# Makita RP1110C router opinion



## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi!

I finaly gave up on my Bosch POF1400 so I am looking for a new plunge router. I would need an advice about Makita RP1110C. Regarding the specifications I think it would be right choice for my needs but I haven't hold it in my hands yet. Any opinion or advice would be welcome about this router, especialy from the pearson who own this model. Is it good? I am specificaly sensitive about plunging mechanism because of my misfortune with Bosch router. 
Regards;


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

What is wrong with the Bosch? How long have you had your Bosch? They are among the best at correcting problems, some even out of warranty.


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## woodtony (Jul 30, 2010)

what is your misfortune on Bosch? can u share?


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

I had a thread ''Bosch POF1400ACE plunge router question''on this but I can't find it. Perhaps it was erased.
I will try to explain the problem again:
The left pillar is made as it should - it's polished and with closed tolerances regarding the bushing (sorry; my english is a bit rusty). But the right pillar is not machined at all - it's black and has rough surface and there is more then 0.5mm of space between the pillar and a bushing. So if I put the pressure on the right handle, the router bit swings left and the pivot is the left bushing of course. The router bit is no more perpendicular to the working piece but tilted for a certain angle. First I thought that I'm doing something wrong and there is a special technique to hold the router on the working piece. Then I start looking on the web and I've found guys with the same problem. One of them is from Australia and he wrote: _I bought a new 1/2" variable speed Bosch router some years ago for use under my table. I soon found that applying pressure tilted the cutter slightly towards the fence. This surprised me because the two pillars looked to be ginormous, that is until I lifted the rubber boots to find disappointingly thin pillars. I shimmed the router to lean forward to compensate and this worked in a fashion until I discovered MAKITA routers, what a difference!_
The other guy says: _I recently purchased this router (Bosch 1613AEVS 2-1/4-Horsepower Electronic Plunge Router) and within days of receiving it tried it out cutting mortise and tenons. While many of the features were nice I found the accuracy and ruggedness of the router to be lacking. The plunging action was fine except that the bit will move off of perpendicular due to lack of rigidity in the plunge mechanism and the rods the router moves on._
I have found a lot more complains on German forums but I think those two examples should be enough to say that apparently I'm not the only one with problems with Bosch router.
When I hold the router with one hand and try to turn the base clockwise and counter clockwise it actually moves a few degrees left and right and I can hear the right pillar cnocking on the shaft.

Of course I have sent the router to the service for repair. I explained the repair guy the problem and he replaced complete plungung mechanism. But the router has the same problem after the repair. Then they asked for oppinion the experts in Germany and they got the answer that this is in Bosch tolerances and all pof1200 and pof1400 routers behave the same way. How about that!!!! And pof1400 costs 150€! How about that!!!
I have cheap Einhell router for 50€ and he does not have this problem. Well, how about that? Because I was frustrated I drowe to all local shops with Bosch tools around here and indeed all pof1200 and pof1400 have the same problem. I have examined Iskra Ero router for 100€, then Skil router for 70€ (forgot the model), then Perles routers and expensive Metabo, Makita and Hitachi routers and no one of them had this problem.
Then after A LOT of calls to the customer care I became somehow a friend with the repair guy and he told me unoficialy that the best thing woul be to sell it and stay away from Bosch routers. He said that he has a lot of work with repairing Bosch routers (dead electronisc, mechanical problems, dead motors, bad plunging,...).
Finaly they said that I will get a new router. At least I will have less trouble selling it as the used one.
I hope my explanation of the problem is understendable.3
Regards


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

The Makita is a 350.oo dollar router and the Bosch is 150.oo dollar router, or less (1/4" only)

POF 1400 ACE

That may be the error  Apples to Oranges thing...

==


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

bobj3;
I'm sorry but you have missed the point of my reply. Let me put it this way (the prices are from the stores around here transfered to $ from euros):
Einhell no name router 70$ - no problem with plunging mechanism
Iskra Ero NR1412E router 150$ - no problem with plunging mechanism
Skil router 97$ - no problem with plunging mechanism
Black$Decker KW900EKA 136$ - no problem with plunging mechanism
Graphite router 146$ - no problem with plunging mechanism
Bosch POF1400ACE 209$ - BAD PLUNGING MECHANISM
Bosch POF1200AE 125$ - BAD PLUNGING MECHANISM

_The Makita is a 350.oo dollar router and the Bosch is 150.oo dollar router, or less (1/4" only). That may be the error Apples to Oranges thing..._
All the routers I've just mentioned does not have the problem with plunging mechanism. They are cheaper then Bosch pof1400. But only the Bosch have this problem. Is there some hidden reason why all those cheaper routers does not have this problem and more expensive Bosch routers have this problem?

But we are far away from the subject of this thread. I have just asked if someone on this forum has experiences with Makita routers and what members of this forum think about Makita routers. I am especially interested if someon owns RP1110C model.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

You "should" have less problems with that Makita simply because it is sold as a trade tool (at least in the UK) whilst all Bosch power tools prefixed "P", like your POF1400, are DIY quality tools. Bosch tools prefixed "G" are trade/industrial quality tools and generally have better quality motors, bearings, etc. "P" prefix tools are green whilst "G" prefix tools are blue so that's another easy way to tell the difference. 

I've had the small Bosch industrial plunge router (the GOF900ACE) in the past and that was every bit as robust and accurate as my old Elu MOF96 router. The main thing against it was that it was somewhat larger, so when it was stolen it didn't get replaced like for like. Similarly the large GOF1700E/GOF1700ACE routers were good heavy and accurate industrial routers, I've had both and can attest to that as well as to the fact that they are the quietest big routers I've ever had. To me they felt a bit more top heavy than the Elu MOF177e/deWalt DW625 routers I currently use as my main routers, but in reality they were no worse that the old Elu MOF98 router (one of which I still own)

Personally I'd take a look at the GOF900CE or GOF1300CE and maybe ask your contact in Bosch for his opinion on those. Both designs have been around a lot longer than the Makita and have had time to prove themselves.

