Destruction for Routers

June 11, 2008

Current mood:artistic

One of the most dangerous tools man ever created was the router.  No, I'm not talking about the thing that attaches to your computer.  I'm talking about the woodworking tool.  Basically a router is a tool that uses a cutting bit to destroy wood at somewhere around 10,000 revolutions per minute.  You take a router, and plung it down into the wood to "rout" out the wood. 

Today I got the router out to make the hole in the side of my electric cello.  I did this so I could fit the electronics into the body.  Now, since we're talking about me there had to be some sort of destruction involved screw-up.  Well yes, yes there was.  In an effort to get even more depth out of my router, I didn't seat the bit up into the router all the way.  Thus the bit came flying out, taking chucks of wood with it.  Luckly it was on the inside where no one can see.  So I learned a lesson today.  Be damn careful with your router.
My next tale of destruction involves my hammer.  This isn't just any hammer.  My original fretting hammer (for tapping in frets on guitars and basses) was lost long ago.  I was at a flea market when I saw this neat little hammer.  I was amazed at how it looked so old, but in good condition.  The seller told me it was a Civil War era hammer used for tapping in small things.  Then he said it was five bucks.  I couldn't believe it.  If I were to order another fretting hammer it would cost me $12.95 plus shipping.  So in complete disbelief on how this little amazing hammer found me, I bought it.  It has come in handy for all sorts of things, but mainly for use with my chisels, and for fretting guitars.  The good news was that it worked just as good at hammering in frets as my other hammer.

Well today while chiseling out the electronics cavity of the electric cello project, the head came flying off.  The metal piece that held the metal to the wood came off, and that's when the head went across the room.  Well, now I have to head back to Home Depot to get black epoxy to put my little hammer back together again.  It's like a member of the family.  Right now, it's in it's usually place in the next to bottom drawer of the top half of my giant toolbox.  (My toolbox is one of those giant two piece, car mechanic tool boxs.)  It will sit there in its usual spot until I can repair it.    I'm going to have to do this soon, because I believe I might have to refret a guitar soon.