Router opinions

[Travis Gunn]

I am looking for a new router. Would mostly be used on my cheap sears router table. May occcasionally use it off of the table. Nothing heavy duty. The local HD has a Ridged model R29301 with fixed & plunge base, 2 1/4 hp for $189.
Is this a decent router for non professional use? Are there better brands / deals out there? I will probably wait until June when everybody has tool sales for Father's Day.

Thanks for advice
Travis

[Jim Rimmer]

If I were buying my first router, knowing what I know now, I would start with the Porter Cable 690. Maybe branch out to a Freud after a while. The PC is a workhorse and works with a lot of aftermarket gadgets.

[Mike Henderson]

Make sure you get variable speed if you're going to use it in a table. If you use a big bit, you need to slow it down.

And for hand held use, the soft start is nice - the router doesn't jerk so much at startup.

The 690 is a good router and comes in both variable speed and single speed so make sure you get the variable. There's lots of other good routers for what you describe. I'd go look at what Amazon has on sale and then ask people what they think of the sale ones. There was an Hitachi on sale a while back that many people liked.

I have the PC 890 and the Bosch 1618EVS. Both are good routers but are a bit long in the tooth. There's some good new ones available now.

Mike

[Travis Gunn]

I see woodcraft has the Freud 3-1/4 HP Variable Speed Plunge Router
on sale for $50 off to make it $149 w/ free shipping. It has the variable speed & soft start suggested above. Would I miss not having the fixed base or is this a much better, stronger router for less money?

[Andy Bardowell]

I’m not sure how the FT2200E differs from the FT2010 which typically sells for around $400 Travis but I’d be willing to say that $149 for any 3-1/4 horse router much less a Freud is worth it.

[Aaron Berk]

The PC 690 was my first router and has served me well. I got it well used with a fixed and plunge base at the local flea market. I still you it now for all my free hand use.
My router table has a 3hp ryobi vs that works awesome, also got it used.

I do have a fondness for Ridged these day cause of the LSA (lifetime service agreement) and am slowly converting all my small motor tools to orange.

Good luck, I'd recommend the 690, but wouldn't shy away from the Ridged.

Aaron

[glenn bradley]

If you're willing to spend $189, spend a little more and spoil yourself. http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-5616-24-Max-Horsepower-Multi-Base-BodyGrip/dp/B000QV1CXW

[Mike Henderson]

Ask people's opinion of this (http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-KM12VC-4-Horsepower-Variable-Collets/dp/B0002ZZWX8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1243223062&sr=1-3)Hitachi unit.

I have no idea if it's good or bad but it's in your price range.

The only issue with a 3 1/4HP router is that it's big - mostly an issue for hand held use.

Mike

[Aaron Berk]

I like the EVS line, don't think you'd go wrong there either.



If you're willing to spend $189, spend a little more and spoil yourself. http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-5616-24-Max-Horsepower-Multi-Base-BodyGrip/dp/B000QV1CXW

[Charlie Doret]

Ask people's opinion of this (http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-KM12VC-4-Horsepower-Variable-Collets/dp/B0002ZZWX8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1243223062&sr=1-3)Hitachi unit.

I have no idea if it's good or bad but it's in your price range.

The only issue with a 3 1/4HP router is that it's big - mostly an issue for hand held use.

Mike

If you're going to use the table a lot it's very convenient to have above-table adjustability. Triton and some other manufacturers sell some models that have this feature, but with the low price of the Hitachi M12V and the fact that it is a plunge model you can perhaps add a solid but fairly inexpensive router lift (http://www.woodpeck.com/plungelift.html) and have really nice router station. The 3 1/4 HP and variable speed of the M12V makes it a good choice for even the largest panel raising bits, and if you leave it mounted in the table you'll never mind how big it is. I built my router table a while back and wanted to put a big router in it and forget about it; the Hitachi was the option I chose, and I haven't regretted it.

[scott spencer]

$190 puts you very close in price to some of the well proven top shelf combo kits...Milwaukee 5616-24, Bosch 1617 EVSPK, DW 618, and PC 892 kit. For table use the Freud FT1700 has excellent above table features. The Hitachi KM12VC is an excellent value if you're looking to spend less.

[Thomas Williams]

The Ridgid set you mentioned is not a bad at all. However, I agree with those who said to spend a little more and get the Milwaukee that Glen linked to his post. In my opinion, the Milwaukee routers are the cream of the crop.

[Jim Rimmer]

I see woodcraft has the Freud 3-1/4 HP Variable Speed Plunge Router
on sale for $50 off to make it $149 w/ free shipping. It has the variable speed & soft start suggested above. Would I miss not having the fixed base or is this a much better, stronger router for less money?
I have the Freud FT2000E mounted in my table. Great tool - a little big an dheavy for freehand use.

[Paul Ryan]

I have a bosch 1617evs kit that was my first. It has lots of power and is real nice. However I recently bought a milwaukee body grip. It is a really nice router for hand use, my bosch has been moved to strictly table use. It you are looking for a good all around router I would buy a milwaukee combo, they are really nice. But you can find deals on the hitachi all of the time, for around $120 for their combo. But for hand use you can't beat the milwaukee. I love being able to strap the router on to my hand, and use the other hand to guide it and move my work piece. Using other routers one handed it dangerous.

