afordable routers

[brian.cunningham]

Anyone know where a can get a decent router that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

[brian.cunningham]

Anyone know where a can get a decent router that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

[brian.cunningham]

Anyone know where a can get a decent router that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

[Dave Fleming]

Can't comment on price but, one of the best sites on the internet for explaining the differences between routers and lots of other good, IMOOP, stuff about them is to be found on my friend Pat Warner's site at: Router Stuff (http://www.patwarner.com)

[Dave Fleming]

Can't comment on price but, one of the best sites on the internet for explaining the differences between routers and lots of other good, IMOOP, stuff about them is to be found on my friend Pat Warner's site at: Router Stuff (http://www.patwarner.com)

[Dave Fleming]

Can't comment on price but, one of the best sites on the internet for explaining the differences between routers and lots of other good, IMOOP, stuff about them is to be found on my friend Pat Warner's site at: Router Stuff (http://www.patwarner.com)

[ErikH]

Good for doing what?

I got into the woodworker's warehouse sale (going out of business) and picked up a nice bosch fixed base 2.25 HP for cheap.

if you constantly surf amazon, they sometimes have a router on big sale. likewise for your local stores. you can also often pick up refurbished ones at outlets, or Home Depot in the returns section.

In any case, the places where you'd get a Craftsman router for cheap (sears refurb outlet) are not places where you'd get a Freud 3.25HP plunge router for cheap, if you know what I mean. be a little more specific...?

[ErikH]

Good for doing what?

I got into the woodworker's warehouse sale (going out of business) and picked up a nice bosch fixed base 2.25 HP for cheap.

if you constantly surf amazon, they sometimes have a router on big sale. likewise for your local stores. you can also often pick up refurbished ones at outlets, or Home Depot in the returns section.

In any case, the places where you'd get a Craftsman router for cheap (sears refurb outlet) are not places where you'd get a Freud 3.25HP plunge router for cheap, if you know what I mean. be a little more specific...?

[ErikH]

Good for doing what?

I got into the woodworker's warehouse sale (going out of business) and picked up a nice bosch fixed base 2.25 HP for cheap.

if you constantly surf amazon, they sometimes have a router on big sale. likewise for your local stores. you can also often pick up refurbished ones at outlets, or Home Depot in the returns section.

In any case, the places where you'd get a Craftsman router for cheap (sears refurb outlet) are not places where you'd get a Freud 3.25HP plunge router for cheap, if you know what I mean. be a little more specific...?

[Billy Bones]

If you can't do it with a Porter Cable 690 series router you should be using a shaper. +/- $160.

The bits are the thing. Most decent bits cost a fair percentage of the price of the router.

Skimp not on routers or bits.

[Billy Bones]

If you can't do it with a Porter Cable 690 series router you should be using a shaper. +/- $160.

The bits are the thing. Most decent bits cost a fair percentage of the price of the router.

Skimp not on routers or bits.

[Billy Bones]

If you can't do it with a Porter Cable 690 series router you should be using a shaper. +/- $160.

The bits are the thing. Most decent bits cost a fair percentage of the price of the router.

Skimp not on routers or bits.

[Dave Fleming]

Since I go back to the days when Stanley made routers...and for their time, were the 'cats meow'.

Here is what I have and how I use them.

1:Stanley Hand Shaper 1/4 HP ( circa 1950's) used primarily to bullnose or roundover if you prefer hand rails, ladder banisters etc..Now in the chest of oldies but goodies and not used.

2:Porter Cable 3101 Laminate Trimmer, a dedicated bullnoser (circa 1960's).

3: Black and Decker fixed base 1 HP ( circa 1970's), the ancestor of the DeWalt 610 with only a 1/4 inch collet it is strictly for the smaller cuts.

4: Milwaukee 5660 1 HP ( circa 1978), this router was bought to go into my first router table. The table is shown on my web site. I chose this router because it was one of the most powerful, at that time, and it has ER type collets. ER collets are used in metalworking machines for milling, boring etc.,very strong and precise.

