Tool Talk

Classic Power Tools => Classic Power Tools => Topic started by: Aunt Phil on July 17, 2012, 04:41:04 PM

Title: Router "lathe"
Post by: Aunt Phil on July 17, 2012, 04:41:04 PM
Is anyone conversant with this device and the use thereof?

Craftsman Mod 720-25250

The owner claims it's usable to copy spindles & handles.

Only information I can find indicates it's designed to convert square stock to round stock and nothing more.
Title: Re: Router "lathe"
Post by: johnsironsanctuary on July 17, 2012, 05:03:00 PM
Aunt Phil, I am saving up to buy one.  This is a machine that you mount a router on and it allows you to make 'twisted, carved legs and threaded wood quickly. You set the TPI and then turn the hand crank to rotate and advance the wood under the router. Do you want to sell one?
John
Title: Re: Router "lathe"
Post by: Aunt Phil on July 17, 2012, 11:07:06 PM
I don't have it, the seller has it on Rochester Craigslist for $30±.  I talked to him and he inherited it, read me the model # off nameplate.

I searched it, and it ain't the device I want.  They seem to fly around $100 on Epay from what I saw.

If you want it I'll happily PM you his phone number and you should be able to deal directly and still be $$ ahead.
Title: Re: Router "lathe"
Post by: scottg on July 18, 2012, 12:26:31 PM
It was called router-crafter and sold through Sears for its entire run.
 Highly elaborate spindles with corkscrew or vertical flutes or any number of other designs are possible.
  Whoever said they were fast was lying. They are ponderously slow to set up and it takes many passes to complete a design.  But its all possible.

  There is kind of a resurgence in these and since they are no longer made, the price can be fairly high lately.
 This is mostly due to another tool exactly the same, except 4 times the size, called Legacy if I'm not mistaken. You can do porch posts and other sizable work on it.  The Legacy goes in the $10,000 range.
 
   I have one and its instruction book I would let go of. Its missing one small part as I recall, and postage would be high (probably $30 or more) since its way too big to fit into any kind of reduced postage box.
      yours Scott