Routers

[Stooby]

What routers can you guys recommend? I have a really old black and decker passed onto me by my uncle. It's shown me what kind of thing I can do but beyond that isn't to good. Things I don't like are that it leaps to warp speed as soon as it's on and only runs at warp 9 all the way (sorry to get all trecky) it seems a little seized up on height amusement, or was never a good model in the first place.
I can't justify spending a fortune as I would only use it to compliment scroll sawing and occasional wood work, maybe routing for inlay or draw runners, giving decorative edges and making frames.
Any advice?
I have a post in the buying advice section as I also want a table for a router but don't I can go to the cost of both now. Not sure if a powered table like those sold by rutlands are a good idea or to restrictive for wider projects

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Stooby. The router you have sounds like a nightmare and it is very old. I have a couple of routers and one is fixed permanently on the router table. It's a small 1/4 inch Makita and perfect for everything I need to do. basically I just use it for rounding over the edges of things I make on the scroll saw but it is small enough to do free hand work like inlay and lettering. My first router table was made from an old school desk that cost me a fiver, no fences or anything like that, again, I just used it for rounding over. Router tables are really easy to make, all you need is a flat piece of wood and somehow raise it high enough to get the router underneath. You could even get a router table insert and go down that road and then you just undo a couple of screws to free the router for free hand use.

 

[PeteG]

Hello Stooby

I have three routers but I only use two them. I bought a Bosch palm router before I joined the forum, other than one little test cut it's not been used and I should sell it, but you never know when it'll
come in handy! I then bought the Trend T5, it's been OK, but sometimes you have to give it a few seconds to wake up, and if I don't clean it regularly plunging isn't as smooth as it should be.
If I was to replace it I'd probably go with the Triton JOF001. Not that I've used that model, but I have the Triton TRA001 in my router table and it's been fantastic. Never skips a beat but the main
advantage is the above table winding handle which makes raising the cutter a breeze. I bought the Kreg/Triton specific insert plate, where all the holes are pre drilled. The only negative comments I've read
about the Triton routers is the plastic guard, when being used above the table visibility can be affected by waste. I don't connect a vacuum to my T5 as I find the hose is always in the way, so I'd probably
remove the guard if I bought a JOF001.

Triton UK, Dennis is a real gentlemen and very helpful.

http://www.tritontools.uk.com/routers.html

Saying that, I've been very tempted to buy the Erbauer from Screwfix on several occassions so I'd have a 1/2" router for above table use, it also comes with a 1/4" collet.
It's on offer again at the moment for £99.00, it's been up and down in price for the past two years! I was going to buy one at the Screwfix show in Manchester last year,
the night before the show they put it up to £150.00 with a £10.00 off show offer! I didn't bother going

http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-erb380rou-2100w-router-230-240v/81664

It might also be worth having a look at this Draper, it's been mentioned on the Forum if you do a search. It comes with 1/4" and 1/2" collets, and two bases, one fixed one plunge.

http://www.dm-tools.co.uk/product.php/section//sn/DRA45368#.VRKUtuFhmPU

 

[mseries]

Sounds to me like you need small, lightweight quarter inch one. I don't know much about these since I only just got one. There are a few about, Bosch do a nice one which is too expensive for me, the Makita one looks OK too. You may prefer one with a plunge base rather than a trimmer base, some come with both. Look for soft start and variable speed, not sure if many smaller models have these.

Sorry I couldn't give any recomendation though, I don't have much experience so far with smaller machines.

 

[gilljc]

i have just bought the Makita router/trimmer, the version that comes with three bases, the plunge base is lovely and light and smooth to operate, although vision is a little restricted for inlay work, it is doable and the trimmer bases come with a clever knob that winds the cutter up and down really smoothly and easily. I have bought some longer screws from Grampian fasteners and will mount it into a piece of glasonite that I have acquired to give me a lovely little removable table. This is my first Makita tool, and it is lovely, and is incredibly easy to change bases without any fuss
The router I have mounted upside down in a table at the moment is a great heavy 4.5 kilo thing and the micro adjuster knob that I bought it for is really difficult to operate (probably cos its not supposed to be upside down) and the plunge mechanism has a spring that would knock you out, making it difficult to adjust the height.
I have found that for the router table work I do I don't need any fancy fences or a great big table, I usually just clamp a straight piece of wood to the table if I need a fence
I also had at one point a router table from aldi, but it was heavy and awkward to adjust the height, you had to pretty much turn the table upside down to change the height, and because the table was metal, was REALLY LOUD!!!
In short, I have now had about four different routers if you include my lovely little old black and decker one that now makes funny noises and never had a micro adjuster knob (really useful for nice edges) and the best is definitely the makita

 

[Chippygeoff]

Gill. I bought a scissor jack from halfords and it is fixed underneath my router table and is a brilliant height adjuster. I nearly bought the height adjuster from Axminster but at nearly £300 a lot more expensive than my £15 scissor jack and it does exactly the same job with infinite adjustments.

