> I know that it can be used to make bead and cove strips.

> But for what other jovbs?

> For those wondering, here is the reason for the question:

> I can now, and next week, buy a HQ router at a substantial discount (Close
> to 40 percent lower than ordinary price). This is a one time opportunity.

> Nevertheless, the money will be wasted if I will not use it, so I am just
> wondering: Will I regret if not buying it?

> Jan Gunnar

If you are only going to make kayaks (or most other strip built or plywood boats) you can easily live without owning a router. If you are planning to do other wood working then a router is a fine tool to add to your workshop.

The router is just a large motor that spins a cutting tool (the router bit) at a high speed. The various bits are what makes the router useful in many areas. However, the bits are not free. A $50 router uses the same bits as a $350 router, but typically it has a smaller, less powerful motor. If you work with hardwoods (like oak) and make large cuts then a large motor is a necessity. It you work with softer woods (like cedar or pine) and remove small amounts of wood (as in bead and cove) then a smaller motor may be ample. To do more types of work you buy more router bits. Top quality bits can be expensive. Lesser quality bits may be made of inferior materials and need to be sharpened frequently (another cost).

Routers are frequently mounted to a special table (called a `shaper` table), allowing them to do the work of a shaper. The advantages of a shaper over a router come from the stability of the table and the ability to control the stock more accurately by using a pair of fences for feeding the stock past the cutting edge of the router (or shaper) bit. With a shaper the tool sits still and the stock moves. When routing the tool moves and the stock is stationary. If you plan to cut bead and cove edges a router/shaper table is the usual way to go. Trying to do this job any other way would be dangerous.

You can build a router table yourself if you have the time, or buy one. Typically they cost from $30 to $100. Typically, the more expensive ones have bigger tables made of cast metal, while the cheaper ones have smaller tables made from folded sheet metal. If all you are doing is bead and cove work, the cheapest router table will be quite adequate. It may look flimsy, but it will last for years. If you hate it after using it for your bead and cove work, sell it at a garage sale and invest in a different one. They hold their value well and you should get most of your money back. In the same vein, you might find a used one for sale at a reasonable price.

Let me give an analogy: If a router were a computer, then the table would be the computer monitor, and the router bits would be the computer software. The cost of the bits can be significant as you add them to your collection of tools, and it is possible that the cost of bits could exceed the value of the router they are used in. If money is tight, forget about a router for now and wait until you really need one and can afford one.

Hope this helps

Paul G. Jacobson