Have to start and stop the router manually?

The router has to have it’s own power source, so that means you have to start and stop it manually? Also what setting should the dial on the router itself be set at?

The dewalt 611 should be set to number 1, going faster will not benefit the carve, it may damage bits and it’ll certainly wear the brushes prematurely (btw id get an extra set now if I were you, that way you’re not waiting when they do go out)… the set of 4 (2 pairs ) is like $10
https://amzn.to/3ojbSjv

Regarding Manually controlling it, yes, it would need to be manually turned on and off, however the router can be controlled automatically with a device called an IOT relay.
For the longest time they’ve been on Amazon and ebay, but they both show sold out… heres one on newegg:
https://www.newegg.com/p/1B4-02Y6-00005?item=9SIAY4BEF49881

There’s lots of threads about them in n this forum, this one shows the wiring pretty simply :+1:

Thank you SethCNC! In putting my X-Carve together I never seen/heard anything about the router. If everything goes right I hope to turn the power on this Saturday(can’t work on it tomorrow a thing called work got in the way).
I have bought some bits knowing I most likley break few in learning the system. Also thanks for the heads-up on the router brushes. Again, not a clue from looking/watching install media posted by Inventables. Again, Thank You!

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I’ve had my Dewalt trimmer for years on my X carve and with hobbiest usage I am still on the original brushes. I suspect if you run it all night like some folks here, you may need to replace them more often. I also run the router on high, as small diameter bits need to run at a higher RPM than larger ones. Consider than some trim routers are only one speed…high.

Feed rate, wood density, and depth of cut also figure into the equation. You’ll notice conflicting speeds between full size and trim routers too. There is a learning curve to it all to achieve a good result. Basically you find out what works best for what your particular application is.

Reduce router speed (woodmagazine.com)

Setting Router Bit Speed | Use this Handy Chart - Pro Tool Reviews

How to Choose the Proper Speeds for Router Bits (thesprucecrafts.com)

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My CNC has a relay that is controlled by the G-code commands for spindle on and spindle off. I cannot control the spindle speed through G-code. That is done on the router itself with a thumb wheel. The router has its own on/off switch. I usually turn it to off while I’m changing bits just to be extra safe. If you forget to turn it back on before you run a CNC job it will make a quick mess of your workpiece. The other thing to remember is that when you turn the router on, it takes a few seconds to reach speed. You should make sure your G-code doesn’t move into the workpiece before the router is fully up to speed.

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