Advice about Trend Router Table please.

[Speedbird1]

Good day everyone, thank you for allowing me to join this community.
I am only a hobbyist and am fairly new to woodworking. I currently have a Trend CRT3 Router table with a Bosch router hanging below. I would like a Trend T11 or the new T14 router but cannot justify the cost especially of the T14 and the T11 are like hen's teeth.
The operation of the Bosch is perfect but i would like to be able to make smaller adjustments from above the table so am asking you guys for advice for alternatives that could work with this table, also that i wouldn't need to sell a kidney to buy one.
Thank you for any help.
Mike

 

[Bojam]

Welcome. Which model of Bosch router are you using?

 

[Speedbird1]

Welcome. Which model of Bosch router are you using?

Hi thank you for responding the model is POF 1200

 

[mr rusty]

The T11 is around at discounted prices in 110v. Yellow bricks are cheap - but you might need a 32A outlet version. I'm not sure how you get over the no-volt release switch. But £224 for a T11 is a good price Trend T11ELK 110V Variable Speed Plunge Router 1/2in

 

[Speedbird1]

The T11 is around at discounted prices in 110v. Yellow bricks are cheap - but you might need a 32A outlet version. I'm not sure how you get over the no-volt release switch. But £224 for a T11 is a good price Trend T11ELK 110V Variable Speed Plunge Router 1/2in

Thanks for that, but i won't be able to get a 32a outlet plus i've seen it written somewhere that the model you refer to will not work with the CRT i have, although that could be just the NVR question.

I have looked at the Rutland, lift and router setup but the plate seems to be a different size so will not fit in the table. Arrgh

 

[Bojam]

Hi thank you for responding the model is POF 1200

Hi. Have you considered the Bosch (blue) GMF 1600 CE? It comes with two bases - plunge base for handheld operations and a fixed base that you can leave permanently mounted to the underside of your router table. The motor unit swaps easily between the two bases. There is a micro-adjust on both bases. When using the fixed base, this can be accessed and controlled from above through the router plate once you’ve drilled the required hole. Bosch supply a special key to use for this purpose. I find this works fine and obsoletes the need for an expensive router lift.

At 1600W the motor is sufficiently powerful for most operations. I work exclusively with tropical hardwoods (living in the tropics) and haven’t found it underpowered for my use. There is a larger 2000W version but I like the fact the 1600W is manageable for handheld tasks as well.

The plunge base can be mounted to an adaptor plate (bought separately) and used with the Bosch guide rails, which is a very useful feature.

Certainly not the cheapest option but worth the money IMO. You've got two kidneys after all Has a smooth soft-start, is well balanced, and all the controls, micro-adjust, depth stops, etc., are robust and easy to use.

The only problem I’ve experienced has come when table routing without extraction under the table. When too much dust/debris gets sucked into the motor unit it can stop running. The lights remain on but the motor won’t restart. Need to give it a clean to get it going again. I’ve fixed this by mounting an extraction hose close to the collet/cutter on the underside of the table (not too close obviously) and the problem has not reoccured since.

I don’t have any experience with the Trend routers but the Bosch pro range gets a thumbs up from me. I also have the GKF600 trim router, which is a nice tool for smaller tasks.

Edit: Matt Estlea reviews the GMF 1600 in detail in this video:

 

[Speedbird1]

@Bojam
Thank you very much for that very informative information. I just checked out the price of the unit you mentioned and it's also out of my price range currently, it's actually about £200 more than the Trend that I'm trying to avoid albeit exactly for the table. Thank you though again.

 

[Spectric]

Just stick the Triton TRA001 in your table, plenty of power and adjustable from above the table plus a knob for quick raise.

https://www.toolstation.com/triton-...Vku3tCh1EgggXEAMYASAAEgL03fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
I have been using one for a while with no real issues and is good to get started with, if your budget was much bigger then there are better long term alternatives but a lot more cash, look at the AUK motor in a Jessem lift.

