I finally got a router.  But it says that it has a 1/4' shank.  All I can find around here and Ebay is 1/2' shanks.  Is there some sort of adapter, or am I screwed?

the root of the problem is a lack of girth

You can find 1/4" bits.  

You must have bought a small horsepower router.  Generally speaking, the larger the HP, the larger the collet size.

Quoted: the root of the problem is a lack of girth

Less the lack of girth would be a problem.  
I'm checking on the HP of my router now.

1/4' shank is very common.  Home Depot, Lowes, Ace &etc. should all have 1/4 shank bits.  Also try Amazon.

It's a Ryobi R161.  ! 1/2 HP.  I checked my local Homey Depot and they didn't have any 1/4 inch shanks.  Specifically, I need the, fart I dunno what it's called, the bits to do the raised panels on cabinet doors.  

Is it 100mbit/s with 802.11g?

-Foxxz

Quoted: Is it 100mbit/s with 802.11g? -Foxxz

Dude, it's a router and I know what to do with it if I can flipping find the bits.  I need it to finish my china cabinet.  Don't be throwing wierd stuff out there to confuse me.

Mine has more of a chuck that will accept UP TO a certain diameter shank.

Oh yeah, use a push stick. DO NOT have any part of your body pushing directly towards the bit or in any direction to where your finger might go toward the bit if for any reason the workpeice shifts or runs away.

www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36240
0.25" shank router bits.

Quoted: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36240 0.25" shank router bits.

You rock, thanks.  For the rest of you, I don't have a table for it, so I don't need  a push stick.

You may have a hard time finding the panel raising cutters in 1/4" shank because they are fairly large tools and put a lot of stress on the shank and the router spindle.  Regular router cutters for doing decorative edges, etc. are readily available in 1/4".  Sears, Lowes, Home Depot, should have both 1/4" and 1/2".  Or maybe everybody is just buying 1/2" stuff these days.

You would be better off getting a larger router with a 1/2" spindle.  They usually come with an adapter to run the 1/4" cutters also.  Easy enough to go from 1/2" to 1/4" but not the other way around.  I have a Craftsman router that I bought as a reconditioned special some years ago.  I thing it is 1 1/2 HP.  It works fine with the panel cutters.  You really should have a router table too if you're going to be doing panel work.

Quoted: Quoted: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36240 0.25" shank router bits. You rock, thanks.  For the rest of you, I don't have a table for it, so I don't need  a push stick.

Looks like Lowes has a bunch of them also.
www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=204523-353-91502&lpage=none

Or one of my favorite places to shop.
www.rockler.com/CategoryView.cfm?Cat_ID=271&cookietest=1

Quoted: Quoted: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36240 0.25" shank router bits. You rock, thanks.  For the rest of you, I don't have a table for it, so I don't need  a push stick.

they can still yank your work if it's not clamped, or the tool can grab and 'run away', router bits take out chunks of skin, take precautions when working with a router.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=36240 0.25" shank router bits. You rock, thanks.  For the rest of you, I don't have a table for it, so I don't need  a push stick. they can still yank your work if it's not clamped, or the tool can grab and 'run away', router bits take out chunks of skin, take precautions when working with a router.

Sounds like what you bought is a "Trim Router".

It will do alot of work - but it isn't made to handle the large contact area type form cutters.

Just don't push it too hard - let the tool do the work, not you.  

Quoted: I finally got a router.  But it says that it has a 1/4' shank.  All I can find around here and Ebay is 1/2' shanks.  Is there some sort of adapter, or am I screwed?

Thats your first problem. Don't you watch Public Broadcasting? No Power is needed! Just watch Mr. Roy Underhill. Fuck Routers. You can do without. Self defense is to Chuck Norris what Wood Working is to Roy Underhill!!!

http://show.imagehosting.us/show/1157441/0/nouser_1157/T0_-1_1157441.jpg

Go get em!

http://www.pbs.org/wws/program/roy.html

a 1.5 hp router is pretty marginal for raising panels even if you can find someone who supplies .25 inch raised panel bits. Your best option if this router is the best you can afford, is to remove most of the material with a table saw before attempting to rout the panels.  It's actually possible to do a shaker style bevelled panel with a tablesaw ONLY.  Takes a jig to support the panel at a right angle to the table surface, but that's much less of a problem than trying to make a laminate trimmer class router raise a panel.

Seriously.  Raising panels is shaper class work.  I've done it in sugar maple with a 2.25 hp router in a router table and it was a bear.  Took about 5 passes on each bevel to get the job done without tearing out something fierce.

You CANNOT raise a panel with a handheld router, you WILL hurt yourself and ruin your workpiece.  An additional problem is the likelihood that your router simply won't be able to turn a big panel raising bit and will tear itself to pieces trying.  For lower horsepower routers they generally recommend vertical bits that require the router either to be mounted horizontally or require a very tall fence so the panel can be run through the table on edge.