5: Milwaukee 5660 1 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). Ayup, Milwaukee upped the HP on this model but unfortuntely changed the collets to a more conventional type. The router none the less is powerful and fits my hands well. This is my all around user.

6: Porter Cable 7518 3 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). This router is destined to be assigned to my new router table version. I waited so long to get to that project that my feeble attempts to come up with a mechanism to allow raising and lowering the motor for cutter depth adjustments and cutter changing have thankfully be solved by several clever folks. The one I favour at the moment is the Unilift from Woodpeckers.
IMOOP, this router is too heavy and to off balance to be considered as a all around user.
Pat Warners sub base does help but frankly pushing or pulling a router that weighs close to 15 lbs is not for the faint of heart. Ken Hutchins kindly sent me a nice video of working on his timber frame shop and he does use the plunge model of the 7500 for routing out the motices. Definitely doable and certainly within the capabilities of the machine but he has broad templates and sub bases to support the 15 lb. weight.

I prefer 1/2 shank bits if at all possible. They are stronger and are made for the higher horsepower machines.
I favour bits from Amana, Wisconsin Knife, Jesada or Leuco, Lietz.

With all the interest and accessories now on the general market surely a person can find a machine or two to do most everything a router is needed for.

A thought, a fellow forumite and I shared some correspondence on routers awhile back and here in essence is what I said to him...

There is really nothing new under the sun regarding routers and accessories. In the 1930's the RL Carter Co. was making routers from 1/7 HP to 3 HP and weighing from 3 lbs to 20 lbs.
The list of accesories is mind boggling, from edge guides to tilting router tables to pin router tables to fluting attachments for porch columns. The 1939 catalog has over 35 pages of routers, edge planer attachemments, cutters, shaper cutters and arbors.
At this time RL Carter had become a division of the Stanley Co..

[Dave Fleming]

Since I go back to the days when Stanley made routers...and for their time, were the 'cats meow'.

Here is what I have and how I use them.

1:Stanley Hand Shaper 1/4 HP ( circa 1950's) used primarily to bullnose or roundover if you prefer hand rails, ladder banisters etc..Now in the chest of oldies but goodies and not used.

2:Porter Cable 3101 Laminate Trimmer, a dedicated bullnoser (circa 1960's).

3: Black and Decker fixed base 1 HP ( circa 1970's), the ancestor of the DeWalt 610 with only a 1/4 inch collet it is strictly for the smaller cuts.

4: Milwaukee 5660 1 HP ( circa 1978), this router was bought to go into my first router table. The table is shown on my web site. I chose this router because it was one of the most powerful, at that time, and it has ER type collets. ER collets are used in metalworking machines for milling, boring etc.,very strong and precise.

5: Milwaukee 5660 1 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). Ayup, Milwaukee upped the HP on this model but unfortuntely changed the collets to a more conventional type. The router none the less is powerful and fits my hands well. This is my all around user.

6: Porter Cable 7518 3 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). This router is destined to be assigned to my new router table version. I waited so long to get to that project that my feeble attempts to come up with a mechanism to allow raising and lowering the motor for cutter depth adjustments and cutter changing have thankfully be solved by several clever folks. The one I favour at the moment is the Unilift from Woodpeckers.
IMOOP, this router is too heavy and to off balance to be considered as a all around user.
Pat Warners sub base does help but frankly pushing or pulling a router that weighs close to 15 lbs is not for the faint of heart. Ken Hutchins kindly sent me a nice video of working on his timber frame shop and he does use the plunge model of the 7500 for routing out the motices. Definitely doable and certainly within the capabilities of the machine but he has broad templates and sub bases to support the 15 lb. weight.

I prefer 1/2 shank bits if at all possible. They are stronger and are made for the higher horsepower machines.
I favour bits from Amana, Wisconsin Knife, Jesada or Leuco, Lietz.

