# Router Life Expectancy



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

In a production environment flush trimming 2000 feet of 19/32 osb per week, what do you think the life of the router should be? This assuming a half sharp bit is being used by a half caring worker.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

So put new bearings in it and carry on


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

RainMan1 said:


> So put new bearings in it and carry on



This is after the bearings, switch, plate,everything that can be busted has been replaced, repaired and rigged. Just before of the company bugler jumps out, plays taps and slams it in the dumpster,


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I would have a couple of back-up routers available,just in case. That OSB is loaded with glue and hard on bits. Not sure about routers tho. When I edge trimmed OSB it was really rough. Quite unacceptable for my taste. How thick of panels?

Herb


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Herb Stoops said:


> I would have a couple of back-up routers available,just in case. That OSB is loaded with glue and hard on bits. Not sure about routers tho. When I edge trimmed OSB it was really rough. Quite unacceptable for my taste. How thick of panels?
> 
> Herb


Herb the panels are 19/32 thick with the overhang to be cut off ranging from 3 to 16 inches and the length of one cut/job ranging from 52 to 92 feet. It beats the wires out of a router. We are currently using Porter Cables 3.25hp router.


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Is there a reason you don't use a skilsaw? They cut OSB very well. 

Herb


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Jim, are you using dust collection with the router? This would make a huge difference since you are keeping the bulk of the dust out of the motor. That will greatly extend the components life. Is this a 7518 or the older series?

I think a Stacc-Vac would be a great value for your needs. You can see the plastic shield on my 7518; this photo was taken at the International Sawdust Saturday event when we were comparison testing different brands of bits. The combination of the larger base with the extra handle provides better control and the vacuum port captures most of the dust; the plastic shield helps contain the dust so your motor is sucking clean air. The bit guard/brushes do a good job of capturing dust that would normally hit the floor. You can learn more about the Stacc-Vac here: Betterley Industries


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

from experience...
Bosch out lasts PC by a wide margin but the half sharp/caring factor has been removed...
all of my PC's got bugled...
Bosch is still at it...
and MDF not spoken here...


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I was kind of wondering about the router vs circ. saw thing myself(?).
Cutting 1/3 of a mile of 1/2" OSB per week is asking a lot of a builders saw, never mind a router.
To clarify, the sawblade is removing maybe 1/8" of material or less if it's just facing up an edge.
Probably not a huge amount of heat buildup if the the blade's kept really clean and sharp.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Marco said:


> In a production environment* flush trimming *2000 feet of 19/32 osb per week,





DaninVan said:


> I was kind of wondering about the router vs circ. saw thing myself(?).
> .


how do we flush trim w/ a CS???


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

"how do we flush trim w/ a CS???"
Very carefully! 
i think I missed what exactly is being flush trimmed. I it just the OSB to a final finished size?


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> "how do we flush trim w/ a CS???"
> Very carefully!
> i think I missed what exactly is being flush trimmed. I it just the OSB to a final finished size?


I'm with you Dan, If it is straight line cutting then a Circular saw would be better. If it is small curves then a router is in order, even trimming oversize by 1/8" then routering is better than hogging OSB with a router.
The question is ,What are we cutting out? If it is OSB it isn't fine furniture.

Herb


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I realized later, Herb, that I'd made a huge assumption that they were all straight long cuts. As you point out, if they're curves, or 'portholes', then I'm way off base...and it's 5/8" not 1/2'' OSB. When I'm out to lunch it's a full 3 course meal. *embarrassment*


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> I realized later, Herb, that I'd made a huge assumption that they were all straight long cuts. As you point out, if they're curves, or 'portholes', then I'm way off base...and it's 5/8" not 1/2'' OSB. When I'm out to lunch it's a full 3 course meal. *embarrassment*


If it is cuves or port holes ,then a jig saw is the tool of choice then a router to flush up, but I still contend that "panel" cutting 5/8" OSB does not seem like a router operation especially for production.

