Operating instructions
INTRODUCTION
Your Craftsman Router Crafter is a newly developed
machine which wilt enable you to utilize your router
to its fullest--making table legs, turnings, posts,
spindles and other turned carvings of almost any
design you wish. There are four basic operations
which carl be done on your Router Crafter. They are:
1. Straight "beads and flutes" cut lengthwise (paral-
lef to the work piece). These may be of a straight
or tapered style.
2. "Roping" or "Spiraling" _ both right and left
hand -- and may be either straight or tapered.
3. Turn "beads, coves and steps" around the work
piece. The different forms are made by the shape
of the router bit which is used°
4. Contour turning of varied shapes by letting the
router follow a template which is attached to the
front of the Router' Crafter..
The four basic type cuts enable you to produce
hundreds of different designs by using them in
combination.
Included with this manual are drawings of typical full
size turnings. (Inserted in back cover) When read-
ing any of the sections on the various types of turning,
check the sample being referred to as this wilt help to
understand the many turning methods and designs
which are possible with the Router Crafter..
CONSTRUCTION
Baslca_ty the Router Crafter is composed of a Head
Stock and a Tail Stock (Fig. 20) which are held in line
with each other by four heavy steel tubes (Nor 44 &
52). A carriage (#33) which carries the router is
mounted to and travels along these tubes_
The head stock consists of a cast aluminum frame
(#6), a cable drum (#20), on which the steel cable
(#42) is wound and which turns inside the head stock
frame, a cast aluminum drive spindle (#18) which turns
inside the cable drum, a locking plate (#9) which will
lock the cable drum relative to the frame, and an index
pin (#!7) which permits the indexing of the drive
spindle (#18) relative to the cable drum (#20)° The
drive spindle can be indexed in-increments of 15°-
that is the indexing provides for equal spacing of 2,
3, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 24 cuts around of a work piece.
A crank (#1) which fits into the back of the drive
spindle is provided to rotate the work piece, You may
notice that the drive spindle (#18) has considerable
"play" or looseness in the cable drum (#20),_ This is
normal and is no cause for concern_
The tail stock (#47) is also an aluminum casting which
carries the tail stock center screw (#50) which is a
1/2" threaded steel rod° The center screw passes
through a guide bushing (#49) which is adjustable up
and down to permit turning straight or tapered work
pieces,. The tail stock can be positioned anywhere
along the steel tubes to accommodate different lengths
of work pieces,.
The vinyl coated steel cable (#42) which is wound
around the cable drum runs over Deirin® pulleys (#12
& 15) and is joined together with a tension spring
(#41) which serves to keep the cable taut. There are
two metal lugs which are attached to the cable- one
on the upper and one on the lower cable lines° The
lugs are for affixing the cable to the cable clamp (#29)
to advance the router and router carriage when making
"roping" or "spi;aling" cuts. Attaching the upper cable
lug to the cable clamp produces a left hand spiral
whereas attaching the lower lug to the cable clam'p
produces a right hand spiral. The lugs are left un-
attached when making other than spiral cuts..
The carriage (#33) has two identical screws (#36).
These are used to adjust the depth of cut and also to
provide a repeatable "stop" or maximum depth gage_.
There are two hose type clamps on the top tube (#14)
which serve as stops for the carriage at each end of
the desired cutting travel. The two clamps can be
positioned against each side of the carriage to prevent
any lengthwise movement of the carriage.
Clamps, screws, nuts and washers 'A' are provided _or
mounting the Router Crafter on a base or bench. See
Fig, 2, The mounting box 'B' could be made from 1/2
to 3/4 inch wood (plywood works weII)_ Mounting
Router Crafter as shown gives a place to store toofs,
bits, etc.
B
Figure 2
4