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Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Mon Mar 02, 2020 9:36 pm
by Stray Feathers
I started on two tenor ukuleles and was going to use my hand-me-down Dremel plunge base to cut the rosette channels. The friend that gave it to me had fitted it with a homemade precision adjustment add-on that worked well on my first two guitars. But the tool will not go small enough for ukulele sized rosettes. Long story short, Lee Valley had free shipping for a while in February, so I bought the Veritas plunge base complete set, including edge guide, circle cutting accessory, and micro-adjuster (plus a couple of other things I needed). Today I cut the rosette channels for two ukes, and after a little getting used to the tool, I have to say I am very impressed. Cheap it is not, but many others are even more expensive. I have no experience with others except the Dremel brand, and it is far superior to that - much more rigid, easier to use, and it is much easier to change bits when the Dremel is mounted on the base than on the Dremel base. So far, my only quibble is that the supplied depth fine-adjustment screw is a little short when using longer carbide downcut bits (rather than stubbier conventional router bits) but I got it to work. I won't bother to explain the tool in detail; check out Lee Valley for more information. I have also ordered Stew Mac's exclusive (smart people) handpiece for Foredom that fits their plunge base, so I hope it will fit this one. I'll be using it for headstock inlays at some point and will report again on any pros and cons. So far, highly recommended. Bruce W.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Thu Mar 26, 2020 12:30 pm
by Stray Feathers
A little more information on this tool: I have done the rosettes for the two ukes I described, plus another OM-type guitar I started. In the photos, I am preparing to cut the soundholes. There are three centring options: a 1/4" pin, which I used, and a needle point and a flat disc meant to be used with double-sided tape; the latter two would be less useful for doing concentric circles. The pin is at the end of the triangular extension. It can be mounted so that it sits in the triangular gap in the baseplate, so it can cut very small diameters - Lee Valley says as small as 1/2" but I have not tested that. Because I was limited by the size of the abalone ring I bought (maybe intended for a smaller uke) I had to make the soundhole 2 1/4" and it cut that easily. I continue to be impressed with this tool. One minor thing I learned is that the 1/4" centre pin needs to be more than finger-tight; it can loosen with the rotation of the base, which can lift the pivot point a little if the 1/4" hole it sits in is not deep enough. I also received the Stew Mac exclusive Foredom handpiece and it fits perfectly, maybe even more rigid than the Dremel, but I have not tried it yet; I'll try it and a Dremel when I get around to headplate inlays. At this writing, LV still has free shipping in Canada at least. Bruce W.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 11:02 pm
by Stray Feathers
More on the Veritas plunge base: Stewart MacDonald had an inspired idea when it asked Foredom to make a handpiece exclusively for SM that was threaded like a Dremel tool, so it would fit interchangeably with accessories for Dremel. It's expensive, but I took advantage of a bit of a SM discount and bought one. My first real opportunity to use it was to rout the headplate of my OM 12-string for my logo, in this case in Paua abalone. The combination works beautifully, I think more compact than the Dremel base I was using. Using the Dremel has the plus feature of turning it on to the desired speed, where the Foredom is controlled by a foot switch, which is different. It is easier to stop, though, because you can release the base to let the bit pop up, or let go the foot switch (it takes a few seconds to slow down), or just lift the base off the workpiece. I did have to change the collet on the handpiece to accept a 1/8" bit. Bruce W.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Mon Aug 31, 2020 9:33 am
by Diane Kauffmds
That's a really nice tool! I like Veritas tools.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 8:47 pm
by Kbore
For inlay, how would the StewMac non-plunge base rate against the Veritas Plunge base?
I need a new rosette cutter!

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2020 9:15 pm
by ruby@magpage.com
Do you find the plunge feature necessary? Helpful?

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:54 am
by Stray Feathers
I hope I am not confusing terms here - I'm talking about bases that allow you to raise and lower the router in the base without lifting the base off the wood. Lee Valley calls the Veritas tool a "plunge base". I see Stew Mac has a base, and another called a plunge base, and I'm not sure what the difference is. I've never used a Stew Mac base so can't make the comparison with the Veritas. In my young lutherie career (old guy, young career . . .) I have only tried a Dremel base I was given, and then the Veritas. Both are "plunge" bases to me, and I can't imagine trying to start rosette channels, for example, without the plunge feature. It's useful too for inlay work, though I don't do much of that. In any case, I don't believe the Veritas base is available in a non-plunge version. The Veritas had the added advantage for me of being available in Canada, so no international shipping and customs etc. Those of you in the US have more options.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 11:07 am
by Kbore
Stray Feathers wrote:I hope I am not confusing terms here - I'm talking about bases that allow you to raise and lower the router in the base without lifting the base off the wood,......
I have a StewMac base, it is not a plunge base. I use it for inlay. To raise the bit I just tip the base away from the work. On occasion, the plunge feature would have been useful.

You are not confusing terms, and this is a very good thread.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 2:45 pm
by ruby@magpage.com
Stray
You got it right - a plunge base is one that allows you to plunge the blade into the work a predetermined amount once the base is in position. I asked because I have never thought I needed more than the Blues Creek plexiglass base.

Re: Veritas plunge base for Dremel

Posted: Thu Dec 17, 2020 7:31 pm
by John Reid
I very new to this, so I don’t have much experience for comparison. I have the StewMac plunge router base. I used it for the rosette with their soundhole jig. I liked the plunge aspect. I think it would be a bit clumsy to not have the plunge when using the soundhole jig. I also like the coarse and especially the fine depth adjustment.