You also wanted an opinion on Makita routers. Mine is based on using only the previous largest router (the 3612). They are great until the speed controller fails (as did mine, twice). Once out of warranty that speed controller costs as much as a new router at discount prices. That makes them uneconomic to repair. One of the reasons I've stuck with my old Elu routers so long is that I can still get the parts after 20+ years and that those parts are affordable. When I eventually replace I won't be going deWalt, rather I'll bit the bullet and go Festool in all probability. If I can afforrd it

For the benefit of US market users Bosch use a completely different system of tool numbering here in the EU, so for example the Colt PR10 laminate trimmer is referred to as a GKF600, the 11255VSR Bulldog SDS drill is called a GBH2-26DBR, the 1590EVS jigsaw is called a GST135BCE and so on. Personally I just wish they'd refer to them the same way, becasue even though there are minor variations these products often come from the same factories.


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

Thanks for the advice Phil P. Yes; the green Bosch tools are for DIY. But that is no excuse for low quality.
The main problem is, that practicaly all Bosch products made for my country are ''Made in China'' and I can bet that the Bosch products for USA and UK are labeled as ''Made in Germany'' and the quality is on totaly diferent level.
I was thinking on blue Bosch but here are too expensive (GOF1300CE is 360€=500$ and GOF900CE is 285€=400$) and I'm sure the quality is not the same as in UK and USA.
The GOF1300CE costs only 210Ł=236€=330$ in UK. Here is the link: Bosch GOF 1300 CE 1/2" Professional Router 110v Only GOF1300CE £209.00
I haven't decided yet but I will go for Makita, Metabo or Bosch blue and I won't buy it here but order from UK.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

giltic said:


> ...practicaly all Bosch products made for my country are ''Made in China'' and I can bet that the Bosch products for USA and UK are labeled as ''Made in Germany''...


Well, a lot of the stuff here is German, but there are some tools from Malaysia (my GKF600 and 10.8 volt cordless kit, for example) and I've seen lower-cost SDS+ drills from China. A few tradesmen I know won't touch the Chinese stuff, because of perceived quality issues. Which is strange, because we get Makitas from the UK, Japan _and_ China and nobody complains about them.



giltic said:


> The GOF1300CE costs only 210Ł=236€=330$ in UK. Here is the link: Bosch GOF 1300 CE 1/2" Professional Router 110v Only GOF1300CE £209.00


That's the site version of the tool (we are required to use 110 volt centre-tapped transformer power supplies on construction sites in the UK), but isn't your country on 230 volts 50Hz? 



giltic said:


> I haven't decided yet but I will go for Makita, Metabo or Bosch blue and I won't buy it here but order from UK.


If it helps a version of the smaller Metabo (the 8mm shank Signal OFE1229) was also at one time sold by Holz-Her (as the 2335, 2336 and 2357 (except that Holz-Her didn't have the micro depth dial and had a slightly different plastic housing) and AEG (as the OFS50). I've used the Holz-her version and they are very similar in size and feel to the old Elu MOF96s. Possibly a tad lighter. The place I worked which had that says it is still going strong after more than 10 years. I suspect that this is a Metabo tool, as they do make for other firms, notably some random orbit sanders sold by both deWalt and Mafell as well as angle grinder motors which turn up all over the place (even at one time in Lamello's machines)

The bigger Metabo (the OF1612/OFE1812) is made in Italy by Felisatti (as the R346) who also sell versions to Fein USA (as the RT1800). Trend also sold a version in the UK for a while as the T9, but they opted out to buy-in the T10 and T11 (both DW625 variants) from deWalt. There are variations between all of these Felisatti-made models, but the basic router is identical. Certainly the T9 didn't get a brilliant reputation here. It may be perverse to mention it but CMT did sell a badged version of thw DW625 here for a while before dropping the model in favour of a badged Felisatti!

As a point of interest it is possible to pick-up DW625s for about the same price as the GOF1300 you mention. At UK £219 a DW625 really is a bargain


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## giltic (Sep 27, 2010)

Hi Phil P
At hte bottom of the site you can select 110V or 230V before adding to basket (Bosch GOF 1300 CE 1/2" Professional Router 110v Only GOF1300CE £209.00).
I really don't know what to buy. I somehow like GOF1300 and a lot people on this forum saying good thingh about Bosch in general. But the mechanic from the Bosch customer care said to me that he would stay away from Bosch products. He also said that he has a lot of work repairing Bosch power tools (green and blue). A lot of people also like Makita and DeWalt. On the other hand I couldn't find a lot about Metabo on US forums and Festool is just too expensive. Not that I can't afford it but I just won't to pay that much just for a router.
Today I've called again a customer care and they finaly decided to replace my router with new one. I bet it has the same issue but I can sell it with less trouble then used tool. The other option is to keep it and made new pillars and bushings (in proper tolerances).
Regards


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Not sure that your mechanic really likes Bosch all that much! I've generally had good use out of my blue Bosch tools and I make my living out of them so any stinkers generally get binned early. To date the only Bosch stinker was a GKS68 plunge/rail saw - it was reliable enough, but spectacularly under-engineered and fragile. Other makers have faired less well, most notably deWalt, but even there I still have/use two DW cordless nailers (raliable) as well as a couple of routers. If they aren't reliable, or you can't get spares then I am forced to get rid of them. Maybe I've been lucky, or maybe where stuff comes from really is that significant.


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