Thread: makita 15 amp router

Provided you use something like this you should be OK.

http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MS4044

Cook,

Where did you purchase it from as I'm looking to replace my 3612 mak that's in the table.

All the ones I looked at were the US versions 15 amp 120 Volt.

Originally Posted by The Bleeder

Cook,

Where did you purchase it from as I'm looking to replace my 3612 mak that's in the table.

All the ones I looked at were the US versions 15 amp 120 Volt.

I bought it second hand from a Cash Converters via Gumtree. It has either never been used or has had little use at all. It came with 3 months warranty and cost $300 delivered from Victoria to my house in Brisbane.

I was going to get another Triton. One of those sits in the router table, but I liked the look of the big Makita. The going rate of between $470 and $500 was more than I could justify given that I could get the Triton for about $340 online. I have had a few of these and I like them. But when I saw the Makita, even if not completely new, I thought I might take a chance.

I will post a few pictures tonight when I get home from work.

Yeah, you're not wrong about the big makitas. Mine has been going for years.

It's just I need another as this one now lives in the router sled and it's a PITA to remove it and put it back in the table.

Originally Posted by chook

I bought it second hand from a Cash Converters via Gumtree. It has either never been used or has had little use at all. It came with 3 months warranty and cost $300 delivered from Victoria to my house in Brisbane.

I was going to get another Triton. One of those sits in the router table, but I liked the look of the big Makita. The going rate of between $470 and $500 was more than I could justify given that I could get the Triton for about $340 online. I have had a few of these and I like them. But when I saw the Makita, even if not completely new, I thought I might take a chance.

I will post a few pictures tonight when I get home from work.

I seem to recall from another discussion I had about this router, not sure if it was on this forum or elsewhere, that this router comes with a 10 amp plug, not a 15 amp plug and that it has the same powered motor as the big Triton.

Cheers

Doug

The power is the same and I am sure that another Triton would have been very good. But I have had Tritons for a very long time and one lives in my router table now. I suppose I just wanted a change.

The router shows no sign of ever having been used before and seems to work really well. I have been using an Haitachi TR12 for hand routing for so long I cannot remember and it still works nicely. If the Makita lasts as long I will be pleased.

I have been reading the manual that came with the router. It warns me sternly that if I run the router for long periods at slow speeds it will screw up the motor. I was intending to run a 2 inch planer bit in it at at low speeds to flatten some slabs. So what is this warning about?

Originally Posted by chook

The power is the same and I am sure that another Triton would have been very good. But I have had Tritons for a very long time and one lives in my router table now. I suppose I just wanted a change.

I was not saying "you might as well have bought the Triton", what I was commenting on was the 15 amp aspects. The Triton runs ok on 10 amps, but I wouldnt want too much else on the same circuit at the same time, and as I said I think the Makita has a 10 amp plug. I am not sure why the Makita is advertised at 15 amps, undoubtedly a good router and plenty strong in any case.

I have four large routers, 2 triton and 2 makita, to me they are both great brands.

Cheers

Doug

I thought a bit about the 15 amps before I bought it. I do not know what if any, is the advantage of 15 amps at 3.5 hp over 10 amps at 3.5 hp. I have a 15 amp outlet that I only ever use for an air compressor and I can use it in my shed but If I take it way I need some sort of adaptor.

I would be interested to know what Makita mean by slow speed, extended period of time and damage to the motor. If I cannot use the slow speed to run large planer bits, then the router will become a pretty 15 amp ornament.

At 2.1kW with soft start the router should run fine off a 10 amp outlet. The 15A rating may be a cut and paste thing from the US version. It would pull 15A with a 110V supply.
At slower speeds the router is not getting enough air flow to properly cool the motor. You're ok for short runs but don't try long sessions at low speed. If you have a lot to do at slow speed, run a couple of passes then do something else while you let it cool down. It's impossible to say how long is too long but play it safe and have plenty of rest/cool down time.

Originally Posted by chook

I would be interested to know what Makita mean by slow speed, extended period of time and damage to the motor. If I cannot use the slow speed to run large planer bits, then the router will become a pretty 15 amp ornament.

As NCA has suggested, the issue is to do with heating and cooling. Use it at full speed with a 1/4in dia bit and a shallow cut and it won't supply any more energy to the bit that a trimmer would doing the same job, but will draw some additional power because it is a bigger motor with bigger losses.

Once you start talking a 50mm planer bit, tip speed for the bit will`be a limiting factor so you need to slow the motor probably to around 50% of max speed. Because the motor cooling fan is integral and fixed to the motor armature, the fan also runs at 50% max speed, reducing airflow through the motor and cooling.

