Thread: New Router - which one to get

I have 4 routers.

An older B&D 1/4". Good little goer but now over 20yrs old.

A 1/4" Ozito Never used. I won it in a raffle.

A Big Triton. love all its features! It is excellent in a table and is very good to use hand held because of its low centre of gravity.

An Hitachi 1/2" with plenty of grunt_an MR2 I think. Doesn't have the rifined features of the Triton but an excellent tool.

simonmags - what are you planning to use it for?? Table-mounted or handheld??

Initially I think I will run handheld, I guess it would be nice down the track if i win lotto to be able to use it as a table mounted router.

But i am mostly thinking this would be the most versatile tool to do rabbetts and dado's maybe even a litte mortise & tennoning rather than buying the numerous handtools that would be required to do the same sort of work.

I guess the first projects would be to make some drawers for the work bench and a wine rack, i have some ideas of plans for both, but would rather a stronger joint in the drawers, utilising a dado or rabbet as the minimum...

But as a hobbyist/hacker of wood there's no telling what I will be doing next week

I've finished reading some of the articles on routers over at wikipedia and am currently leaning towards plunge routers with twin handles, and notice that dewalt have a nice little one with a dust extracter. not being a huge fan of the piles of wood chips on my floor at the best of times, i thought the vertical column dust extracter might be nice.

Anyway, interested to hear anyones thoughts on using routers and designs, brands etc. Is variable speed worth the extra dollars? and any other similar thoughts on features vs must haves.

A million years ago as an apprentice I used a corded "D" handled 3601B Makita router in daily door and window manufacturing. There was no other type around for us to use so this was it. Since then I have purchased my own, exactly the same. A generation or three later and it is still the same machine. Single handed operation, no bells and whistles whatsoever, it has depth adjustment of course but cannot plunge. It does have grunt and reliability, two highly valuable attributes. This router is the duxguts for me in the work I have done but I understand it is limited in it's scope. If you're doing any plunge work, get a double hander and you can do more with it.

So my limited understanding is that the D handle routers are good because you can use them one handed, and reduce wood burn by being able to push them along a bit faster. Does that about sum it up?

You do't need to win lotto to ow a router table!!

Look up the design for Roger Gifkins' table and make your own.

Dear Simonmags, I have been looking for my first router as well. and when I have enough roubles I was thinking of the Triton Tri TRA001B from Carbatec at $399.00. I would be glad of any comments from the troops. Yours 4-6-4

... D handle routers are good because you can use them one handed, and reduce wood burn by being able to push them along a bit faster. Does that about sum it up?

In production we would:
... use our primary hand on the "D" and (usually without using the trigger set)
... use our secondary hand on the edge of the base of the router to provide stability and consistency. Remember it's not always a wide flat surface you have to rest your base on, some window sash rail surfaces may be only 30mm or so wide allowing for the top-heavy router to topple. Even if the router moves slightly then so will the cutter, spoiling the work; imagine colonial windows.
... we only ever made two passes. The first pass we would allow the cutter to self-drive itself to remove part of the material.
... the second pass would be taken (with more care and less speed than the first pass) against the cutter to achieve the desired finish.
... remember I am talking only about doors and windows here with rebates on one side and arrises or coving & etc on the other.

Wood burn rarely entered the equation, even with a solid pilot.

So what options are worth getting, variable speed? I think the D Handle router sounds good, but I think that I'll keep looking at the Plunge routers just because they offer a little more flexibilty which could be a good thing for me in future projects.

So Plunge router options, whats good, whats not?

Dear Simon, I intend to use my router in a table. The Triton has an above table height adjustment and the ability to change the cutters from above the table. Both considerations for an old fart. I have not purchased the beast because I have recently purchased some pattern makers gouges and there are some paring chisels to come. You will find that plunge routers are popular. I am a member of Fine Wood worker and they have hints tips and vids on a lot of subjects,. Yours 4-6-4

Makita 3612c has the lot great hand held and good for unsidedown table mount.

Variable speed and brake. Darn near indestructible


Cheers


Steve

Thanks for the comments all.

So Variable speed is an option worth getting then? And I am hearing you all mention height adjustment and being able to change the bit when it is in a table mount as good options to have.

So far people have only talked about the Makita and Triton (artme did mention a couple of others), I take it none of the others are worth considering?

Originally Posted by toolbagsPLUS

Makita 3612c has the lot great hand held and good for unsidedown table mount.

Variable speed and brake. Darn near indestructible


Cheers


Steve

Good Morning Simon.

Basically concur with Steve. My Makita 3600 is over 20 years old and has survived me... Features that I would look for in a new router are:

* 12 mm collet. 12mm (1/2 inch) router bits are much more robust than 6mm ones.
* High wattage. Mine is 1500 watts = grunt.
* Easy and precise adjustment. It is a precision tool.
* Plunge feature is very useful. Cannot plunge a non-plunge router accurately.
* Easy bit changing and secure bit locking. Major work f**-ups if the bit slips in the collett.
* Easy to secure into bench mount.
* I have never felt the need for variable speed. Never used it; never missed it, but open mind.
* Routers are very noisy: I would pay extra for quietness.

Many say that the Festool is the best, but $$$$$'s. Perhaps $800+...

Another strategy is to buy a "learner router" for less than $100 - GMC, Ozito, green Bosch, etc - for practice and then buy a quality router after you have some experience with it and can work out which features you will pay for and which do not interest you.

Cheers

Graeme

Thanks Graeme

Your advice is greatly appreciated and is what I was looking for, I like the idea of buying a decent router first time out rather than spending money on a cheapie and then needing to upgrade it later.

Thanks for the advice about the collett too I had not really considered how the bigger bit sizes might be more robust. 400 or 500 is about the limit of my comfort when it comes to a new router so the festool is out for me.

I'm a fan of queitness and dust extraction (I don't have a dust extracter yet but it's pretty high on the list). The little 1100W Dewalt column dust extraction looked good for that but most others don't seem to include any dust extraction on them that I have seen.

Cheers All