What router to buy?

**newbie2** · 7th September 2012, 01:14 PM

Hi All - this is my first post - the username says it all. Judging by some of the posts I've read on this forum its the right place to ask this sort of question with forum members who can help.

I'm setting out on my first serious woodworking project and need advice on what router to buy. This project requires me to cut a series of dados (what do we call them in Oz?) for shelves in two cabinets - all up 24 dados each 25mm wide, 10mm deep.
Will also need to form rebates for cabinet backs with Router

I'll be working with blackbutt from a company specializing in supply of dressed recycled hardwood - don't know if forum rules let me say which one.

So I think my specifications are:
- hand held - dont need / dont want to shell out for a router table for future use
- Plunge router
- Soft start
- variable speed

But what size ? would a 1/4" router be able to handle that sort of work in hardwood or do I need to go to 1/2" ?
Is 3/8" worth considering ?
Just scrolling through a suppliers website seemed to show bits are more readily available in 1/4"

Any guidance you can give me will be appreciated

**Chief Tiff** · 7th September 2012, 03:47 PM

Hi Newbie;

If all you are cutting is grooves, trenches and rebates you don't need a plunge router unless they have stopped ends. A "D" handled router is easier to use for these types of cuts as they have a lower centre of gravity and I find them more accurate.

BUT..........

If you are only buying one router then a plunge router is much more usefull overall.

What router you buy all depends on your budget and projected use. I still have my very first router, a 1/4" El Cheapo (at the time!) which is still in fairly regular use as it is small and lightweight. I ended up actually buying a second one because it came up really cheap allowing me to put one of them into a small table. My next one was a 1/2" Ryobi plunge; a little underpowered but OK. Then the big Triton which lives permanently in a table; finally a Makita "D" handle. I still have all 5, they all get used as each one has it's own unique pro's and cons.

If I had to start over again on a minimum budget it would probably be the Ryobi as it was very cheap but could still handle 1/2" cutters.

I'm personally looking at getting this baby Triton, on sale from cheaptoolsau for $179. Carbatec retail them at $100 more.

**nrb** · 7th September 2012, 04:08 PM

I think the baby Triton would be a good buy.

**Template Tom** · 7th September 2012, 10:41 PM

**newbie2** · 10th September 2012, 10:22 PM

Thanks for your responses. The 1/2" Makita looks the goods, but my missus will kill me if I fork out $500 for it.

I was looking at the 1/2" AEG RT1350E for $200 [I know - you get what you pay for but ...]
I'm wondering if I would wind up regretting buying the AEG. It is 1350watts versus the 2100w for the Makita - do I need the extra grunt of the Makita to do what I want to do with Blackbutt ?

Tom: Thank you for those video links. Its amazing what you have done with that router.
The video of the pedestal top where you secured the router using the fence I thought was very tricky - akin to an upside down router table !

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