Thread: Router baseplates and general advice on which router

Hey all!

I have two routers. My initial one was a 1200 watt Ryobi which I mounted to a table. I then got the big boy Triton TRA 001 and mounted it to a table and the Ryobi has not had any use in years.

I need to route some Dados in some wide long boards not suitable for the router table ( making a bookshelf).

I went and dug out the Ryobi and noted I am missing the initial plastic baseplate that comes with it ( I had mounted it to a square baseplate to mount to a table)...

1. So a couple of questions; Do I even need a baseplate for this function? It seems to run smoothly over a piece of timber without one? My thoughts are you need baseplates for template work, but in this case where I am literally running it along a fence in a straight line with a 19mm straight bit, if it runs smoothly then there is no point?...

2. The Ryobi is not a terrible router but by no means is it great. It gets stuck while plunging and annoys me greatly.
If I were to buy a second router for **occasional plunge work ( I want to leave the Triton under the table) what would you buy??
I don't really want to spend over $300 max... I normally just use the router table it would only be on rare occasions I use the plunge router.
The Triton JOF seems like a good little router for $239.
Bunnings has 900watt Makita Plunge for $186.
The other option would be a little 700watt Makita flush trim/router. This leads to another questions --
3...I guess how many limitations are there to these trimmers? I do most heavy work on the table but lets use the example of the Dados for this bookshelf- 19mm straight bit probably 7-9mm deep into pine. Would it cope with this?

Thanks in Advance,

Andrew