Thread: Plunge Or Trim Router first up?

Hi Peter

If the B&D motor is to be dedicated to the router table - which ideally needs a 1/2” collet (or metric equivalent) and at least 2 hp - then my choice for a second router would be a trim router with both plunge and fixed bases just swap them out as needed). These days this is possible. I have the powered/corded 1 hp Makita and find it is excellent in both versions. I hear that the cordless version is better still (but significantly more expensive). Corded vs Cordless - depends on how you plan to use it.

Why trim router? It is ideal for freehand use. Small yet powerful enough for all 1/4” bits. Edgings, small mouldings, inlay, even grooves and dados if you do these progressively. I have several routers, and find the trim gets used more frequently.

Regards from Prague (off to Berlin tomorrow)

Derek

I have a router table, trim router and a bigger hand held router/s. If I had to choose the router table plus one other, it would definitely be the bigger hand held router. The bigger router is a pain in the butt and wrists for a lot of hand held work, but it can do it. The trim router is easier to use on the tasks it can do.....but it can't do everything. To run rough percentages, I would say that I use my router table 70% of the time, trim router 20% of the time, and the bigger hand held 10% of the time. Though 74.9% of percentages are made up on the spot, or was that 46.9%???? Who knows, let's just call it 62.5%

Sadly, they dont seem to have a plunge base suited to the Ryobi trim router and thats my platform.

Can you not achieve small plunges by holding the trim router firmly by the top and using the micro adjust feature for very small increments?

Buy a Festool 1400 plunge router, or an equivalent, it will do everything you want, with enough power, for ages. Trimmers are for exactly that, trimming things off to size. For many years, all my old man had was two black and decker plunge routers, and a makita trimmer. Now, I have two of the big Festool V8 routers, three 1400’s, and three makita trimmers. But the 1400’s get used the most, and it’s a simple matter to change the collet nuts for either1/2” shank or 1/4” cutters.
I can’t recommend any other alternative cheaper brands because I don’t have or use any.

I started off with a 1/4" plunge router. When the lock mechanism wore out I bought a trimmer. Only used it for a short time. Difficult to adjust and hard to see what I was doing. This was my experience so I sold the trim router.
Bought a Festool 1010 and while visibility can be limited, plunge depth is easy to adjust + can be used with dust extractor to improve working conditions. Has 8mm collet so I have many bits of this size shank.
Recently bought a Festool 1400 so I could put in a table and/or use 1/2" bits, also bought a 8mm collet so it can use all my existing bits (1/4" & 8mm).

Unless you are just trimming, get a plunge router. More versatile.
My 2 cents worth.

I have this router without the plunge base and I really really want the plunge base.

Sydney Tools

The other option is the Dewalt.. which has a nice promotion on at the moment with a free palm sander in case you need one. Otherwise just sell it off.

https://sydneytools.com.au/product/d...er-combination

I had the full size 1600w Ryobi router and have to say that I wish I saved a few pennies and bought something else. The accuracy of the Ryobi just isnt there. See my thread here with it in my router table (which is now redundant).
DIY Router Table finally complete (sort of..)

Samo, I’m pleased to see someone else recommending the Makita trimmer. Here it is, with the plunge base, alongside the Chinese copy ... which is excellent. One can pick up the Chinese copy plus all bases for the price of the Makita base alone.



I purchased by first router 30 years ago and still have and use it, an Elu 177e (electronic variable speed). This is a 2 1/4 hp machine, which does not sound large by today’s standards, but is plenty powerful (today it is available as the DeWalt 625). I have another (picked up cheaply on eBay) in a router table. I also have the most fantastic router, the mid-size MOF 97, and the baby of the range, MOF 96.



I do recommend looking for a used Elu 177e on UK eBay, where they may still be found, and for a very reasonable price. These things are built like a brick dunny.

For all this, I am enjoying the Makita trimmer. It is quiet, very powerful for its size, and light and nimble. The best dust control in a trimmer. The cordless would be even better as it has a light, but this is twice the money.

on a train to Berlin ...

Derek

Originally Posted by riverbuilder

Buy a Festool 1400 plunge router, or an equivalent, it will do everything you want, with enough power, for ages. Trimmers are for exactly that, trimming things off to size. For many years, all my old man had was two black and decker plunge routers, and a makita trimmer. Now, I have two of the big Festool V8 routers, three 1400’s, and three makita trimmers. But the 1400’s get used the most, and it’s a simple matter to change the collet nuts for either1/2” shank or 1/4” cutters.
I can’t recommend any other alternative cheaper brands because I don’t have or use any.

Sadly, i definately dont have the budget for a festool and, after watching a 'deconstruction' video on youtube, wasnt impressed by festool as a brand. Seems overpriced for what you're actually getting.

I am, also, and will always be, just someone having a tinker. And something to be able to make fiberglass moulds. Woodworking will always be a time filler for my other main hobbies, which are camping and four wheel driving, so definitely spending the money on a festool unit doesnt seem appropriate. Id rather put the money into a second UHF and a roof console for my Patrol and buy an adequate, cheaper router.