With all the interest and accessories now on the general market surely a person can find a machine or two to do most everything a router is needed for.

A thought, a fellow forumite and I shared some correspondence on routers awhile back and here in essence is what I said to him...

There is really nothing new under the sun regarding routers and accessories. In the 1930's the RL Carter Co. was making routers from 1/7 HP to 3 HP and weighing from 3 lbs to 20 lbs.
The list of accesories is mind boggling, from edge guides to tilting router tables to pin router tables to fluting attachments for porch columns. The 1939 catalog has over 35 pages of routers, edge planer attachemments, cutters, shaper cutters and arbors.
At this time RL Carter had become a division of the Stanley Co..

[Dave Fleming]

Since I go back to the days when Stanley made routers...and for their time, were the 'cats meow'.

Here is what I have and how I use them.

1:Stanley Hand Shaper 1/4 HP ( circa 1950's) used primarily to bullnose or roundover if you prefer hand rails, ladder banisters etc..Now in the chest of oldies but goodies and not used.

2:Porter Cable 3101 Laminate Trimmer, a dedicated bullnoser (circa 1960's).

3: Black and Decker fixed base 1 HP ( circa 1970's), the ancestor of the DeWalt 610 with only a 1/4 inch collet it is strictly for the smaller cuts.

4: Milwaukee 5660 1 HP ( circa 1978), this router was bought to go into my first router table. The table is shown on my web site. I chose this router because it was one of the most powerful, at that time, and it has ER type collets. ER collets are used in metalworking machines for milling, boring etc.,very strong and precise.

5: Milwaukee 5660 1 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). Ayup, Milwaukee upped the HP on this model but unfortuntely changed the collets to a more conventional type. The router none the less is powerful and fits my hands well. This is my all around user.

6: Porter Cable 7518 3 1/2 HP ( circa 1995). This router is destined to be assigned to my new router table version. I waited so long to get to that project that my feeble attempts to come up with a mechanism to allow raising and lowering the motor for cutter depth adjustments and cutter changing have thankfully be solved by several clever folks. The one I favour at the moment is the Unilift from Woodpeckers.
IMOOP, this router is too heavy and to off balance to be considered as a all around user.
Pat Warners sub base does help but frankly pushing or pulling a router that weighs close to 15 lbs is not for the faint of heart. Ken Hutchins kindly sent me a nice video of working on his timber frame shop and he does use the plunge model of the 7500 for routing out the motices. Definitely doable and certainly within the capabilities of the machine but he has broad templates and sub bases to support the 15 lb. weight.

I prefer 1/2 shank bits if at all possible. They are stronger and are made for the higher horsepower machines.
I favour bits from Amana, Wisconsin Knife, Jesada or Leuco, Lietz.

With all the interest and accessories now on the general market surely a person can find a machine or two to do most everything a router is needed for.

A thought, a fellow forumite and I shared some correspondence on routers awhile back and here in essence is what I said to him...

There is really nothing new under the sun regarding routers and accessories. In the 1930's the RL Carter Co. was making routers from 1/7 HP to 3 HP and weighing from 3 lbs to 20 lbs.
The list of accesories is mind boggling, from edge guides to tilting router tables to pin router tables to fluting attachments for porch columns. The 1939 catalog has over 35 pages of routers, edge planer attachemments, cutters, shaper cutters and arbors.
At this time RL Carter had become a division of the Stanley Co..

[Jim H]

Brian, I have the Bosch 1617evs. I originally purchased just the router with the fixed base and passed on the combo with fixed & plunge bases. That was a big mistake. I eventually sprung for the plunge base. It came with 1/4 & 1/2" collets (bit changing is a breeze) and the variable speed allows me to safely use larger diameter bits. I now have the fixed base mounted on a router table, the plunge base handles everything else.

