# So if you were to buy a router?



## tookalook (Jan 24, 2016)

So if you were to buy an all around router
(1) what would you look for
(2) Why?
(3) What is your Favourite router
(4) Why
(5) Thank you.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forum N/a . A first name in your profile would be nice 

For above table I’m a FesTool Guy. Not saying there the best , but I bought into them and really like the quality . They have an attachment so I can use my FesTool 1400 with my track saw guide . I suspect some other brands may too. 

Easy base change out . Quietest router I’ve ever heard, but when your cutting I’m sure some will say that’s irrelevant. 
Great dust extraction system . I can recover a lot of the dust if I use there attachments.
IMO , Dust collection is very important in this hobby .

For a router table I bought Porter Cable 7518-2 ( motors only) , as I’m going to build a dual router table someday . Unfortunately there QC has slipped and they’ve put in some cheap bearings from what the experts say. 
I am going to use Incra for a router table . They are also great for dust collection as they have a clean sweep insert system . 
I like there micro adjust fences and also . 

But your going to mostly hear about Bosch and Triton routers here


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

tookalook said:


> So if you were to buy an all around router
> (1) what would you look for
> (2) Why?
> (3) What is your Favourite router
> ...


1st and most important, look to the company...
evaluate their CS and will they step up to the plate should there be issues...
see if they have a planned obsolesce program in force...
what will the company and their product do for me...
try to figure out if they will respect me in the morning...

no sense in buying something that can't be fixed a few years later...

next the product...
quality..
will it have a long productive life...
will it do more than I need it to....
is it a good value...
will it protect my bottom line...
will it go the extra mile...
will it go obsolete or become disposable in short order...

tools that don't cut the mustard, suffer down time, hurt production and the bottom line need to left on the store shelf...

Online reviews...
not too much...
read a few too many that my VOE said other wise...
I prefer to use and abuse different brands and evaluate them myself and I pay attention at large job sites as to who has what and what, if any, issues they are having......

the testers should eval a tool and then put it in production mode for a few years and then do another eval..

Bosch fills the bill and then some...
2nd to none CS and support...
real work horse...
last long time...
protects my bottom line...

*WHY I LIKE BOSCH...*
2nd to none CS/TS support (American based) that's absolutely painless... They even support their tools that have been discontinued really well...
Their tools are real work horses...
planned obsolesce isn't an issue and less all around grief... 
they make tools that last a very long time... decades of hard heavy use..
they make tools that protect the bottom line...
Besides them being comfortable to use routers, they are much more feature rich, mighty fine soft start, way better fine depth adjustment, nice collets, and so much more... 
I think/believe Bosch to be an excellent and outstanding company... they always ''man up'' to any found problems in a w/o issues... 
When I had problems with two of their 1617 routers... a really old abused one and and a new one out of the box.. (it sounded terrible - gravely).... only took a day and all is well even with the old one and I never had to leave the shop.....

Keep in mind, that saving some money now just may cost you more down the road... Do yourself a huge favor and get a Bosch...

Bosch consistently scores high in/on all categories of quality, CS/TS, reliability and support, is as close as a phone call and your mail box... 
In short... They, Bosch, respect us, the consumer...

http://www.routerforums.com/feature...ng-woodworking-equipment-tools-machinery.html


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## Job and Knock (Dec 18, 2016)

All round? deWalt DW622 (1400 watt 1/2in chuck version of the USA DW621). Almost as small and compact as a DW615 (or Elu MOF96); light and compact; really good dust extraction up one of the columns (where it doesn't get in the way of seeing what you are doing) - well up there with the Festool OF1400; side fence incorporates a reasonable dust extraction connector and has a fine adjuster; and 1/2in collet so it can be used with larger cutters and just enough power to handle most stuff I do on an install - including cutting mason's mitre joints in 40mm thick post-formed laminated kitchen worktops (countertop), although that does require an extra pass or two over the big router I normally take along for the task. Bear in mind, though, that I need to be highly mobile, so hand held routing with a percentage of plunging cuts (recessing ironmongery, etc) as opposed to table routing is the order of the day for me.

Downsides? Really needs a Festool-style chip deflector hood to be attached to the underside of the base when edge routing using bearing guided cutters for best dust extraction; the sub base could do with being a tad bigger to make the router less tippy; you do need to buy the fine depth adjuster to give you micrometer depth control; and the guide bushes are peculiar so you need to buy a third party adaptor either to take Trend/Elu MOF96 GBs or alternatively P-C GBs. 

