Hand Router Plane out of Allen Key

[pfredX1]

Even if you have power routers hand routers are still handy. It's OK to make them too. But grinding an Allen key makes it a lot more work. I don't think the blades cost more than $15. If I had a wet grinder I could have ground it faster. But I did most of the grinding with an angle grinder. So I'd have to stop every couple of seconds and wet the metal down so I didn't ruin the temper of the steel. I spent more time brushing water on that key than grinding it. Then there's the whole bedding a half a hex shape issue. I got mine sitting there but it's far from ideal. Cutting that trench inside the body of the router is a bit of a trick. Kind of like trying to carve your initials inside a piece of pipe or something. I did manage to come up with a slick way of cutting the relief for the eye bolt that holds the cutter in place. I got a milling machine so I mounted a slot cutter in it and just got it down in there. Other people kind of work it in with skinny chisels by hand. I've watched videos of them doing it and it don't look like fun to me. Running that slot cutter sideways was one, two, three. I drilled them holes out on my mill too. They're no joke. https://i.imgur.com/tKOTIQ3.jpg