Router speed control

Bill the Cat

Bill the Cat

Proud maker of CAT cues
Silver Member
I'm looking at getting a speed control for my router to slow things down when using the larger wing cutters. The price range for these things is crazy. I've seen some for over $50.00 and Harbor Freight lists one for $10.00. Is there any real value in the more expensive ones?
 
Bill the Cat said:
I'm looking at getting a speed control for my router to slow things down when using the larger wing cutters. The price range for these things is crazy. I've seen some for over $50.00 and Harbor Freight lists one for $10.00. Is there any real value in the more expensive ones?
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I have the HarborFreight one and I think it works great. Especially for the price.
Dave
 
Its the old addage. You get what you pay for. Spped controls are no different. The cheaper ones work fine, for a while. Some longer than others. But the bottom line is the better ones will last much longer and you end up with more bang for your buck.
 
cuebuilder said:
Its the old addage. You get what you pay for. Spped controls are no different. The cheaper ones work fine, for a while. Some longer than others. But the bottom line is the better ones will last much longer and you end up with more bang for your buck.
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Which are the good ones?

Good Cuemaking,
 
I bought a H/F one once on sale for 12.95. It's regular price was supposedly 25.00. I used it on a 1.5hp Crapsman router set up for cutting off deco-rings in a small Atlas lathe. It was completely useless as far as I'm concerned. When I slowed the rpms a little it killed all of the torque so that the router just bogged to a stop. I tried it 2 or 3 times and then gave it to Sherm to aggravate him a little.

Dick
 
Dave38 said:
I have the HarborFreight one and I think it works great. Especially for the price.
Dave
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I have one too, I usually just use It to slow My small motor down for sealing.

Do you use It with the slot cutters for shafts? Reason I ask is I'm wondering what the best speed is to run a 3 wing slot cutter. I haven't tried Mine with a router yet, and I usually use a straight bit, and don't need the controller. I have a slot cutter to try out though, so i was thinking I may want to slow the router down, as some people suggested in another thread I read here somewhere. Greg
 
rhncue said:
I bought a H/F one once on sale for 12.95. It's regular price was supposedly 25.00. I used it on a 1.5hp Crapsman router set up for cutting off deco-rings in a small Atlas lathe. It was completely useless as far as I'm concerned. When I slowed the rpms a little it killed all of the torque so that the router just bogged to a stop. I tried it 2 or 3 times and then gave it to Sherm to aggravate him a little.

Dick
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Mine did that with the small motor I used it on for sealing too. I was hoping It would work better on a router. It's fine the way I use it, because as long as I keep the speed set & just use the switch to turn on and off, it tops out and holds that speed, but when It gets screwy is when Your first trying to set it. I had a simular experience with that Myself.

I need to find some plans to build one online somewhere. Anyone Have a good link? I think I've seen where they can be made with mostly parts from the hardware store, but I have never built one Myself. They are expensive to buy a good one though. Greg
 
rhncue said:
It was completely useless as far as I'm concerned....I tried it 2 or 3 times and then gave it to Sherm to aggravate him a little.

Dick
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I have noticed this trend with you...you must like Sherm a lot. :D

Kelly
 
Cue Crazy said:
I have one too, I usually just use It to slow My small motor down for sealing.

Do you use It with the slot cutters for shafts? Reason I ask is I'm wondering what the best speed is to run a 3 wing slot cutter. I haven't tried Mine with a router yet, and I usually use a straight bit, and don't need the controller. I have a slot cutter to try out though, so i was thinking I may want to slow the router down, as some people suggested in another thread I read here somewhere. Greg
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I slow mine down to almost max at the controller. I think that's about 1/3 the speed.

Btw, these might be interesting too.
http://www.finleyspindles.com/50-13-spindles_desc.htm
 
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What Kind?

A friend who works in an electronics store made one for me. It has a 10 turn potentiameter on the box. Seems to work well. The motor does loose some torque the more you slow it down. At very low speeds, you can stop it with your finger
I was told that a speed control off of a variable speed Dremmel will work as well or better.
 
I tried the harbor frieghts out with the dewalt, and it did work. Didn't loose power as bad as I expected at higher speeds, but at really low speeds it did surge a little bit, although those speeds were too low anyway. I think Mike Webb mentioned the other day something about Him tuning the speed in to the tone or sound. I played around with the speed in the middle of a pass, and I could almost tune it in By that sound.
 
With electronics, using a simple rheostat setup, when you slow down the speed, you will lose torque. The best way to control speed and maintain torque is to use a pulley, or gear system or some VERY expensive electronics, way out of the $50-70 range, more like $250+. It's like putting a govenor on a car. Another way to look at it is, air tools, the more you reduce the cfm, the less torque it will have. Some motors will have a better torque than others, but unless specifically designed for and advertised as providing more torque with less speed, at a reduced voltage, it ain't going to happen. Designing something like that starts with the exact motor specifications, and then goes into the circuitry to drive it at the required settings, or torque requirements ==$$$$. There are mathamatical equations that I'd like to quote, but at this time in the morning, after a nite of pool league, it ain't happening.:cool:
Good nite ya'll
Dave
 
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