Commander 147

[ebb]

Jerry, Loved the old PorterCables, still have and use a couple D-handle routers.
My crabbing came about because I really liked that mini Portercable beltsander that came on the scene, what now, two/three years ago?
It looked like a PorterCable. And initially worked like a well designed cord hand tool should.
It all must have changed when BlackandDecker bought out PG, don't know.

All my working life BlackandDecker were the worst by experience and worst by rep.
Somehow that cheapside B&D got into the inside of that real nice beltsander. Other guys on tool forums complained about it.
It was a $100 tool - I choose to let it expire when it broke down, not to fix it. Beltsanders are a kind of tool that don't breakdown.
Maybe they eat belts, don't track, get hot - but they don't die! Screw BlackandDecker (EVERY B&D is made in China), not in my shop!
Don't know how long the routers have lasted without incident, brushes maybe replaced, but I don't remember that - 30 years?. They're round tops.

Thanks for the expo on the bit.
litlgull has criminally thin inner glass layer to her deck composite.
So I'm saying that Ariel's could use your method as well.
Like you say, if you happily find solid balsa in a hole, I figure (not having done it) that you wouldn't need to clean out the wood all the way to the glass (if you couldn't) because when you fill the donut with epoxy and choppedstrand the bit of balsa bottom of the ring will soak it up if not already filled with ancient polyester. And would work pretty good, too.

The top bearing 1/4" slot cutter just doesn't exist. Live and learn. I've got some holes going in the deck. Great tip!
What you have in that photo does show a nice beefy cutter. I've got a bottom bearing slotter with a set of interchangeble bearings, hope there's a 9/16" capable in there - sounds good.