[Jim H]

Brian, I have the Bosch 1617evs. I originally purchased just the router with the fixed base and passed on the combo with fixed & plunge bases. That was a big mistake. I eventually sprung for the plunge base. It came with 1/4 & 1/2" collets (bit changing is a breeze) and the variable speed allows me to safely use larger diameter bits. I now have the fixed base mounted on a router table, the plunge base handles everything else.

[Jim H]

Brian, I have the Bosch 1617evs. I originally purchased just the router with the fixed base and passed on the combo with fixed & plunge bases. That was a big mistake. I eventually sprung for the plunge base. It came with 1/4 & 1/2" collets (bit changing is a breeze) and the variable speed allows me to safely use larger diameter bits. I now have the fixed base mounted on a router table, the plunge base handles everything else.

[brian.cunningham]

I was buy LOWES today.

What are your thoughts on SKILL 2hp routers?
$60 fixed
$100 fixed/plunge combo

A generic base was $150, I could probably build one for less.

One thing I liked are the high mounted D handles, with the switches on the handles

But all the pricey ones seem to have the have the handles down low, and the switch separate.

You're right the bits are expensive! :eek:

[ 03-01-2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[brian.cunningham]

I was buy LOWES today.

What are your thoughts on SKILL 2hp routers?
$60 fixed
$100 fixed/plunge combo

A generic base was $150, I could probably build one for less.

One thing I liked are the high mounted D handles, with the switches on the handles

But all the pricey ones seem to have the have the handles down low, and the switch separate.

You're right the bits are expensive! :eek:

[ 03-01-2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[brian.cunningham]

I was buy LOWES today.

What are your thoughts on SKILL 2hp routers?
$60 fixed
$100 fixed/plunge combo

A generic base was $150, I could probably build one for less.

One thing I liked are the high mounted D handles, with the switches on the handles

But all the pricey ones seem to have the have the handles down low, and the switch separate.

You're right the bits are expensive! :eek:

[ 03-01-2004, 11:54 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[JimConlin]

I've got a couple of dead 'handyman grade' routers on the bottom shelf. One literally unwired itself internally (not pretty) and one developed the dreaded AHAF (Automatic Height Adjusting Feature). The decent brands of mid-size routers are P-C, Milwaukee, Bosch and (some)Black&Decker. If it's less than $150, you don't want it.
Yes. bits cost. I've certainly got more invested in bits than in routers.

[JimConlin]

I've got a couple of dead 'handyman grade' routers on the bottom shelf. One literally unwired itself internally (not pretty) and one developed the dreaded AHAF (Automatic Height Adjusting Feature). The decent brands of mid-size routers are P-C, Milwaukee, Bosch and (some)Black&Decker. If it's less than $150, you don't want it.
Yes. bits cost. I've certainly got more invested in bits than in routers.

[JimConlin]

I've got a couple of dead 'handyman grade' routers on the bottom shelf. One literally unwired itself internally (not pretty) and one developed the dreaded AHAF (Automatic Height Adjusting Feature). The decent brands of mid-size routers are P-C, Milwaukee, Bosch and (some)Black&Decker. If it's less than $150, you don't want it.
Yes. bits cost. I've certainly got more invested in bits than in routers.

[warthog5]

I own several routers. I find the 2 1/4hp models to have plenty of power and are not overweight or to bulky.

This setup is hard to beat.
DeWalt DW618B3 2-1/4 HP 3-Base Router Kit
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000CCXU3.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Milwaukee 5616-20 2-1/4 Max HP EVS BodyGrip Router
This one is in my router table.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00009LI4L.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

[ 03-03-2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: warthog5 ]

[warthog5]

I own several routers. I find the 2 1/4hp models to have plenty of power and are not overweight or to bulky.