 

[Stooby]

How does the scissor jack work Geoff?

 

[Chippygeoff]

Hi Stooby. It's very easy to set up. Have the router fixed onto the router table with the plunge lever released so the legs are fully extended. Place the scissor jack under the router and wind it up until the plate on the top is resting in the middle of the router casing. On the base of my scissor jack were four holes so I marked these and then slid the jack out of the way while I drilled pilot holes in the bench. I then screwed the scissor jack so it was solid. Finally I glued a piece of a rubber mat on to of the scissor jack plate so it would not mark the router. It's that easy to use you don't need the winding handle that came with the jack, it can be srewed up and down with your fingers although I use an old screw driver to wind it up and down as it is a lot quicker than the fingers.

 

[Monkey Mark]

Hi Stooby. It's very easy to set up. Have the router fixed onto the router table with the plunge lever released so the legs are fully extended. Place the scissor jack under the router and wind it up until the plate on the top is resting in the middle of the router casing. On the base of my scissor jack were four holes so I marked these and then slid the jack out of the way while I drilled pilot holes in the bench. I then screwed the scissor jack so it was solid. Finally I glued a piece of a rubber mat on to of the scissor jack plate so it would not mark the router. It's that easy to use you don't need the winding handle that came with the jack, it can be srewed up and down with your fingers although I use an old screw driver to wind it up and down as it is a lot quicker than the fingers.

Hmm, very good idea. I've been looking at different DIY methods of router lift and I like the simplicity of this one.

 

[Claymore]

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[Stooby]

Thanks Geoff. I have made a very basic table today for my old router. It's fixed, not a plunge one so the car Jack method will have to wait till I get a better router.
My table was made from a veneer board from an old table. I haven't got a plate so drilled a hole through. It may be a bit stuck on as I didn't realise until a bit late that the nut settled into some recessed areas on the routers base plate. The head of the bolt settled well into my recessed cuts on the table top. Oops! Some pliers may loosen them. It will do for now.
I had a fence from my table saw and that have me a good edge for my first test cut.
It's little so easy to flip to undo the collet and adjust the height (as easy as ever).
Feels safer to use as I am not holding it when it starts up and can slowly push the wood into the cutter rather than have it grab into the wood as I hold on for all I am worth!
Definitely need to settle on a new router to ask for my birthday in May!

 

[Claymore]

.........

 

[ChrisR]

Hi Stooby.

I have two routers, a Trend T11 and a Trend T4, I find that both do their job very well, but I don’t use them enough or have the necessary experience to recommend them against any other models or makes.

I would recommend a company who supply their own router bits
www.wealdentool.com
Their web site and catalogue give a lot of good routing advice, their bits are of top quality, plus they give very good customer service.

One thing I am qualified to state however, is that spinning router cutters are very efficient at removing human flesh as I found out last summer, when I almost lost the top of a finger. Glad to say that it healed very well, thanks to good treatment received from A & E dept. It is still very tender at the tip, and now the nail on that finger grows twice as fast as all the others ?. :?

To be serious when using a router, give it 100% of your attention or in a split second, you will find it hurts like hell and a lot of red stuff suddenly appears. :shock:

Take care.

Chris R.

PS. I have no connection with the above company, other than a customer.

 

[Stooby]

Thanks Chris I will take a look at the site. I totally sympathise about the finger. I had the same experience with my table saw and similar lasting effects so I am now more vigilant when wood working.

 

[sometimewoodworker]

Hi Stooby

From what you say I wouldn't buy a table as it's easy to make one. Then if you find yourself using the table enough and too restrictive you can buy one later.

This is the build for my first. I only got a second one because it has a vertical sliding mount as well as a horizontal and cost about £80 (£140, including 2 routers, they breed ) I still use the first one.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nui-jerom ... 105291152/