Wow. I’d never seen how that installation works. I’d only seen the old method. Very cool.
There you go.
Yes it is such a simple installation that it makes one forget that FCS ever existed. Futures as a company is so much easier to deal with than FCS as well. If you use a glasser you can send your blanks off to the glasser with the fins and leash plug already installed. Prevents any screw ups at the glass shop. Lowel
I wanted to take the ‘homemade’ idea to the point of being able to leave the 3/4" one pass bit in an old Porter Cable router and not have to change bits midway through an install. So I made the brown plate and gave it a go.
Observations:
- It is possible but does not give good results (startup blips, see pics)
- The slide adds the plunge action needed to avoid the startup blips and manage the stringer
- The new router does not like being dropped. Next time make two trips across the garage instead of one…
- Soft start is awesome, not a feature on the old Porter Cable router
Conclusion:
As previously stated by the professionals-if you want Futures, get the kit and a compatible router or two for the most satisfaction and ease of use. Don’t spend time ‘rigging’ it unless you really have it out for yourself and/or can figure out the plunge and targeting piece.
Epilogue:
The dropped router is super-glued, tested, and back in its case. Install kit is also stowed and the old router is back to as-was condition. Practice tails are tossed. That’s a departure for me, normally the tools and test pieces lay around until I trip over them a couple times.
Man that’s not pretty.
If you don’t switch bits how were you planning on routing the flamges?
Hi Lowel-
Yeah, tough looking for sure. I should have made a double-ender for practice, the little tail pieces are hard to keep flat and still while working.
Hi AG-
The bits are the Futures one pass bits, so I get the pocket and flange at the same time without having to change bits or flip the doughnut or add the spacer.
The mess above was trying to get an odd router to work with the Futures bits and jigs since there was discussion about it and I was curious. I was hoping to leave the 1/2" Futures one pass bit in the Makita clone router and slide for getting the center box and the 3/4" Futures one pass bit in the Porter Cable since that one would only be used in foam.
Without a slide I got a startup mark and tore-out EPS beads from the router on every box. I even tried pre-drilling one to get rid of the mark but I forgot about the rail boxes being routed to one side of the shaper’s marks so my pilot hole, same diameter as the flange, was a strong 1/8" off and made things look even worse.
The curious part of me still wants to ‘solve’ the homemade fixture, the other parts are just going to use the Futures jig as-is with the slide and router combo and just change the one pass bits when needed.
EDIT: pic of the ‘mk2’ concept to help with the startup blips, not tested or proven. I am not planning on building it since I have a real Futures jig.
I was just making reference to that chunk that broke out of the router.
Its funny this came up on my new feed as I was thinking about it only just last night. I have had a few ideas as far as the hole futures install process I want to try and I have just learnt how to model in 3d the computer so was planning to to have a play and maybe cnc or print a few of the ideas for booth the short board and the long board boxes.
J Do you buy any chance have the dimensions of the futures jig, I have a jig myself but I’m away in aus for another 2 months at the moment so don’t have access to it.
many thanks
Thanks Lowel, I was not offended. The piece glued back in fine.
Hi Charlie, here are some numbers that go with my Porter Cable experiment above and may help you. Otherwise I am done ‘figuring’ for now.
Slide diameter 5.385" (136.78mm)
fixture slide width 5.390" (136.91)
Slide travel (est) 4.640" (117.86)
Slide to board 0.227" (5.77mm)
It is nice to not have to do two routs and then change bits. And then change bits again when you do the next board. I’m Futures all the way now, leash plugs and all. Once you’ve got the install done it’s just a matter of glassing over them. Cutting the slot and using you finger makes that pretty easy. Then it all grinds flat. I do a Five Finner that I use a single FCS plug on. So on that particular model I stick with a combo of FCS Fusion and Plugs. Lowel