Also, I've decided that either would be Ryobi. While I'm not beholden on the plunge router to the brand, I do like their tools and have never been let down by them. Yes, they are an entry level tool and have their shortcomings, but that doesn't matter to me.

Firstly, I'm autistic, so simple is good. It also means that I can be "not that fussy".

Mostly, though, woodworking isn't ever going to take over as a main hobby. I just dont imagine myself working away in a shed as I age, twiddling away, shaping wooding into antique pieces.

I am, and will always be, a four wheel driver. And, as a result of that, I enjoy camping. I will spend as much money as I can on my camping equipment and my Patrol as I can. (I've yet to buy a 2nd UHF and roof console for the Patrol, for instance.

I will also make, from wood, fiberglass and metal, anything that I can to make these pursuits as comfortable as I possibly can. (so a wooden camp kitchen for when the bride doesn't come and I'm in the tent intsead of the camper trailer) is the idea. Also, there isnt a bag for our bbq on the market that suits my needs/wants, so a timber (or fiberglass) box that can serve as a (low) stand will sit nicely with me.

Sure, I do want to make a bit of pallet furniture for a cousin, or maybe a bench for in the house, or somewhere to rest a drink for our upper deck when finally we build our townhouse, and organise the garage with cupboards I built (rather than just buying them)

But mainly woodworking will be a time filler for when my wife plays netball 4 nights a week instead of the dog and I sitting on the couch eating myself to death.

So, if you've read the above, and even if you haven't, the question boils down simply:

I know which brand of each I'm buying and Ive got the table router (which wil get uprgraded at some point). With those two in mind, do I go with:
Option A:The Plunge Router, or,
Option B:The Trim Router

(Sorry, I know you guys are trying to help with suggestions on brands and tools, but the question Im asking is as simple as that. I hope that doesn't hurt anyone's feelings - I'm High Functioning Autistic, so I like to keep to simple answers.)

Originally Posted by petermiddo

I've got a Black and Decker Router table and motor (with 12mm collet) and thats going to do me for quite sometime. Eventually, I will get a lift insert, but that is a loooooong way off.

Pete
Please triple check the size of your router motor's collet. The ready available collets are 1/4" and 1/2".

8 mm collets are typically a special order, while 6 mm and 12 mm will likely have to come from Europe (not the UK, Europe proper).

I'm not sure that I've even heard of a 12 mm Black and Decker collet.



As to your question
1/4" and 8 mm collet trim router should be fine for your likely uses, PROVIDED you do all your large stuff in the table.

Seriously, it depends on what you want to do.

For me, knowing what I know now & the kind of work I do, If I was in your situation, I would get the Trimmer first.

I have 4 medium to big routers & 2 trimmers.

The biggest & the 2 mid size & one Trimmer are mounted upside down in a verity of tables.

One big & one trimmer are hand held.

I use a table with a mid size & a handheld trimmer the most.

BUT.... that is because of the work I am currently doing.

I am building guitars and amp/speaker boxes.

What are you planning to build?

Originally Posted by petermiddo

So, if you've read the above, and even if you haven't, the question boils down simply:

I know which brand of each I'm buying and Ive got the table router (which wil get uprgraded at some point). With those two in mind, do I go with:
Option A:The Plunge Router, or,
Option B:The Trim Router

(Sorry, I know you guys are trying to help with suggestions on brands and tools, but the question Im asking is as simple as that. I hope that doesn't hurt anyone's feelings - I'm High Functioning Autistic, so I like to keep to simple answers.)

Originally Posted by Cliff Rogers

Seriously, it depends on what you want to do.

For me, knowing what I know now & the kind of work I do, If I was in your situation, I would get the Trimmer first.

I have 4 medium to big routers & 2 trimmers.

The biggest & the 2 mid size & one Trimmer are mounted upside down in a verity of tables.

One big & one trimmer are hand held.

I use a table with a mid size & a handheld trimmer the most.

BUT.... that is because of the work I am currently doing.

I am building guitars and amp/speaker boxes.

What are you planning to build?

I dont really know what Im going to end up building, but the plans are for simple stuff like possum boxes and simple furniture pieces (like rotating bookcases style side tables.)

Eventually the boss wants me to build her a lazy-shoe-zan and Id probably get away with asking for a plunge router and the Rockler circle cutting jig at that stage (mayonly be 12 months away.... )

I have a table leg that Ive broken while moving last time, which has fluting on it, so will have to build 4 more legs to match (and stained similarly) to replace them. I know I will never match the other 3, so its just easier to replace all 4, provided I can get a close stain for the timber. If I cant, I am buggered....

I built myself a mobile workbench (and want to roundover the edges) and will be building a cabinet for my jobsite saw very soon. I know that I will be mostly using the table router to be making the zero clearance plates for the jobsite saw, so no worries with that.

There will be rabbets and dados (which I would prefer to use a router instead of buying a dado stack) to be made for my camp kitchen, unless I just use my dowel jig. Or make it out of fibreglass.

I may get inspired and make some smaller finger jointed boxes to contain spill-resistant coffee mugs or insulated water bottles, and maybe even some wine boxes that turn into racks have inspired me recently.

These will likely need a round over or some detail in them that requires more than pattern following,