My DW622 actually replaced a Festool OF1400 which I could never really get to grips with - at least not comfortably - I bought the DW622 having already read a review by Routerman (the late and much missed Pat Warner) on his web site. I currently have several other routers to compare the DW to including the big brute Festool OF2200, a Bosch 1618 and a deWalt DW625 - as well as having access to various Makitas, Hitachis, etc through work. The DW is still my all round favourite, though, despite it's shortcomings

In terms of CS deWalt in the UK at least seem to be some way ahead of Bosch - their spares availability certainly is with many old Elu models from the 1980s still being supported. Bosch here is getting bad press at times due to failures in their spares stocking policy. Makita can be a bit hit and miss on spares although their technical support is good. Overall I'd say DW do better, but that is a local market viewpoint. Because I earn my living from my tools I tend to try to pick the most appropriate tool for the job first and foremost, then see what their support policy and spares availability are like

A genuine question about Bosch in the USA. Did they admit to problems with the Magnesium body/base 1617/1618 routers and issue a recall? Asking partly because I have a Mag. body 1617 - and zero support in the UK


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Job and Knock said:


> All round? deWalt DW622 (1400 watt 1/2in chuck version of the USA DW621). Almost as small and compact as a DW615 (or Elu MOF96); light and compact; really good dust extraction up one of the columns (where it doesn't get in the way of seeing what you are doing) - well up there with the Festool OF1400; side fence incorporates a reasonable dust extraction connector and has a fine adjuster; and 1/2in collet so it can be used with larger cutters and just enough power to handle most stuff I do on an install - including cutting mason's mitre joints in 40mm thick post-formed laminated kitchen worktops (countertop), although that does require an extra pass or two over the big router I normally take along for the task. Bear in mind, though, that I need to be highly mobile, so hand held routing with a percentage of plunging cuts (recessing ironmongery, etc) as opposed to table routing is the order of the day for me.
> 
> Downsides? Really needs a Festool-style chip deflector hood to be attached to the underside of the base when edge routing using bearing guided cutters for best dust extraction; the sub base could do with being a tad bigger to make the router less tippy; you do need to buy the fine depth adjuster to give you micrometer depth control; and the guide bushes are peculiar so you need to buy a third party adaptor either to take Trend/Elu MOF96 GBs or alternatively P-C GBs.
> 
> ...


Bosch CS/TS here is stellar... the Mag base issue.. fixed...
DeWalt CS here leaves you wanting... parts after a few years are hard to find... 
discontinued Bosch models still have parts available...
discontinued Bosch still get CS/TS and in sometimes are even warrantied...
Bosch is never further away than your telephone or mail box...
Bosch has the chip deflectors...
Tippy isn't a real issue that I've witnessed..
want power??/ experience a Bosch 1619......
Bosch guide bushings are well thought out and perform very well...
Fine adjustment.. 1/128'' (0.198mm) is a no issue... finer (1/256) if you fiddle a bit... in wood.. why for...
DeWalt *DOES NOT* have the endurance Bosch has.. all of the DW I had has died and been buried.. my Bosch are still serving, even the almost 4 decade old ones... (I'm a commercial operation)..
the new Porter Cable is a serious waste of time/energy/money... their CS/TS and warranty sucks...
Festool here just costs a lot of money for under powered plastic and oil bath bushing.. for their kind of money you'd think there would be at least bearings...


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Tooka look; hi! What do you want to do with it?
It's not as simple as your questionaire would lead you to believe. 
If you do a lot of HPL (laminate work) you need a light trim router. If you're a cabinet maker you need both a handheld router and a router for mounting in a table...you'll get arguments on both sides of that one.
For table routing more HP is better. The Bosch 1617EVSPK is probably as light as you'd want to go...it'll handle both 1/2" and 1/4" shanks by switching collets (included).
A lot of the members here have big, dedicated, Triton routers for table mounting 3+ HP (can't remember exact hp).
Nobody said woodworking was an inexpensive hobby!


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

I have two Bosch 1617EVSPK routers. No complaints. One is used under a table or in a plunge base for hand held operations. The other one is mounted to my CNC and gets a workout.

I also have two Triton 3 1/4 hp routers. One is mounted under a table. The other was won in a contest and gets use sparingly.

I also have a small DeWalt 611PK compact Router Kit. It has performed well doing trim work and cutting some dadoes for cabinet parts.

I don't have any other experience with routers other than a couple of Craftsman from the 80's.


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## Job and Knock (Dec 18, 2016)

Stick486 said:


> Tippy isn't a real issue that I've witnessed..
> want power??/ experience a Bosch 1619......


