Thread: Hand Held Medium Size Plunge Router Recommendation

I am researching routers, I am after a router suitable for two handed Hand Held router with medium amount of power, that is capable of working as a Plunge Router.

I tend to use the schools routers for cutting mortices, rebates and recesses for hinges in solid wood. The school has two dewalt's, and while they are good machines I find that their balance is very poor ( I do not know the make but it looks like the DW621), and it takes a lot of effort to control the machine it always wants to topple over. Their weight is also a problem at about 5kg's, would prefer something around 3kg's.

One teacher recomended that I get a Trend as they bought the Elu designs. He lent me his Elu, and I must say that I like the weight and balance of these machines much more.

I had a look at the Trend T5, however my research did not come up with much on them and what I did was mixed. At AU $576 its a big investment for me. Has anyone used the Trend T5?

I had a look at the Festool OF 1010 router, this get to the very upper limit of my budget and a little beyond. But they do not make anything cheaper. The festool is appealing as I have used their other tool and I like the way they all integrate with the dust extraction/vacuum cleaner.

I mostly use 1/4" bits but I have a few 1/2" as well so a router that can do both would be nice. Both of the above can only do 1/4" and 8 mm. I also want a router with a minimum 5-3/4" in diameter base plate, with a 1-3/8" counterbore and a 1-3/16" throughbore. For a routing Jig I am interested in buying. I am told this is a standard size but the router information do not seem to state these dimensions.

Originally Posted by gerhard

Around 1999 B&D dispensed with the Elu brand, and used the DeWalt brand it already purchased in 1960 as a new professional tool A-brand. For this effort (apart from developing new models) B&D selected existing models of proven quality and popularity, so many vintage Elu designs lived on in yellow and black. So there they were again, the old familiar MOF 96 as DW 614, the 96E as DW 615 and the rounded SR 100 as DW 613.

The Dewalt Aust. Lists non of these routers so I assume the are no longer made. The USA dewalt does not list them either but list many others.

If anyone can suggest a router that would suit my needs in the $300 to $600 range, it would be much appreciated?