Thread: Pentagon TR12

Nice neat work. Do you really need a speed controller? You only need to slow the router down if using bits over 25mm. Is that what you are planning to do?

Router bit speed_2.JPG

Pentagon were a company that copied some of the good tools of the day.
Mostly were hitachi clones. Probably 30+ years old.
The TR12 was a great router, very hard to kill, the pentagon version was also very good in its day before everyone wanted soft start and variable speed.

Originally Posted by Treecycle

Nice neat work. Do you really need a speed controller? You only need to slow the router down if using bits over 25mm. Is that what you are planning to do?

That's a good question! I guess it's just from following the trend of modern routers with speed control! It's only a 'nice to have' at this stage. If I'm putting in a powerful 1/2" router, why not enable it to be used at its full potential? Well we'll have to see how the table addition to the jobsite saw holds up also!

Anyway, got the plate drilled and router mounted up to it today. Not a fun job, but rewarding when it all worked! Also replaced the power lead and pinched the lead flex boot from the aldi router as the pentagon one was badly perished.



IMG20221215221306.jpgIMG20221215221234.jpg

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Pentagon were a company that copied some of the good tools of the day.

Originally Posted by Jim Carroll

Mostly were hitachi clones. Probably 30+ years old.
The TR12 was a great router, very hard to kill, the pentagon version was also very good in its day before everyone wanted soft start and variable speed.

Thanks for that

It says made in Japan on it so not sure if this is a clone or a rebadge. I think Pentagon were a Taiwanese brand?

So anyway, just about ready to route the rebate for the table, luckily haven't had time to route it out yet but had the clearance hole for the router cut, so dropped it in and tested the up down action in-situ. the router binds when lowering, and is tight when raising, anyway much dismantling and testing, it turns out that the router plate is far from flat, on top and bottom. It dips inwards on both faces.

Thickness is meant to be 9.5mm. On the outer ends of the long side, it measures 9.44mm on my mitutoyo vernier calipers, and 9.15mm at the middle of the long edge.

This dip causes the router base to bend as soon as I tighten it down, pulls the posts in, and it binds.

Dip is easily visible on both faces of the mounting plate with a straight edge, and the router bases is flat.

It also explains why the plastic inserts sit slightly proud of the plate.

I can get the router to lift and lower smoothly if I put a 0.3mm shim between the router base and the plate in the area where the plate is dipped, but I'm not sold on this idea, and it still doesn't make the top flat!

Is this within expected tolerances for this kind of thing? Obviously first time I've ever built a router table!

I don't know if that is within the tolerance that they normally produce those but I certainly wouldn't be happy and would be exchanging it for either a better made one or one of their aluminium plates which I believe are virtually perfectly flat. The insert should also be level with the top surface. Anything less than flat will have you cursing when it comes to doing fine work.

plate has been exchanged and upgraded to the sherwood orange anodised 6mm one. It's quite strange - the cheaper black 9mm one comes with more inserts, and a half inch alignment rod, which makes laying out the mounting holes a piece of cake. It's also obviously thicker, and stronger, however doesn't appear to have been machined flat. The thinner one comes with just one insert, and a transparent centering template sheet. The insert sits flush with the plate which is good, and it measures up much flatter than the black one. I guess the extra cost of the machining means they have to remove inserts from the kit. The separate pack of inserts costs the same as the plate ($149!)

Anyway, it's all marked up ready for drilling tomorrow. Unfortunately, it is ever so slightly smaller than the black one, so may have to make up a new table top for it to sit in as there is now a bit of a gap around all of the edges.

Timbecon were fantastic with the return process, given it was Christmas!

I see they have a new plate in their range that they call their economy version. It's thicker than the orange one and takes rings that are a lot cheaper. What am I missing?
I can't even see the plastic one on their website anymore so maybe it's been replaced by the black aluminium one. Maybe you weren't the only one that wasn't happy.

Just to clear things up - I had the black aluminium one. I think it is cut out of a 'reasonably flat' plate of aluminium, but the surfaces are not machined. I believe that is the difference between the black and the orange one now. I don't think it is as accurately cut out either, as the orange one is looser in the rebate than the black one was. will live with that until the table needs replacing. I no longer have the black one to compare L*W dimensions unfortunately.

So with the router attached to the orange plate, it raises and lowers perfectly. The black one would cause the router to bind on its posts it was that far from flat.

Anyway, happy camper here now!

IMG20230112201918.jpgIMG20230112201934.jpg

Didn't realise the black plates were the same due to the huge price difference between your quoted price in the first post and the current listed price.

yeah I got the black one on special. it's not worth the savings! Definitely better off getting the orange one when it is only $10 more, even with less accessories!

anyway, knocked up a fence to attach to the hikoki c10rj fence today. just scrap wood, mistakes were made! it stays square to the table, and attaches with some clamps. I might buy a second hikoki fence and keep the router fence attached to this one at all times.

Fence and first use of the router table - a little test rebate thing in some pallet pine. I need to design and 3d print a vacuum attachment for the fence still.

IMG_20230114_170854_01.jpg

My second use of the router table. turns out you can't easily route a 6mm slot in 18mm thick hardwood using aldi router bits! This will become the adjustable fence.

IMG_20230114_190025_01.jpg

Anyway, this has been a lot of fun setting up. Doing all this has been the first time I've used a router ever (I'm 45!!), and the first time I've used a table saw since I used my Dad's Triton over 20 years ago when building a subwoofer for my car.