Axminster Bosch palm router package deal

[GraemeD]

I guess most of you received the "Advent Calendar" email from Axi today. Just wondered what people thought of today's deal, the Bosch GKF 600 palm router package on offer at £115. http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-bosch- ... rod784588/ It's something I've been thinking about for a while, so when a deal like this comes up I had to be tempted! If anyone has one and would like to comment on their experiences....and any interesting uses they've found.....that would be great!

Cheers
Graeme

 

[wotsit]

I have never used anything that small but there is a good review here :

[/url] http://www.axminster.co.uk/bosch-bosch- ... rod784588/

 

[Chems]

I could never buy it at that price, purely because when I was in New York last year I happened to go into a B&Q type place (you know the story, Empire State, Central Park, Lowes, all the sites) and they had on the shelf that package for what I worked out to be about £78.

That aside its meant to be an excellent router and is probably well worth £115.

 

[GraemeD]

Hi Chems,

I know what you mean....it's on Amazon.com at $99 right now with free postage (so that's just over £60 at current rates). I was in the States on business only last month, so could have easily got one. BUT....it would need a transformer to use it, and the other thing in Axi's favour is that theirs comes with three bases plus other goodies, whilst the US one is just the router. Hence I didn't think it was such an unbalanced deal this time!

Of course my case was stashed full of Veritas goodies when I came back from my travels this last time, so I wouldn't have had room for the router anyway

Graeme

 

[Chems]

Mine was stuffed with a domino so I couldn't fit it in either.

Yeah with the extra bases its got to be a close deal actually.

 

[flounder]

I have been looking at this for a while too and just decided to pull the trigger whilst it is on such a good offer!

 

[DougT]

Hi Greame

I have owned a GKF600 for a while and very pleased and use it all the time for lightweight routing jobs.
Much easier to handle

Doug

 

[Aled Dafis]

If I hadn't dropped £200 on a camera lens already this week, I would definately go for it. I've had my eye on this router for quite a while and read a few reviews which all come out in it's favour.

I've seen a few adverts on american sites that Dewalt are also making a similar router, so I wonder how long it'll be until it reaches our shores.

Cheers

Aled

Edit: here you go

http://dewalt.com/pages/promotions/CompactRouters-Promo/CompactRouters-Promo.aspx

 

[Niall]

It's a great router for lots of jobs where my DW625 is just too big for comfort, accuracy and safety. On the last point though, since you can control it single handed, remember to stay conscious of the vulnerability of your other hand. No bad experiences, but I'm just aware that it is so handy and quick to use, it would be easy to make a daft mistake. You can use your free hand to steady the base plate, but it's then quite close to the cutter. Just requires a different approach to the big two handled routers where your hands are less vulnerable.

 

[RogerS]

The only minor caveat I would add is that it is only (as far as I can see) a 1/4" chuck. Some of the cutters that one might want to use to take advantage of the small size of this router - for example, window seal cutters - only come in 8mm - at least that's what the excellent chap at Wealden told me. He also told me in passing that there was a move towards only making cutters in 8mm or 1/2" but I've heard no more about this from any other sources. If an 8mm collet doesn't come with it then there's a strong possibility that one could be found for another make that would fit.

I already have a small Ferm router from Screwfix - which is a Trend T4 by any other name - otherwise I would still have been tempted.

 

[Niall]

Re collet size, if I remember correctly the manual says an 8mm is available. That's reminded me to check and order one if possible.