Thread: Beginner Router?

Try Router Forums - Router and Woodworking Discussion Community they are pretty helpfull if you are stuck............AL

Can you mould Ogres with a router?

I like Makita stuff myself - always very well built and reliable. Hitachi can be pretty good as well. I'll probably look for a Makita whenever I get around to buying a proper router.

I doubt that you would find many options in fixed base units in OZ, but a plunge unit can do everything that a FB can, plus more. There are no real issues with using a plunger in a table, but it is handy to be able to remove the plunge return spring, as when you invert the router for the table, it teams up with gravity instead of overpowering it when upright for plunging.

I suggest something in the 1200 - 1500W range, smaller could be too light for a lot of table work, bigger too big for some handheld work i.e dovetail jigs etc.

If possible look for something that can take 1/2in and 1/4 inch shank bits, 1/2 inch have 4 times the cross section area of 1/4in shanks and are fare more rigid, but a 1/2in shank on a bit of 5mm or lower diameter is overkill and rare.

Well I ended up with the Makita RP0900X, only 1000w but after having a play around with it and the Bosch display models the build quality difference was obvious, plus the makita is about half the size.

I figure that in the end I'll probably need both a plunge router and a table one, so this seems a decent enough starter.

Couldn't get anything but a Ryobi in my price range that would take 1/2 inch, but overall I don't think I'm unhappy. Now to go power it up!