Added to that, to get the speed to 50%, the speed controller "chops' the incoming mains voltage to lower the speed before passing it to the motor , and this means that the motor has fairly significant current spikes twice each mains cycle. These spikes contribute virtually nothing to output power, but a lot to motor losses, so the motor is more prone to heating and heat damage. The 'spikyness' of the current waveform may be one reason for the 15A plug and rating.

For flattening slabs with a 50mm planer bit,
a, try fairly shallow cuts so you aren't loading the motor too much, and
b, sense the motor temperature regularly, say end of each pass,

I think you will find that it's up to the task you want to set, but tread lightly to start with, and let it show you it's limits. I think you will be happy longer term.

I've looked up the specs and that is onlt a 2100watt router..so it wont be 15 amps at 240 volts...well at least not continuous.

power tools and motors are rated at a "nominal rating" and at times they will all draw more than what is printed on the plate.
But to ballance that circuit breakers in general use will support twice their rated for at least 60 seconds...unless they are specifically specified otherwise.

so you should have no problems.


If however it was in fact a 15 amp router.......the device linked from jaycar would be absolutely no use at all.

those devices are intended for use with caravans and the like, where there is wiring and variable loads that may come on a 15 amp pligs but draw 10 amps or less.

If the actual load is 15 amps...the breaker will just keep popping.

Now another real thing that some of us know..that you should not push your luck with.

Most of our power circuits that contain 10 amp power outlets are fused at either 15 or 20 amps.....so as long as you have only one device plugged in you can easily pull 15amps out of a 10 amp outlet...........but dnt push your luck.

cheers

Originally Posted by soundman

I've looked up the specs and that is onlt a 2100watt router..so it wont be 15 amps at 240 volts...well at least not continuous.

power tools and motors are rated at a "nominal rating" and at times they will all draw more than what is printed on the plate.
But to ballance that circuit breakers in general use will support twice their rated for at least 60 seconds...unless they are specifically specified otherwise.

so you should have no problems.


If however it was in fact a 15 amp router.......the device linked from jaycar would be absolutely no use at all.

those devices are intended for use with caravans and the like, where there is wiring and variable loads that may come on a 15 amp pligs but draw 10 amps or less.

If the actual load is 15 amps...the breaker will just keep popping.

Now another real thing that some of us know..that you should not push your luck with.

Most of our power circuits that contain 10 amp power outlets are fused at either 15 or 20 amps.....so as long as you have only one device plugged in you can easily pull 15amps out of a 10 amp outlet...........but dnt push your luck.

cheers

When I got the thing home and had a look at it it is marked as 10 amps anyway. The documentation with it is American I think.

I have used it a bit now and I really like it. I don't think that the depth adjustment is as good as a Triton but it has plenty of power, runs quietly and slides up and down on the columns brilliantly. There is almost no vibration (none I can detect) through the handles in use and the location of all switches is well thought out. Bit changes are easy with the spindle lock. I wanted a hand held router since I have a triton in the router table and as a hand held router it is great to use. The documentation sucks and accessories are unattainable. For example the fence as supplied is primitive but the documentation points to the availability of a fine adjuster as an accessory. I suppose these are kept in the same cupboard as the hens teeth. Nobody can tell me where I can get one. If it proves as durable as my old Hitachi which neither time, use or age could kill then it will be perfect.

Yeh some of the accessories may be unavailable locally..where ever that is.

Sometimes its a case of asking somwhere that is prepared to order them for you.

And that usually means somewhere else other than a hardware chain.

remembere there is always the internet...just watch the freight.

If the fence runns on round rails like a lot do...building your own fence is entirely viable.

The fence that came with my TR12 was too short for what I was doing so i ordered a length of the right diameter bright rod and got an off cut of 50mm x 25mm aluminium rod and got drilling...its a better fence that came with the unit.

There are companies that from time to time come out with aftermarket accessories for routers. like, vermont american.

there are sets of guide bushes, replacement base plates and yes fences......if you are running makita or hitachi.....most of these aftermarket items will fit.

cheers

I have now had the Makita for some time now. Reading back over the forum I had three concerns, all of which proved unfounded.

Concern one: The router is rated at 15 amps and I have a 10 amp supply

No it is not. The documentation that came with the router says 15 amps but the plate on the router says 10 amps.

Concern two: The router has variable speed but running it at slow speeds for long periods will kill it.

No it did not. I have used it mostly for normal edging and rebating functions. But I also have a big flat bottomed planer bit which I use with a jig for surfacing wide boards. I run the router slower with this bit for extended periods. The router does not get hot and it has not died.

Concern three: The router has a primitive fence and does not have a fine adjuster

No it does not and yes it does. The fence is not primitive and works just as well as any other fence on every other router I have used. The fence does have a fine adjuster which works perfectly well. I was just too stupid to work it out. The documentation which comes with the router is impossibly bad on this point.


So after a lot of use I have come to appreciate this quiet, easy and powerful tool. It feels indestructibly solid and works really well.