Router Suggestions?

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taylordb

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I am getting ready to purchase a router, mainly to be used in a router table, but occasionally I might use it hand operated. I searched here and only found some recommendation for laminate trimmers. I already have a Bosch colt laminate trimmer.

I'm looking for some guidance on this purchase. Brand...horsepower...model #'s....Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
 
My favorite that I have is a Hitachi M12VC. It's kinda big and heavy but locks down and doesn't slip and has variable speed although I almost always run it wide open. Soft start too. My favorite for the router table.
Pretty much of a hoss!
 
It depends on what you plan to do with it. When I hear router table I think 1/2" collet 3 HP. I've owned a makita 3hp and a Hatachi and found them comparable. I used them for limited runs of cabinet doors. I have never used them for instrument building.
 
Michael Smith said:
It depends on what you plan to do with it. When I hear router table I think 1/2" collet 3 HP. I've owned a makita 3hp and a Hatachi and found them comparable. I used them for limited runs of cabinet doors. I have never used them for instrument building.
Click to expand...

What I see myself using it mostly for is edge preparation for joining plates for tops and backs, and also making body molds. But I don't want to limit myself too much if there is something I haven't thought of.
 
Fine Woodworking has a nice article on choosing a router for use in a router table: http://www.finewoodworking.com/media/RouterTables.pdf. I think the Triton listed as the best for router tables to be quite nice for use in a table, but probably fairly bulky for finer, hand held work. Using 1/2" shafts and a router that can accommodate them are supposed to provide cleaner work -- at least when hogging out lots of material. I already have a larger router, albeit not a very good one, and I have been thinking of purchasing a compact DeWalt router for hand held work.
 
Once bolted under a table it is a bugger to move it then put it back. Buy two.

I've found just a cheapy under a table works fine, assuming it does actually work fine. I only use mine for truss rod channels so a $30 router from harbour freight did me well! It is probably only running all up about 15mins a year so no ware and tear plus some of the cheapys (Lowes i think?) have a 3 year replacement warranty!

I'd buy better one for hand held though. You however may use it for other applications like brace and headstock shaping which may necessitate a more $$$ item.
 
The new Bosch 23 set up with both bases is really nice. Got one over the winter. The fixed base in the router table has a from the top of the table adjuster, easy release to then use in the plunge base. The plunge base has a very cool post lock adjuster, so it is real easy to dial a hair of distance. Nice product, still new so not too many reviews. Well designed throughout. I have the Hitachi M12v, great router, a few PC's and the 1617 bosch. If it is a setup that I need to just keep, I usually buy something from Craigslist to mount in a table and leave, I have some old Craftsmans like that. http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-MRC23EVSK-Modular-Router-System/product-reviews/B002LASDGA
 
I'm a huge fan of Porter Cable routers. I've used the same ones in a production setting for the last ten years. A router large enough to mount under a table will come with both a 1/2" and 1/4" collet that can be swapped. Adjustable speed is nice to have too. I have not been happy with the laminate trimmers I have seen recently on the market, but I did just buy a variable speed Craftsman. The laminate trimmers don't seem to be as small as they used to be.
 
definitely 2 separate routers. A 3HP Porter Cable for the Table is a good choice. You can buy the router motor separately to mount in one of the router lift assemblies that allow easy adjustment of the router height, like the Woodpecker. Small trim routers can probably work for most of the rest of what you need. I just picked up one of the small Makita trim routers with a round base, <$100, and like it. I also have a porter Cable trim router, and a Festool trim router (favorite by far). Having multiple routers allows for dedicated routers for the bits most often used. I keep one in a 1/16" round over, for breaking corners on various things, use it all the time. And one with a 1/4" fluted down-spiral flush cutter. The Festool works with my binding tool.
 
Thanks for the input everyone! I'm pretty sure I will now just pick a router that will be dedicated to the table, and get a different one for hand held use. I think I'm leaning towards the Porter-Cable 7518 (3-1/4 HP). It comes as a motor only. If anyone has any negative views about this particular router I would love to hear them before I took the plunge (no pun intended).
 
Motor only? The Triton with the Best overall and Best value from fine woodworking, $200 and it can raise and lower from the top. They sell the motor only I think for the CNC guys. No issue with the model, but I am not following your thinking.
 
yep, motor only. That is because you mate it with this... http://www.woodpeck.com/prlv2.html or this http://www.jessem.com/MAST-R-LIFT_II.html or others.. It is set into a table with a solid top, a recess below that allows for dust collection, maybe a drawer beneath for router bits. They also sell that router with the PC adjustable base, but with the table router lifts, that piece is just clutter to collect dust.
 
Chris_H said:
yep, motor only. That is because you mate it with this... http://www.woodpeck.com/prlv2.html or this http://www.jessem.com/MAST-R-LIFT_II.html or others.. It is set into a table with a solid top, a recess below that allows for dust collection, maybe a drawer beneath for router bits. They also sell that router with the PC adjustable base, but with the table router lifts, that piece is just clutter to collect dust.
Click to expand...
Nice lifts, I have definitely drooled over those precision machined parts, but without knowing what the OP is actually using this for, and budget, router and lift are going to be $600 then make the table. That would be hard for me to justify, but that is just me and how I think. I looked into some of these setups many years ago, and for me at the time, a small shaper was the better choice, but I was making my living with custom windows and doors, we don't know what other work the op wants to do with this outside of ukulele work. I drive myself nuts choosing tools, reading reviews, and more reviews, so many ways to do the same thing, but which is better? Ice cream flavors are easier, just get both.
 
I have 4 96 Mof Elu- two mounted on 18mm birch ply table, 2 mounted onto 6mm plywood shoes for circular cuts etc. One MOF 96 hand held that is usually fitted with template guide bushes. One PAF 500 Bosch set up for routing kefed linig. One Dremel set of for brace notches. Two Hatachi TR6 trimmers set up for rounding over and flush trimming. 2 MOF 11 set up with bottom and top flush trimmers for template routing. One pin router with a massive Elu 3HP head set up for template routing. 4 Makita trimmers set up for 1.5mm/2.5mm/4.5mm and variable binding channels and one in a deSoutter parallel arm for 1.5mm binding channel on backs. I've just acquired a really cute Stanley trimmer which I have yet to find a use for - couldn't resist it. All the Elu's are Swiss made, pre-owned eBay purchases. The Overarm pin router is an Elu as well... Sadly Elu was first bought out by Black and Decker and then DeWalt. The Elus have been going for 20+_ years. I burnt out 3 DeWalts in 2 years each... I also have a Kress router head that fits into the overarm for inlay work when I get the time to do the templates.

Makes 17 I think....
 
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