Draper Expert 1350w 230v Combination Router Kit

[router-mad]

Hi there, not sure if this is the right part of the forum to post this but here it goes. About 3 weeks ago i bought the Draper Expert 1350w 230v Combination Router Kit and i got to say "what a piece of kit this is" the router is either fixed or plunge base having a removable motor rather like the american style fixed base routers. its not me usually to buy draper tools but this comes from there expert range and i'm fully impressed with it. The kit come with all the usual tools and fences a centring pin and even has a work light built in. the motor has got a very soft start with plenty of power to boot.
My only gripe is that the guide bushes are the screw type and even thou the kit does come with 3 different size i've not as yet been able to find anywhere yet that sells them. So if anyone has an idea of where please post or email me. I bought the kit at what i think was a really good price from atsite.co.uk for £119.07 and you get free p&p with that. well thats me, if anyone has one of these kits or is thinking of buying one let us know id like to know what you think of it.

 

[Chems]

This:

http://www.atsite.co.uk/p-9266-draper-e ... r-kit.aspx

the one?

It does look like a good deal. I wouldn't buy draper thou personally.

 

[router-mad]

Thanks for you reply chems. Yes your right it was a good deal, i saw the router in a local tool shop near me and after seeing how robust it was i knew i had to have one but i wasn't going to pay the £169.99 price tag

 

[studders]

Not bought any for a while but the Draper Expert range, which used to have Black casings, certainly used to be a cut above their normal stuff; so I wouldn't dismiss it just because of the Draper name badge.

Is everything, plunge etc, smooth and slop free on it RM?

 

[router-mad]

Studders the answer to you question is that the plunge is very smooth and very sturdy being of all metal construction even the plunge lock lever, but the best bit is the fixed base which has a micro adjuster and setting the depth of the cutter is amazingly fine. As i said this is a very robust piece of kit and the badge on it didn't put me off buying one.

 

[Eric The Viking]

How's the dust extraction organised, and is it effective? I'm thinking mainly of the plunge mode, as that's when it's hard to get it clearing well.

Also, what size collets?

 

[router-mad]

Hi Eric, The dust extraction comes off via removable shoots thats provided with the kit, one for each base and held in place with two small screws. As for the collet sizes you get two 1/4" and 1/2" in there own nuts and the cutters can be chucked up as it were without the motor in the bases, but i've found that putting the bits in it slightly easier with the motor in the base because the collets are able to poke through the bottom of the base much like the triton routers

 

[studders]

Ta. Sounds like it could be a good buy. Sure can't be any worse than the piece of junk I have at the moment.

 

[MikeH]

Hi RM, in answer to your question, I was in Yandles today and the guy there was trying hard to flog me and another chap one of those, in fact he was trying too hard really!.

Anyway, one of his points was that the guide bushes were standard or could use standard guide bushes. Can't remember exactly what he was saying as I wasn't really interested but may be worth ringing them about it as they obviously know and it was the first (of many) selling points he came up with.

 

[misterfish]

I got a set of screw thread guide bushes for my Flex/Porter Cable router a few years ago from Axminster, though I can't find them at the moment. However, they are available from a few Ebay shops http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/10pc-ROUTER-GUIDE ... 0478043207 as an example.

Misterfish

 

[WellsWood]

Interesting thread. Nice to know there's another choice in budget routers, particularly if you want the flexibility a kit like this offers.

Got to admit to being a little surprised though. "Draper" and "expert" aren't 2 words I would normally expect to find in the same sentence :wink: , maybe things are looking up.

 

[wizer]

Someone here bought one a while back and took it to one of Rob's bashes. The overall opinion was positive about it. I'd still hesitate because of the name tho. Putting 'expert' on the box doesn't shield the word DRAPER.

 

[chip]

hows the router doing rm?i need a round bodied router for a diy cnc project i keep coming back to these as theres nothing else in the uk 240v.
other than laminators which are too small for what i need.
like said its the name thats putting me off and yours is the first review ive come across.

 

[big soft moose]

Chip - what about Kres routers - thats what ive got mounted on our CNC.

 

[chip]

hello bsm i did consider them for a time but wasnt sure how they would cope id be giving it some heavy use on weekends through various hardwoods.
then theres the collet size.
what model are you useing and what are you cutting with it?.

 

[router-mad]

To answer questions to this the routers going great in fact better than great because my router in my router table decided to go wrong but thats another story. I was then a little stuck being half way through a project, so i mounted the fixed base in my table. In the back of my mind thinking this things going to stall on me because i was doing some deep dado's and some panel raising, but to my supprise it took it all in its stride and made a good job. Whether that was down to the router itself or the fact there were nice sharp bits i don't know but i was more than pleased with the router and the work it done, it may of taken a little longer because of doing shallow cuts but the result was great

All i can say is don't be put off by the badge your not buying the badge your buying the machine and what its capable of and this one exceeded my expectations in this case

Andy

 

[chip]

thanks for the reply i was also trying to find out who makes them and came across these sears craftman routers they come in redtop as well as black and grey but the caseing looks the same.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00917543000P

 

[studders]

Apologies for dragging up an old thread but...
I thought some peeps might be interested to know that SEARS, link above, now has a flat shipping rate of £10 for orders over £50.
Not sure on the voltage issue but, having just bought a Draper combo kit over here which seems to be a rebadged version of one they used to sell, the prices seem very good.

HTH

 

[fluffflinger]

I have a big Draper Expert in my table and it's superb, smooth very powerful.

However I was told when I brought it, secondhand from somebody I trust, they told me that it was actually a Freud Router with the Draper Badge. I did eventually check this out.

If you check these two links you'll see what I mean.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/draper-ex...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item3a6c97fd4b

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Freud-Ind...Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2eb926e332

If the router in this thread is as good as people say does anybody know the original manufacturer?

Regards

Richard

 

[Dodge]

I have a Draper Expert router that I have been using for years - its a badged Trend T5 - "Draper" and "Expert" do go together!!

And no I'm not referring to me!! :mrgreen: