Thread: Routers - Opinions on Hitachi TR12 vs Metabo OF? 1600w

I've got the Hitachi, which used to be my Dads. Been around for quite a few years and still runs like a new one. I think Waldo got his off his Dad as well which is going in his router table that he is building at the moment

Originally Posted by djstimber

I've got the Hitachi, which used to be my Dads. Been around for quite a few years and still runs like a new one. I think Waldo got his off his Dad as well which is going in his router table that he is building at the moment

It is really appealing to me. So sturdy. I'm not even put off by the need for spanner adjustment of height adjustment.

The Metabo would be better hand held and easy to use.

1600W? Are you sure the Metabo isn't 1800? That would make it an Of E 1812. Of = Oberfräse (router) E = Elektronik (variable speed) 1812 = 1800 W 12mm (or 1/2")

This machine is built by Felisatti and not bad. I've got one and haven't had any problems. I did however, snap it up in eBay: Brand new in the box for AUD200.

The Metabo is a solid machine with some nice features, but there's nothing about it to fall in love with. If the price for the Hitachi is noticeably cheaper, I would seriously consider it.

Damien

G'day havenoideatall,

I can't write about the Metabo, but the TR12 is a strong bit of gear, doesn't have a soft start, but so what. Skew has 2 of them from memeory so anyway, Bob38S also has one too.

It's reliable - before I got it it hadn't been started for about 4 years and had been sitting in its box. Yep it's heavy, like you said but that's a plus in my book and its got grunt. I'd buy another easily.

Have heard singing the praises of the TR12s he uses in his production workshop.

Hello Haveno,

I have a TR12 and as the post above alludes to, there is no soft start which is only a problem if you use it hand-held. Put it in a router table and it will go all year-every year.

I've had mine for about 8 years and it has never missed a beat and has oodles of grunt.

My opinion is that you would not be disappointed with the Hitachi, and the green is fashionably chic!

Cheers,

Scott in Peakhurst.

I've had a TR12 for 30 odd years. Its had a hard life.
I've worn out the bearings and brushes twice.

I can run mouldings all day long in my router table with power feeder.

Only thing it needs is a variable speed so it can handle very large diameter bits.

Paid 150bucks for a, as it's turned out, as new Hitachi. Very pleased indeed.

Quite right, Damienhazo, the Metabo router is a Felisatti product. The Italians also made this model for Fein's American market (though not any more right now). This version was called the RT-1800. They all are 1800 Watt machines. Fein never dared introduce it on the German tool market, where Fein is still seen by pro users as relatively pure and selfsufficient, not relying too much on "screwdriver engineering", as this router product obviously is. For this very reason, German craftsmen eventually abandoned the Elu brand -which was purchased by Black & Decker in 1984- when it became obvious around the 90's that B&D pushed ever more of their old designs (like the BD575 cut saw and the Alligator) as Elu products. Losses were such that the Elu brand was killed in 1999. Fein probably took heed of this story.

The Metabo is good, but the Hitachi is probably more reliable. The TR12 was outphased in Europe long ago, its successor M12V could be a suggestion also, this model had variable speed and is rugged too. In Europe Hitachi is relatively expensive. The brand seems vastly overpriced when measured against its simplicity of construction and materials. At least, that's what you can't help wondering when you take one of their products apart to see where the money went. The construction and material use was chosen as cheaply as simple as possible, and it shows. Hitachi's longevity can only be attributed to the only advantage of simplicity (what ain't there, can't break) and the choice of a good quality of materials (just the right steel strength, thicknesses, insulation heat resistance, etc.). Dutch contractors, known to be skinflints, are often to be seen using Hitachi, Festool and Hilti, just because in the long run those choices have proven to be sound investments.


Greetings from Holland

gerhard