One way to test out router motors tho. LOL

Herb


----------



## neville9999 (Jul 22, 2010)

Stop using half sharp cutters as it is dangerous, Stop being a half caring woodworker too as that is dangerous, Only buy quality cutters and keep them sharp, keep your floor area clean and clear, use hearing protection and eye protection, never take your eyes off any fast moving cutters, or sharp slow ones for that matter and never keep blunt tool blunt as they are dangerous when you have to push harder than you should be pushing, I still have all my fingers and if you want to keep yours then do not be a half caring woodworker using half sharp cutters. N


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm with Herb on this. If it is a straight line trim or even a long curve (it was 50 to 90' wasn't it?) then a CS could be following a straight edge. The CS would be waaay cheaper to operate and be a lot faster than a router. If you are cutting holes then an expansion bit or jigsaw would be faster and cheaper.


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

DaninVan said:


> I realized later, Herb, that I'd made a huge assumption that they were all straight long cuts. As you point out, if they're curves, or 'portholes', then I'm way off base...and it's 5/8" not 1/2'' OSB. When I'm out to lunch it's a full 3 course meal. *embarrassment*


How could you do anything but assume , as the question was vague at best to begin with ?

Your brilliant Dan , not clairvoyant


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

flush trimming was the give away...
kinda self explanatory...


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Jim, getting back to your question this is out of a Bosch manual and your PC should most likely be done at shorter intervals.


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Thanks, Mike! Good wake up call.
Not sure that I ever actually _read_ that info in my manual... *more embarrassment*


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

DaninVan said:


> Thanks, Mike! Good wake up call.
> Not sure that I ever actually _read_ that info in my manual... *more embarrassment*


Don't be embarassed, Dan, I don't either. Tear open the box put a bit in and plug er in and start cutting.HAHAHAHAHA

Herb


----------



## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Herb Stoops said:


> Don't be embarassed, Dan, I don't either. Tear open the box put a bit in and plug er in and start cutting.HAHAHAHAHA
> 
> Herb



It is the manly thing to do.....VBG.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

jw2170 said:


> It is the manly thing to do.....VBG.


yup..
COOL THINGS ABOUT BEING A MAN:
1. Your butt is never a factor in a job interview.
2. Your orgasms are real. Always.
3. Your last name stays put.
4. The garage is all yours.
5. Wedding plans take care of themselves.
6. You never feel compelled to stop a friend from getting his.
7. Car mechanics tell you the truth.
8. You don't give a rat's a** if someone notices your new haircut.
9. Hot wax never comes near you.
10. Same work .. more pay.
11. Wrinkles-add character.
12. You don't have to leave the room to make emergency adjustments.
13. Wedding Dress $2000; Tux rental $100.
14. If you retain water, it's in a canteen.
15. People never glance at your chest when you're talking to them.
16. New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
17. One mood, ALL the damn time.
18. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds.
19. A five-day vacation requires only 1 suitcase.
20. You can open all your own jars.
21. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
22. Your underwear is $5 for a three-pack.
23. If you are 34 and single, nobody notices
24. You can quietly enjoy a car ride from the passenger's seat.
25. Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
26. You can quietly watch a game with your buddy for hours without ever thinking ''He must be mad at me."
27. No maxi-pads.
28. If another guy shows up at the party in the same outfit, you just might become lifelong friends.
29. You are not expected to know the names of more than five colors.
30. You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
31. You are unable to see wrinkles in clothes.
32. The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
33. Your belly usually hides your big hips.
34. One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.
35. You can "do" your nails with a pocketknife.
36. Christmas shopping can be accomplished for 25 relatives, on December 24th, in minutes.


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

I do appreciate all of the responses but no one attempted to answer the question of how long the router would last before it was left smoldering in the dumpster (a week-month-year). Obviously hogging through sheets of OSB is not the job intended for a router but in a production environment where time matters sacrificing a router saves time and money.

Looking at going back to pre-cutting most of the OSB close to size and cleaning up with the router. On the short runs of 15 feet or less continue to hog it and bog it out.

I did find out through this that Bosch makes a 3.25 router and assume its better built that a PC


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I went through 5 of the PC's in less than a year...
bearings went causing field/armature damage and PC was no help on the warranty because I'm a commercial shop...

Bosch has been very good to me...
but I believe you already know how long your PC lasted...


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Marco said:


> I do appreciate all of the responses but no one attempted to answer the question of how long the router would last before it was left smoldering in the dumpster (a week-month-year). Obviously hogging through sheets of OSB is not the job intended for a router but in a production environment where time matters sacrificing a router saves time and money.
> 
> Looking at going back to pre-cutting most of the OSB close to size and cleaning up with the router. On the short runs of 15 feet or less continue to hog it and bog it out.
> 
> I did find out through this that Bosch makes a 3.25 router and assume its better built that a PC



What exactly are you cutting ,Marco? Could you use another tool, like a skilsaw?
Herb


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Marco said:


> I do appreciate all of the responses but no one attempted to answer the question of how long the router would last before it was left smoldering in the dumpster (a week-month-year). Obviously hogging through sheets of OSB is not the job intended for a router but in a production environment where time matters sacrificing a router saves time and money.


Probably because there is no perfect answer . I'm sure there's some algorithm that a computer could predict if it in fact had the right information , but we're not NASA lol

Would a water cooled spindle be better for this application ?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

RainMan1 said:


> Probably because there is no perfect answer . I'm sure there's some algorithm that a computer could predict if it in fact had the right information , but we're not NASA lol
> 
> Would a water cooled spindle be better for this application ?


air drive would have a longer life...


----------



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> air drive would have a longer life...


Ok I was curious as I thought heat could be part of the equation here . Of course there's a lot of force on bearings etc too


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Jim, in post 19 I uploaded a section from the Bosch manual stating the bearings should be replaced every 300 - 400 hours and that your PC would most likely require a shorter time span. If the router is running a true 30 hours a week then every 10 weeks you should at least be inspecting it for wear if not replacing the bearings.

Keeping the dust out helps a great deal since dust build up retains heat and shortens the motors life span.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Pat Warner said something once to the effect "a router is a poor choice of tool for hogging out waste". Trimming close would definitely help. Also you still haven't really said what it is you are doing. That piece of info might make a difference.


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> Pat Warner said something once to the effect "a router is a poor choice of tool for hogging out waste". Trimming close would definitely help. Also you still haven't really said what it is you are doing. That piece of info might make a difference.


We are building floors for manufactured homes using 19/32 Tounge and Groove OSB glued then nailed to floor joists. The floors are rectangular ranging from 12 to 16 feet wide and 40 to 76 feet long. It takes 4 rows of OSB to cover the width of the floor. The first row is flushed and squared to the perimeter rail and the fourth row is in need of being flush to its perimeter rail. The widths of the fourth row sheets vary from roughly 16"-20"- 38" and 46". The specific width needed say 16" can vary down the length of the floor mostly due to the tounge and Groove joint. So flushing up the 4th row even if the sheets are cut on a table saw is not possible without a router.

Today I flipped over a circular saw to see if there is a way to make a circular saw cut flush. I believe a smart feller could do it. Attacched to the base plate, a thin metal guide in front of the blade and one in back of the blade offset to the thickness of the front guide?


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

I think you just invented a new circ. saw accessory, Jim! 

Sounds exactly like the device on a laminate trimmer.
To be honest, I'd just free hand the end cut, barely kissing the joist beneath. If there's barely teeth marks in the face of the joist, does it matter?
Let the blade hang down maybe a 1/4" below the OSB.
Another tool you might try would be a portable hand planer although I think the OSB would be really hard on the cutters.
By the way, one of the small (4 1/2"?) circ saws used by the flooring guys might be perfect for that job.

Doesn't that doo-hicky on the trimmer below sound like what you're proposing, in function at least?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

circular saw guides like you mentioned already exist..


