INProfile Issue 1 | Page 14

routing into the millennium

by Jim Phillips
A keen woodworker , Jim ’ s enthusiasm for the Router led him to form Trend in 1955 .
Almost every conceivable profile can be cut with a modern hand router . But how did the router develop to what it is today ?
1930 ’ s-40 ’ s The spindle moulder was well established as a heavy duty machine for the joinery shop , but already people were realising that for light work , it was like using a hammer to crack a nut . Hence ‘ wood engineers ’ across the developed world started to think in terms of a hand held moulder with an adjustable base that would allow you to set both the depth and width of cut . But it took a group of engineering firms in South West Germany , whose forebears were Swiss immigrants , skilled in clock making , to develop the ‘ plunge ’ router , featuring retractable spring-loaded columns and a range of guides and jigs to give versatility to routing operations .
1950 ’ s It was at this time , Trend came on the scene to bring routing technology to new heights of achievement . When news reached us about the plunge routers produced in Germany and in particular those of Eugen Lutz KG ( Elu ), we secured the agency for their tools in the UK .
Although Elu routers were years ahead of their rivals , Trend came up with further developments following feedback from UK end users . Trend carried out in-depth research within the UK woodworking trades with a view to upgrading design features to meet recommendations . In consequence , the performance of Elu routers against other competitors reflected in buoyant UK sales and domination of the market . As router designs improved it became clear that the range of router cutters needed extending to perform most of the jobs formerly done on a spindle moulder . Trend set about designing and introducing a more extensive range . The first shank-mounted bearing , self guiding cutters were to my knowledge , a product of my micro-workshop . From a range of approximately 50 router cutters in 1958 , Trend now offer tooling with 2000 variations in sizes and profiles .
1960 ’ s-70 ’ s We had now forged close links with the Elu factory and in 1972 became a subsidiary of Eugen Lutz as ‘ Trend Elu ’. Routers were now being made with more powerful motors inside compact and resilient plastic bodies . Innovative depth gauges and turret stops were introduced . Accessories included special jigs and devices to give further scope to routing applications . Having been recognised for our authoritative knowledge of routing techniques , we were now invited to design a small dovetail jig to be marketed world-wide . This was a highly successful product , and to this day many thousands are produced by Black and Decker Ltd in the UK for worldwide distribution . Trend were also the pioneers of dust extraction systems for routers , and designed extraction ports for the complete Elu range . At this time Trend also introduced variable speed control units for use with routers anticipating the need for machines to run at slower speeds of 12000 / 16000 RPM when using cutters above 50mm in diameter .
1980 ’ s and 90 ’ s The popularity of the router across the whole spectrum of the woodworking trades , was now well established , but in the UK there was no hand-book on the subject . The Trend team unearthed all the experience they had accumulated

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INProfile Winter 1997