This setup is hard to beat.
DeWalt DW618B3 2-1/4 HP 3-Base Router Kit
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000CCXU3.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Milwaukee 5616-20 2-1/4 Max HP EVS BodyGrip Router
This one is in my router table.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00009LI4L.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

[ 03-03-2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: warthog5 ]

[warthog5]

I own several routers. I find the 2 1/4hp models to have plenty of power and are not overweight or to bulky.

This setup is hard to beat.
DeWalt DW618B3 2-1/4 HP 3-Base Router Kit
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000CCXU3.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Milwaukee 5616-20 2-1/4 Max HP EVS BodyGrip Router
This one is in my router table.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00009LI4L.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg

[ 03-03-2004, 10:27 PM: Message edited by: warthog5 ]

[brian.cunningham]

I stopped by Abe's yesterday after he invited me over to try out his router.

router thread in the building section (http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008977)

1st thanks Abe!
2nd nice router.
Ade and a friend gave me some good lessons in how to use, what to look for, what you can do with them, and some real good safety lessons

It turns out you can get bit to do a birds mouth mast, so I'm going to do mine that way.

Bird's-Mouth Joinery Bits (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=45160&category=1,46168,46174)
http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/router/16j4056s1.jpg

The birdsmouth bit requires a 1/2in collet, so that rules out the cheaper routers all together.

I stopped by SEARS and checked out what they had today.

Looks like it's either going to be the Porter Cable or the DeWALT
Both are 1 3/4hp, and come with both the fixed base and plunge mounts.
Both cost $200

I like the toggle switch on the DeWALT better.
The Porter-Cable Abe has, is equipped with a toggle switch, but the new ones have a sealed switch, which is hard to use while holding the handle. The DeWALT's body threaded, to the swith stays in the same position as it is raised and lower.

[ 03-04-2004, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[brian.cunningham]

I stopped by Abe's yesterday after he invited me over to try out his router.

router thread in the building section (http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008977)

1st thanks Abe!
2nd nice router.
Ade and a friend gave me some good lessons in how to use, what to look for, what you can do with them, and some real good safety lessons

It turns out you can get bit to do a birds mouth mast, so I'm going to do mine that way.

Bird's-Mouth Joinery Bits (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=45160&category=1,46168,46174)
http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/router/16j4056s1.jpg

The birdsmouth bit requires a 1/2in collet, so that rules out the cheaper routers all together.

I stopped by SEARS and checked out what they had today.

Looks like it's either going to be the Porter Cable or the DeWALT
Both are 1 3/4hp, and come with both the fixed base and plunge mounts.
Both cost $200

I like the toggle switch on the DeWALT better.
The Porter-Cable Abe has, is equipped with a toggle switch, but the new ones have a sealed switch, which is hard to use while holding the handle. The DeWALT's body threaded, to the swith stays in the same position as it is raised and lower.

[ 03-04-2004, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]

[brian.cunningham]

I stopped by Abe's yesterday after he invited me over to try out his router.

router thread in the building section (http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=008977)

1st thanks Abe!
2nd nice router.
Ade and a friend gave me some good lessons in how to use, what to look for, what you can do with them, and some real good safety lessons

It turns out you can get bit to do a birds mouth mast, so I'm going to do mine that way.

Bird's-Mouth Joinery Bits (http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.asp?SID=&ccurrency=2&page=45160&category=1,46168,46174)
http://www.leevalley.com/images/item/woodworking/router/16j4056s1.jpg

The birdsmouth bit requires a 1/2in collet, so that rules out the cheaper routers all together.

I stopped by SEARS and checked out what they had today.

Looks like it's either going to be the Porter Cable or the DeWALT
Both are 1 3/4hp, and come with both the fixed base and plunge mounts.
Both cost $200

I like the toggle switch on the DeWALT better.
The Porter-Cable Abe has, is equipped with a toggle switch, but the new ones have a sealed switch, which is hard to use while holding the handle. The DeWALT's body threaded, to the swith stays in the same position as it is raised and lower.

[ 03-04-2004, 11:25 PM: Message edited by: brian.cunningham ]