 

[Speedbird1]

@Spectric
That was very useful and around what i wanted to pay. I can't seem to find a collet at ¼" which is the size of all my bits, also would you know if it will fit onto my existing aluminium plate in my table.
Maybe i'll go to Toolstaion tomorrow and have a good butchers. Thank you

 

[fezman]

@Speedbird1 I've got the CRT3 with the T11 permanently mounted in it. It works incredibly well. The top adjustment can be done to fractions of millimetres. I know you say it is out of your price range, but for me it would be worth waiting and save more for it, or find a BNPL deal, or paypal 0% for four months etc.

 

[Speedbird1]

@Speedbird1 I've got the CRT3 with the T11 permanently mounted in it. It works incredibly well. The top adjustment can be done to fractions of millimetres. I know you say it is out of your price range, but for me it would be worth waiting and save more for it, or find a BNPL deal, or paypal 0% for four months etc.

@fezman
Thanks for your response, but for clarity the T11 is exactly the unit I want (I just can't find one) the replacement the T14 is out of my range.

 

[PerryGunn]

for clarity the T11 is exactly the unit I want (I just can't find one)

AFAIAA The T11 is now discontinued so you'll be lucky if you find somewhere that still has stock.

To clarify something from earlier posts, if you got the 110v version, you don't need a 32A 240v mains circuit, just a 110v transformer with a 32A outlet - they still run from a 13A plug on a normal 240v circuit

I'm sure one of the electricians on here could advise if a 110v transformer plugged into a NVR switch would work/be safe

 

[aforjeh]

@Spectric
That was very useful and around what i wanted to pay. I can't seem to find a collet at ¼" which is the size of all my bits, also would you know if it will fit onto my existing aluminium plate in my table.
Maybe i'll go to Toolstaion tomorrow and have a good butchers. Thank you

That is annoying - the part exists (trc140) but is out of stock everywhere in the universe it seems…

 

[Dlyxover]

I'm using a Triton TRA001 and can't fault it.
I have at 1/4" collet for mine they have to be bought separately.
found them in stock here
Router Collet 1/4" - Triton | uni-max

failing that maybe use a sleeve adapter
Trend Collet Sleeve 6.35 x 12.7mm | Toolstation

 

[Spectric]

Hi @Speedbird1

https://ffx.co.uk/product/Get/Triton-761243-5024763128554-Router-Collet-1-4In-Trc140
The reason why that collet may be hard to find is that the TRA001 is a powerful machine and best suited to 1/2 cutters, with 1/4 cutters you would need to be more gentle on the cuts and would be restricted to smaller cutters, no large profiling cutters.

When it comes to the fitting you will need imperial threaded fixings, not metric and this is the footprint , just use a protractor to measure the angle for the height adjuster hole and remove the black plastic base from the router as it is not needed as well as the spring, single screw holds a black cap down which when removed releases the spring. I would make a template from this drawing and transfer to your plate when you have it right. IO would have attached the DXF drawing file for this but it is not a supported fuile type for upload.

 

[Astrobits]

While the TRA001 is the biggest Triton router, you might like to consider it's smaller version the MOF001. It is 1400W and has all the same features as it's bigger brother but a lower price. The smallest of Triton's family the JOF001 at 1010W does not have all the features of it's bigger brothers.
Nigel

 

[StephenArfer]

How about the Trend T5? It is a 1/4" router with a 1000W motor and I would have thought it was just the ticket for a CRT3 size table using 1/4" bits. I've been using one for hand-held routing for some 20 years. I have a T11 mounted in a table using 1/2" bits I don't think I've ever used it hand-held. I think it's just a bit over the top for the CRT3?

The 230V T5 is in stock at Trend Direct at £158.40 inc VAT

 

[aforjeh]

I'm using a Triton TRA001 and can't fault it.
I have at 1/4" collet for mine they have to be bought separately.
found them in stock here
Router Collet 1/4" - Triton | uni-max

failing that maybe use a sleeve adapter
Trend Collet Sleeve 6.35 x 12.7mm | Toolstation

So... I almost bought one from Uni-max, but the curse of Brexit resulted in P&P charges that were far greater than the cost of the collet!

Instead I... did other things for some time. Then they appeared in stock, Ebay, Ffx, various other sites I had stock watches on.