----------



## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

If you mean the stock edge guide, Stick, it doesn't hang down far enough to clear the OSB, and certainly with mine it doesn't retract far enough in to pass the blade on the inside face. But other than those minor quibbles... 
Welcome home by the way, Stick; you'll find your 'In' box a bit full.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Jim if you made something like a blade splitter on a table saw it could attach to the shoe and run from behind the blade, under the blade, and forward in front of the blade a bit to act as a guide. It would have to be at least something like T1 steel to work.

Even if that doesn't turn out as a practical solution I think it would be faster (and a bunch cheaper) to tack down straight edges to a chalk line and use that to guide a skill saw. The OSB doesn't have to be flush to the rim joist and it doesn't have to be neat. It just can't stick out past the rim joist.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> If you mean the stock edge guide, Stick, it doesn't hang down far enough to clear the OSB, and certainly with mine it doesn't retract far enough in to pass the blade on the inside face. But other than those minor quibbles...
> Welcome home by the way, Stick; you'll find your 'In' box a bit full.


Kreg makes one... so doesn't t

trolley and rip guide...
there's quite a few makes and models our there...

home....
here till Sunday...


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DaninVan said:


> .
> Welcome home by the way, Stick; you'll find your 'In' box a bit full.


ummmmmmm.... NADA....


----------



## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Stick486 said:


> Kreg makes one... so doesn't t
> 
> trolley and rip guide...
> there's quite a few makes and models our there...
> ...


Stick I'm familiar with Kregs Rip Guide, Which one or ones do you see having a flush cut?


----------



## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

We used to cut miles of decking,1 1/2 "and 1 ' thick plywood sheet with a chalk line and free hand with the blade on a wormdrive 1/8" below th sub floor. If I had to use a router I would cut it first with a saw then route off the 1/8"-3/16" with a flush cut bit and a 3hp router.
Herb


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Marco said:


> Stick I'm familiar with Kregs Rip Guide, Which one or ones do you see having a flush cut?


Herb has the way...
rough free hand cut and then flush trim... WTB it'd be faster in the long run and cost less in bits...

need the cut be absolutely flush???...
freehand cut the sheets ever so proud and then flush trim...
OSB glue knocks the life out of your bits
improve the life of the bit by using a down shear, clean them and use bits that have longer cut lengths to them...
cut till the 1st portion of the bit is dead and then move to another portion of the bit... you should get at least 3 cutting segments out of one bit...


----------



## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

Marco said:


> We are building floors for manufactured homes using 19/32 Tounge and Groove OSB glued then nailed to floor joists. The floors are rectangular ranging from 12 to 16 feet wide and 40 to 76 feet long. It takes 4 rows of OSB to cover the width of the floor. The first row is flushed and squared to the perimeter rail and the fourth row is in need of being flush to its perimeter rail. The widths of the fourth row sheets vary from roughly 16"-20"- 38" and 46". The specific width needed say 16" can vary down the length of the floor mostly due to the tounge and Groove joint. So flushing up the 4th row even if the sheets are cut on a table saw is not possible without a router.
> 
> Today I flipped over a circular saw to see if there is a way to make a circular saw cut flush. I believe a smart feller could do it. Attacched to the base plate, a thin metal guide in front of the blade and one in back of the blade offset to the thickness of the front guide?


Are you saying that the sheets are rough cut to the required width on a table saw and then the router is used to trim the overhang left because of the variation caused by the inconsistent engagement of the T&G joint - or that the sheets could be cut on the table saw? If the sheets are cut to size first and you're just trimming off a variable overhang, it should be fairly easy to make a guide to hang below the base of the saw. Think a BIG router edge guide attached to the base - blocks on the top of the base to accept the twin guide rods and the face of the guide lowered enough to clear the bottom of the OSB. The guide can be adjusted so that the face is flush with the inside face of the saw teeth and the depth of cut adjusted to just cut through the thickness of the OSB. Think something on the order of the DeWalt guide DEWALT DW6913 Router Edge Guide with Fine Adjustment and Vacuum Adaptor - Power Router Accessories - Amazon.com but with longer faces and the gap between the faces wide enough to clear the saw blade. This is something that could be easily made with some blocks of aluminum and some round bar.

Tom


----------