The tippiness isn't an issue for me, but is something that others have mentioned, including the late Pat Warner on his now defunct website. TBH I don't need to experience a 1619 (GOF2000e in the EU) for power because I already have a Festool OF2200 which is actually more powerful and has superior dust extraction (why the solid surface bridgade use them) and several MOF177e/DW625 variants (the later ones are 2000 watts). In the past I've owned the GOF1700ACE (1611?) as well. The only thing the GOF2000 has over the DWs is that it's quieter. But then the Festool is probably quieter still.



Stick486 said:


> DeWalt *DOES NOT* have the endurance Bosch has.. all of the DW I had has died and been buried.. my Bosch are still serving, even the almost 4 decade old ones... (I'm a commercial operation)..


Must be something to do with the manufacturing. Our DW routers over here are made in Italy and Slovenia (older ones were Swiss) - we don't see Chinese or Mexican ones yet. My oldest Elu in use is a mid-1970s MOF98. The oldest DW625 I know anyone still has in regular use is an early 1990s model, which is about the time they partly rebranded from Elu, but I do know of a number of older MOF177es in regular trade use



Stick486 said:


> Festool here just costs a lot of money for under powered plastic and oil bath bushing.. for their kind of money you'd think there would be at least bearings...


2200 watts is not underpowered and top and bottom ball bearings for all the routers, so we are obviously talking at cross purposes here


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## Job and Knock (Dec 18, 2016)

DaninVan said:


> Tooka look; hi! What do you want to do with it?
> It's not as simple as your questionaire would lead you to believe.


I think you've hit the nail on the head there, Dan, but the OP did ask the question, _"So if you were to buy an all around router what would you look for?"_

I took that as meaning if I were to be limited to just ONE router - in which case any really big router is out as the big boys aren't a lot of good for the delicate stuff whilst I don't think I'd be able to live with a trim router as they can't do big cuts..... As you say, though, it depends what sort of stuff you are doing


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I agree with what Dan said too. For table use I use a Hitachi M12V2. It is an excellent router for table, better than the M12V I previously used. I have a Hitachi M12VC in fixed base only and it is a joy to use as others who own have said. I also have the DW611 and it is a great router for light work. It was also a very good price. I got it in fixed and plunge base kit for $149 Canadian off Amazon Canada.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Sort of like buying a vehicle...what's it going to be used for?
A sports car isn't going to cut if you've got a family. A honkin' big pickup is kinda pointless for everyday commuting.
If you need the pickup for towing a trailer once a year, rent one.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum.


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## Job and Knock (Dec 18, 2016)

One thing which a lot of folk don't seem to take into consideration is dust extraction. You only get one pair of lungs and whilst they come with a "lifetime guarantee", so to speak, you're hardly going to be able to get a warranty repair if you fill them with wood dust and they stop working. At the risk of labouring a point it's one area where few tools shine.


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## Roger Leclercq (Jan 28, 2009)

Sommerfeld tools has a decent price on a Triton 3 1/4hp for $249 3yr warranty. They also make some great router bits. Check out some of their videos on YouTube very good instructions on making cabinets.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Second endorsement for Triton TRA001, 3 1/4 router for table use but it's too heavy for me to use freehand. I ran for years with Bosch 1617s (one in the table another for freehand/plunge use. If I could only choose one, it would be the 1617. Never a single problem or glitch. Don't know about customer service, never needed any. Accessories are superb, well machined, perfect fit. Never once bogged down (don't feed too fast!). And, you can use the fixed base for above the table height adjustment. Sorry, it won't bake you a cake or anything, it'll just do yoman service in your shop. I have and like Dewalt's 18v tools, but in my opinion their router's construction doesn't match the quality, fit and finish of the Bosch. Many people on the Forum like the DeWalt, but it's roughly the same price as the Bosch, but handling it (especially the height adjustment mechanism), it just felt sloppy. The display machine, which gets some rough handling, was not functional anymore. Despite about equal mistreatment, the Bosch was tight and in good shape. That's my opinion.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

Hello Tom and welcome. I have a PC895 and it stays in my router table all the time. I also have a Dewalt 618 that I use for any routing by hand. I really like the way it feels in my hands. Another thing I like about it is the cord can be unplugged from the router. ( All routers should be like that ) For a trim router, I have a Makita that I hardly ever use. Here is a good company to look and buy tools from. If you need it they also have very good customer service.

https://www.cpooutlets.com/routers-and-trimmers/routers-and-trimmers,default,sc.html


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