Trim/Laminate Router

Hello,

A few years ago I moved from the US to the UK and brought with me my desktop CNC machine for cutting wood.


The machine has a Ridgid R2400 trim/laminate router and precision ER20 collets from precisebits.com.


I am in the process of setting the machine back up and I am stuck on what to do about the router.


The router requires 60Hz. I can get a work-site step-down transformer for it but I have heard that if it is 50Hz in then it is 50Hz out and this can lead to the motor in the router overheating.


So, looking at the precisebits website the collets I have are compatible with the Bosch Colt, which is the Bosch GKF600 in the UK. Great! But then I read that the quality of these routers has declined since 2011 and precision collets can only be successfully used in less than 50% of them now. Sigh.


Are there any trim/laminate routers available in the UK that are of good quality and accept ER20 collets?


Or should I just resign myself to the fact that I will need to get a completely new router and new precision collets?


Any recommendations for a trim/laminate router with low runout?


Perhaps the Ridgid R2400 was sold as something else in the UK? The AEG MF1400KE looks very similar and seems to be available in Germany but the price is staggering in comparison.


What would you do, considering I was hoping to limit further investment in my machine as much as I can?


Thanks, Groover

The short answer is "it depends". Running it on the lower frequency means it will run 20% slower therefore and because V/f ratio has changed from 110/60 to 110/50 current is 20% higher so it will run hotter. Whether that is an issue I can't say because it depends on how its used. Short bursts of use with time to cool down might be a practical solution. An alternative approach is to bring V/f back in line by using a 240/90 step down rather than 240/110. This will bring current back in line but will reduce power by 20% (power = revs x torque, and torque is proportional to current) so you may have to reduce feed rates and/or DOC.

I was going to say run it on DC thinking it was a single speed universal brush type motor, a commutator is just a rectifier. BUT having looked at the spec. I see it's variable speed so AC only.
Have you contacted Rigid to see if it will work on 50Hz ?

I would just run it on 50hz/110v and keep a close eye on the body temp. If it gets warm thats fine, but if it gets hot stop. I have run a porter power router/spindle this way with no problems. Good luck. G.