling airflows.

The end of the auk2400 motor comes up pretty close to the underside of the table as the collet nut comes above the table. I don't have photographs that give the view you want but I don't think your idea will work regardless.
If you want to box the router motor in, just make a full size duct from outside the box to the motor air inlet, then you can extract the chips however you like from around the motor. Personally I'd want to use a higher volume lower pressure extractor to make a good draught.

 

[Calum Bettison]

Hey Sideways thanks for the insight. I did think it might be a squeeze to fit something between the motor and the table.

I wouldn’t say it’s my own preconceived idea though, I’m just going off peoples real-life reports of the AUK design conflicting with the clean sweep system. Not going off my own experience, just going off what I’ve heard.

In 99% of cases I’m all for working with the tool and not trying to make it do something it doesn’t want to. But at the same time I know many tools can be improved with small and considered additions/modifications.

The reason I’m curious about this is because in the Jessem power tek promo video, they show that the motor has pretty much what I’m talking about - a component that deflects the air off to the side as opposed to up through the table. That’s the intention of the new design - not to blow chips upwards.

Out of curiosity, what’s the reason why you think it wouldn’t work? A couple of reasons for me are that there wouldn’t be enough space and that it might be too warm there for 3D printed PLA plastic.

Thanks again for your pointers, I appreciate it. I just want to make sure I’m making the right decision before splurging a load of cash on a tool

 

[Sideways]

The bottom line of this is that I'm not very impressed with incra as a company.
I think they have had a few good ideas and marketed the **** out of them.
The red and gold coolaid is far worse than the green coolaid for cranking up their profit margins on some gold aluminium extrusion that costs a bit to make the dies but is cheap to produce.
Incra's original tin box for the router is a flawed design in my opinion.

But.
Pairing up with jessem for the lift was a good move. Jessem do good manufacturing so it's a quality lift and I like Incra's magnetic drop in ring system.

I can't promise, but if I have a chance to take some specific photos for you in a couple of days time but before the kit I saw goes back to it's owner, I will. My impression was that space is tight but I'll look specifically to see what there is.

 

[Calum Bettison]

If you do have the time that would be fantastic, thanks mate. I wish there were real life shops where you could go view this stuff in person as opposed to taking a gamble online.

I’ve not long known about Incra as a company, but from what I can gather I would agree with your view. The lift and insert rings aside - a lot of it seems flashy and over engineered. And I’m not sure how I’d feel about having huge lumps of gold in my workshop lol, I guess it’s some peoples cup of tea

 

[Peter Sefton]

Hi Calum

Thanks for showing interest in our AUK router, the main point to bear in mind is not restricting the airflow out of the motor as this could lead to overheating the bearings and internal components.

You are welcome to visit our shop to view our products and talk through the options, we have both the AUK and JessEm motors on display set up in router tables from AUK, JessEm and Incra. We also took them to the Harrogate show last month to help our customers who life nearer there.

I gave my input into the development of the JessEm motor as it was designed and tested over the past four years, this was designed from the bottom up so incorporates so excellent elements.

Cheers

Peter

 

[llywmog]

Here's a post to my extraction setup with AUK motor and Incra lift.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/successful-router-dust-collection-with-camvac.144192/

 

[Iba303]

Hey there Calum

I have the AUK router set up in the Incra lift built into a home made cabinet attached to the side of my table saw. I can take any photos you may need over the weekend if it's not too late to help with your decision!
I will be home tomorrow afternoon and can show you my effort at extraction if it's of any use!

Cheers
Barry

 

[Calum Bettison]

You are welcome to visit our shop to view our products and talk through the options, we have both the AUK and JessEm motors on display set up in router tables from AUK, JessEm and Incra. We also took them to the Harrogate show last month to help our customers who life nearer there.

Hey Peter thanks for getting in touch. Ahhh I wish id have made it down to Harrogate! Im up in Glasgow so Worcestershire is quite a trek for me!

I gave my input into the development of the JessEm motor as it was designed and tested over the past four years, this was designed from the bottom up so incorporates so excellent elements.

Oh wow thats really interesting. It does look like an impressive machine for sure. I think what I'm drawn to is the fact that the two design features im talking about (air intake vents and sideways fan) make so much sense.

The AUK sounds like a beast of a machine too, to be honest deciding between AUK and Jessem feels like quite a luxurious position to be in!

