Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Get help and framing advice from the framing community
Post Reply
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Not your average framer »

I am thinking about buying a basic manual Hoffman router. I use plenty of hardwoods, but my stroke last year means that I'm no longer as fast as I used to be, but I like to work smart and wonder if this might be the next logical move for me.

I am assuming that the Hoffman router is maybe only usable on hardwoods, or is this not quite true. It might be nice to use on softer woods as well. Can someone please advise. I have a bit of money right now, so buying one right now is not so silly.

Thanks in anticipation,
Mark.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
Contact:

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Justintime »

Hi Mark,
I use it for all barewoods, I wouldn't be without it now!
I'm a little more wary with decorative/delicate prefinished mouldings, as its the difference between pushing up v nails from below or hammering in a wedge from above. Contrary to what I have heard said, there is some slight wiggle room once the Hoffmann key is in.
I suspect that the people who say there isn't, may be joining it too tightly.
An essential accessory for joining shaped mouldings, is a set of box index cards, to support the front of the mouldings while inserting the keys.
Also, high fences, w0 (if you work with anything like a R+H A10/A195) and w1 router bits and a digital scale to get the router depth spot on.
It takes me a few minutes to change bits now, rather than an hour without it...
Just be prepared, its a slower job than underpinning, especially on mouldings requiring 2 to 3 keys, but its well worth the time especially with hardwoods.
Keys can be cut down and reused so you don't need a box of each size and they're much cheaper by the 1000 from hoffmann uk.
I'm sure you won't regret it Mark!
If you havent already, have a look at the Hoffmann youtube videos..
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Not your average framer »

Are there no stops for setting the routing depth?
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
Contact:

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Justintime »

Yes there is a height stop for depth, which is easy to adjust.
Its the fence plate that you move to place the keys. If you have to rout 3 keys holes, you have to set the fence for the first position, rout each end of each piece, reset the fence plate for hole no.2 rout each piece etc etc. Its no big deal it just takes time. Due to the accuracy of matching up the holes, you cant change the fence plate until each hole on every end of each piece of moulding has been done, otherwise you won't match.
Like I said the digital multi guage will set up the router key to the exact distance, to the 0.1mm!!
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
Justintime
Posts: 1868
Joined: Sat 26 Sep, 2015 8:48 am
Location: West Wales
Organisation: George The Framer LLP
Interests: Gardening, design, electronic music, good food and beverages.
Contact:

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Justintime »

Sorry shouldnt have mentioned the digital guage, thats separate and confusing the issue!
Justin George GCF(APF)
Insta: georgetheframer
User avatar
Tudor Rose
Posts: 1117
Joined: Wed 10 Mar, 2010 4:07 pm
Location: Dawlish, South Devon
Organisation: The Framing Lot
Interests: Tudor history, swimming, walking and needlework.
Contact:

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Tudor Rose »

Mark, we have a Hoffman if you'd like to pop over sometime and see it in action.

That might help with your decision process.
Jo Palmer GCF(APF) Adv
Textile, Mount Design & Function & Conservation


Forum Moderator & Framing Educator
www.pictureframingtraining.com
Guild Certified Examiner & Guild Accredited Trainer
Guild Master from May 2019 to May 2022
Not your average framer
Posts: 11014
Joined: Sat 25 Mar, 2006 8:40 pm
Location: Devon, U.K.
Organisation: The Dartmoor Gallery
Interests: Lost causes, saving and restoring old things, learning something every day
Location: Glorious Devon

Re: Basic manual Hoofman router - Is it worth getting

Post by Not your average framer »

Hi jo,

Thanks for the offer, but I have already seen them in action and right now I working out how to juggle the money to get everything on my list right now. I was counting on buying something while it was on special offer in a sale, but the sale has finished and now if I buy it at full price, the money won't cover everything that I hoping to get.
Mark Lacey

“Life is short. Art long. Opportunity is fleeting. Experience treacherous. Judgement difficult.”
― Geoffrey Chaucer
Post Reply