Certain types of router bits shouldn't be cheaped out on, and Harbor Freight bits are cheap.  Panel raisers are under such high stress that the braising has been known to give out on the carbides on cheaper ones, and the cheaper carbides have also been known to crack and fragment if they strike harder wood.  

Be careful and take some time to really study what you are intending to do before you do it.  It could save you a lot of pain, suffering and wasted materials.

Don't get me wrong, Ryobi makes a decent tool, but with a 1/4 inch capacity it is clearly made for the light duty market.

Check out Eagle America router bits eagleamerica.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1139622255

1.  I would not try to raise panels with less than 2HP.  Even then I would do it in multiple passes.
2.  I would only use quality carbide bits with 1/2" shanks.  I like my face and eyes too much to use cheap bits.
3.  The router needs to be mounted in a router table.  I've never heard of anyone freehanding raised panels but I guess if you were a glutton for punishment you could try it.
4.  I would not use a 1/2 HP Ryobi router for much more than laminate triming or as a dedicated machine for roundovers.  1/2 HP just can't take the stress and nothing will stress a router more than raising panels.

Take the Ryobi back and spend the money on a nice Dewalt 625 or a Hitachi M12V.  Now...those are routers!

Quoted: Is it 100mbit/s with 802.11g? -Foxxz

Cisco 7600 Series

Quoted: Certain types of router bits shouldn't be cheaped out on, and Harbor Freight bits are cheap.  Panel raisers are under such high stress that the braising has been known to give out on the carbides on cheaper ones, and the cheaper carbides have also been known to crack and fragment if they strike harder wood.   Be careful and take some time to really study what you are intending to do before you do it.  It could save you a lot of pain, suffering and wasted materials.

Take this seriously!

The son of the owner of a cabnet shop I did some work at was operating a shaper table when a bit blew up @ 24000 rpm and a good size chunk of carbide went through his throat.  The EMT's estimated he was dead in about 20 seconds.

Edit: He was not a novice. He was 38. But he was Only wearing safety glasses not a face shield.

I use a 3 hp Porter Cable router in a table for doing raised panels. However, they do make vertical raised panel bits to allow you to run them in smaller routers.

You will st ill need a 1/2" collet and a table. Your manual does not show a 1/2" collet as an accessory.




www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/raisvert.html

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0421.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0420.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0419.jpg
That's my china cabinet.  Those panel inserts are plastic.  Who put's plastic inserts on a china cabinet?  Maybe that's why it was so cheap.  Anyway, I have to fix it.  From what you all have said, I've gathered that I can't do real inserts with my whimpy router.  Right?  

Quoted: Quoted: I finally got a router.  But it says that it has a 1/4' shank.  All I can find around here and Ebay is 1/2' shanks.  Is there some sort of adapter, or am I screwed? Thats your first problem. Don't you watch Public Broadcasting? No Power is needed! Just watch Mr. Roy Underhill. Fuck Routers. You can do without. Self defense is to Chuck Norris what Wood Working is to Roy Underhill!!! show.imagehosting.us/show/1157441/0/nouser_1157/T0_-1_1157441.jpg Go get em! http://www.pbs.org/wws/program/roy.html

Roy Underhill rocks!!
He hurts himself on just about every episode I've seen, and ain't afraid to show some blood.  

Total shameless bump.

Quoted: http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0421.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0420.jpg http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d130/txwxgirl/CIMG0419.jpg That's my china cabinet.  Those panel inserts are plastic.  Who put's plastic inserts on a china cabinet?  Maybe that's why it was so cheap.  Anyway, I have to fix it.  From what you all have said, I've gathered that I can't do real inserts with my whimpy router.  Right?

Correct, a wimpy router will not do the job.

If you only have the two doors, take them to a cabinet maker and have them make the panels for you.

Quoted: Quoted: Is it 100mbit/s with 802.11g? -Foxxz Cisco 7600 Series

Those make my pee pee tingle.

Interesting cabinet.  Looks like you have at least three different types of wood there.  The drawer faces are definately cherry as you can easily see the sapwood and heartwood transition.  Not sure what the rest of it is though.  White and red oak maybe?

Quoted: Interesting cabinet.  Looks like you have at least three different types of wood there.  The drawer faces are definately cherry as you can easily see the sapwood and heartwood transition.  Not sure what the rest of it is though.  White and red oak maybe?

The drawers are different.  I bought the cabinet without them.  And we had a local do the the drawers.  My issue is the doors.  Those are plastic.  Who puts plastic in doors?  I mean really.  Once I get those replaced, I can finish off the whole thing.  The local, by the way, thought the whole thing was cherry.  That's why he used that wood.