# My oldest router (1927 patent date)



## BobandRick (Aug 4, 2004)

Here are a few photos of my oldest manufactured router by a company called challenge. Things haven't changed much over the last 80 years. 

Anyone else have some old relics they would like to share.

Bob


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Complete with a work light... and we thought we were being fancy adding lights! Thanks for the pics!

Corey


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

... that's older than I am! ...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rick

Do you want to see one from the 1850's ?

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The Stanley #55 did and can do it ALL just like the routers will all now use but it takes man power to get the job done... 

NOTE**** I don't own the ones in the snapshots below they are just pictures of the #55 ,,, I sold mind off along time ago... most are nickle plated.
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BobandRick said:


> Here are a few photos of my oldest manufactured router by a company called challenge. Things haven't changed much over the last 80 years.
> 
> Anyone else have some old relics they would like to share.
> 
> Bob


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## Peter Sanders (Sep 16, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Rick
> 
> Do you want to see one from the 1850's ?
> 
> ...


Hmmm? It can't round over the lip of, or put a fancy edge on a 2" hole in the centre of a piece of wood


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Peter

I will need to disagree with you on one point, it can round over the lip but it's true it can't put on a put a fancy edge on a 2" hole in the centre of a piece of wood.. 

I'm not 100 % sure it can't put on a fancy edge on a 2" hole, they made many blades for the #55... and many add on tools for it...
And I think Stanley called the #55 a do all tool....


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Peter Sanders said:


> Hmmm? It can't round over the lip of, or put a fancy edge on a 2" hole in the centre of a piece of wood


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I was so amazed at the 1927 router that I looked it up at the US patents office. The patent was applied for by a Mr. Arthur L. Salsbury of Sioux City Iowa on June 3rd 1926 and he states that motorised routing machines are not new, but goes on to state the improvements in HIS machine, which by the way looks far cruder than the one shown by Bob & Rick, indicating that theirs is relatively modern!

I have never been a lover of combination machines, firstly, there isn't any substitute for a dedicated machine which is optimised for a particular task, and secondly, remembering what goes where and the time taken to complete the change-over, but now I've seen Bj's post with the manpower router and all those accessories, I doubt that I would have been able to cope.


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## challagan (Feb 7, 2006)

Really, didn't know that. Souix City is just north of me by 90 miles. Yeah, that little contraption looks like it would have gotten the best of many!

Corey


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## Router is still my name (May 3, 2006)

My guess is it used a one-flute stainless steel router bit. Onsrud manufactured the first router bit in 1920.
Not sure when the first carbide bits were made.
I still use this gorgeousness


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Here's one or two more snapshots and some lnks just for kicks

The one below is a bracket I used b/4 I had a router table, the saw is about 48 years.
http://www.routerforums.com/attachments/general-routing/2657-will-my-old-router-do-job-551.jpg

The one below is air type router that I still use from time to time...
http://www.routerforums.com/36186-post14.html


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Bj., just how BIG is you're shop, it must be huge, or you're wife let's you store the bulk of you're tools in the house!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Harry

Not that big and getting smaller all the time ,,, the Boss will not let me store any of the tools in the house she just hates it when I turn on a router in the house she can hear her TV shows LOL LOL , she will say all the time turn that dam computer down when I'm watching a wood working show on it and they are using a router on it.. LOL LOL and I say Yes Dear and pickup the head set.

Pay back is hell, just my little way of getting back at her when she runs that dam mixer to make bread,cakes,etc.that thing is about as loud as a router. 


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harrysin said:


> Bj., just how BIG is you're shop, it must be huge, or you're wife let's you store the bulk of you're tools in the house!


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