Reversing a Router's Rotation
Woodworkers discuss ways to make a hand-held router spin backwards for special situations. September 17, 2008
Question
Situation: Finishing bar style laminate tops (double wrapped) with a radius end. Its routered from one side on a radius template but the router is stopped shy of the other side to prevent blowing out the laminate and then finished off with the belt sander. Are there routers available or can it be modified to rotate counter/clockwise?
Question
(Solid Wood Machining Forum)
From contributor H:
If I'm understanding your question correctly, you want a router to physically turn the shaft in the opposite rotation. You'd also need a reverse rotation cutter. I don't know of a router, how about a shaper with a routerbit collet? Fit the bit and spin it in either direction. That still does not address the question of the bit. Also, I don't know if the nut on the router bit shaft would work loose or not.
From contributor T:
The bit is no problem. Many left hand rotation bits are available or can be made easily.
From contributor L:
I switched the brush leads around on a PC 690 and it works fine in reverse. Like Contributor T already said, reverse rotation bits are no problem to have made. The left hand collet threads make me just a little uneasy, but what do you do? Wear a full face shield and be careful.
From contributor P:
Switch the brush leads will work and custom bits are affordable. My only concern is if something will try to unscrew itself internally under load. Not all routers are built the same. Hopefully this is not a big profile.
From contributor G:
Does Locktite make something called Threadtite?
From contributor K:
Locktite does make a couple of "thread tites", but I wouldn't rely too heavily on them in any case where the centrifugal force is counter to the threading. A couple of years ago I used it on the threads of the bolt holding the pad/head on my Bosch ROS, and after about 20 minutes of sanding it threw the pad/head halfway across the room. Fortunately, it was not a sharp missile (like a router bit) and didn't do any serious damage.