 

[Calum Bettison]

Here's a post to my extraction setup with AUK motor and Incra lift.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/successful-router-dust-collection-with-camvac.144192/

Hey this looks like a great build! The cam vac is HPLV right? I guess that would really help with extraction when doing grooves, where a LPHV might lose its oomph?

 

[Calum Bettison]

Hey there Calum

I have the AUK router set up in the Incra lift built into a home made cabinet attached to the side of my table saw. I can take any photos you may need over the weekend if it's not too late to help with your decision!
I will be home tomorrow afternoon and can show you my effort at extraction if it's of any use!

Cheers
Barry

Hey Barry that would be much appreciated! One thing that would be really helpful is to see how much space there is around the collet when the motor is lifted to maximum height when the insert plates aren't in, ie. how much access there is around the air vents and collet.

Examples of peoples' setup is always appreciated! thanks

 

[Iba303]

Hey Barry that would be much appreciated! One thing that would be really helpful is to see how much space there is around the collet when the motor is lifted to maximum height when the insert plates aren't in, ie. how much access there is around the air vents and collet.

Examples of peoples' setup is always appreciated! thanks

Hey there Calum

Later than expected getting back to you but see attached for a few photos! Hopefully they will be of some help! Let me know if there is anything else that I can send on!

Cheers
Barry

 

[Calum Bettison]

Hey there Calum

Later than expected getting back to you but see attached for a few photos! Hopefully they will be of some help! Let me know if there is anything else that I can send on!

Cheers
Barry

Hey Barry thanks so much for sharing pics of your setup. It’s super helpful to see photos of the product installed.

Looks like you have a pretty nice setup there too!

I think I’m leaning towards getting the AUK/incra setup as opposed to Jessem, main reason being would leave me with a couple of hundred quid to invest somewhere else in the workshop. And to be fair that setup seems like the Rolls Royce of table routing anyway

I reckon in the first instance I’ll try design and print some sort of adapter for the AUK to draw fresh air through pvc ducting. And then from there see if this flange idea is worth a try. Might work, might not. I’ll post some pics here with my findings.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[johnnyb]

Can anyone explain how router tables ended up here? The only thing that I think all router tables could benefit from is a power feed something that no one seems to chase. How did expensive router tables even get traction and why are power feeds not a thing on them? Also I feel the actual router cutter itself is the key to any degree of finish quality having been stunned by the finish from whiteside bits. It's night and day from cheap bits and significantly better than freud/cmt bits.

 

[Sideways]

Q. How did expensive router tables even get traction ?
A. Youtube.

Power feeds are an almost essential addition to a spindle moulder but require a lot of strength and rigidity to apply enough pressure at the end of an arm.
Many design challenges to overcome to make something affordable and universal that could be retrofitted to lightweight router tables. Great project for an engineering student.

 

[Calum Bettison]

I suppose with any tool or machine there will always be a drive to make things more accurate, practical, predictable, robust etc.

And as with any commercial product some of it will be driven by real necessity and some of it will be driven by a marketing team trying to make money.

I've spent ages faffing with a sheet of ply with a hole and router screwed to the underneath. Its been fine, and the piece of timber I use as a fence has done what I need it to. But if there's an opportunity to improve workflow then I'm all for it!

 

[Calum Bettison]

Also I feel the actual router cutter itself is the key to any degree of finish quality having been stunned by the finish from whiteside bits.

Whiteside bits do seem great, the little 1/4 spiral trim bits are ace.

 

[Calum Bettison]

I guess thats a good example... why do we need expensive spiral cutters when straight cutters already do the job?

 

[johnnyb]

Not at all. Spiral cutters are a significant improvement which shows to me the cutters are much more important than many other aspects of routerlore. A straight bit of wood can be a significant improvement over many hugely expensive fences as they can at least start out straight! How can jessem offer digital readouts and those feeding wheels but not give any consideration to a powered feed mechanism? This hugely improves surface finish as well as keeping fingers away from steel and allowing short bits to be machined. I don't get it no body would seriously use a spindle without one. I've seen one made out of a battery drill. But nothing commercial. Some of these things are over £2500. As I found on the last project a handheld router can get to places no fenced machine can.

 

[Calum Bettison]

No idea why power feeds for routers aren't a thing, seems logical though!