[Don Jeansonne]

I have a PC690 combo and used it for several years and never had any problems. I use it in a table and free hand. It is a very good bargin and has re-sale value if you later decide to trade-up.

[Carl Babel]

I have the Ridgid router set and I am very happy with it! At first, I thought the LED lights would be a gimmick - but now I wouldn't want to freehand without them.

[Rick Fisher]

I have a PC 690 which I have had for 5 years, its a good machine..

I hope this isnt contentious, but I purchased a Festool QF1400 about 2 months ago and its fantastic..

I would wait, splurge or save for one of these.. The bit changes are simple, actually enjoyable.. Smooth as silk in everyway..

Its worth the extra money in my opinion.. The Dust collection for "closed" cuts is outstanding..

I know its not in the same "class" of machine and its more money, but you will probably own the machine you buy for 20 years... so why not think about it.


When I need to router something now, I smile to myself.. its just that nice to use..

[lowell holmes]

Isn't the 690 the old fixed speed router? I have one that I only use in a table. I prefer my DW621 plunge router because of its varible speed and soft start. It's long of tooth now and I'm sure the new routers are superior. Pat Warner gives objective viewpoints about routers.

[Jeff Duncan]

I'm a big fan of the PC 690's, they're just simple well designed tanks that will work for you all day long. Things like speed control and soft start might be nice to have, but in my mind more gadgets to fail. I have several 690's and have yet to kill one, I also have several other routers and they all have their pros and cons.
At the end of the day I think a 690 is a very good place to start, if you use a router often enough you'll end up owning more than one anyway. By the time your ready to buy a second, you'll have a much better idea of how you use it and what will fit your needs.

good luck,
JeffD

[Bill Blackburn]

I see woodcraft has the Freud 3-1/4 HP Variable Speed Plunge Router
on sale for $50 off to make it $149 w/ free shipping. It has the variable speed & soft start suggested above. Would I miss not having the fixed base or is this a much better, stronger router for less money?

I started with 1 of these buggers. Now I have 3 2200's. 2 live in tables.

Have a PC 690 series, love it for hand held. A monster PC sits in a box and someday might be in a table. Or maybe sold. I don't do production work 24/7.

That price spells Freud in my book:D

[Josh Reid]

I got the Makita RF1101 a while back and have been very impressed. It is a kit similar to the Rigid with fixed and plunge bases and same horsepower. I got mine on ebay new for about the same price as what you would pay for that Rigid. Just my .02.

[george wilson]

I judge how good the router's bearings are by starting the router.Turn it off,and listen to how smoothly it comes to a stop. I have a Bosch because it stops much more smoothly than a Porter Cable. The PC has a rattly sound as it comes to a stop.Bosch is smoother.

My friend bought an $18,000 Dakota gunstock carver.It came with a Milwaukee router on it.

I like the variable speed of My Bosch. On the carving machine I built,and sold to Williamsburg when I retired, using the Bosch not on the highest speed was a lot less noisy,and worked just fine.

I haven't te
sted the Milwaukee personally, but Dakota's use of them sounds encouraging.

[Jerome Hanby]

I've got that unit. Bought it used off the bay for about $100. I have zero complaints. I have the fixed base bolted onto the router wing on my Craftsman table saw and use the plunge base for everything else. I like it well enough that I'd jump on a second or third one if I came across a killer deal.


Ask people's opinion of this (http://www.amazon.com/Hitachi-KM12VC-4-Horsepower-Variable-Collets/dp/B0002ZZWX8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1243223062&sr=1-3)Hitachi unit.

I have no idea if it's good or bad but it's in your price range.

The only issue with a 3 1/4HP router is that it's big - mostly an issue for hand held use.

Mike

[Joel Earl]

Remain a fan of the old PC's 693 too for free handing, a Freud in the table.
I'm basically cheap - they both work extremely well, do what I ask and were at a cost I liked too. That's as good as I can expect or want.

Buddy loves Milwaukees - period. That's all they use.

[Sean Nagle]

At the risk of highjacking this thread. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for a plunge router used exclusively for handheld operation. About 2HP would be a good size, both 1/4" and 1/2" collets and it must have excellent dust collection. I haven't seen any new routers that fit these requirements.

Oh, let me throw in a couople more requirements. Variable speed and soft-start.

[Peter Pedisich]

At the risk of highjacking this thread. I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for a plunge router used exclusively for handheld operation. About 2HP would be a good size, both 1/4" and 1/2" collets and it must have excellent dust collection. I haven't seen any new routers that fit these requirements.

Oh, let me throw in a couople more requirements. Variable speed and soft-start.

DeWalt 621, DeWalt 618, Festool OF1400, Triton 2.25HP...

[Sean Nagle]

DeWalt 621, DeWalt 618, Festool OF1400, Triton 2.25HP...

Peter, thanks for the suggestions. You actually listed THE router that I'd really like which is the DW621. That model is getting a bit long in the tooth though and no one seems to be doing much discounting if they offer it at all. I was hoping that manufacturers would bring out a new model similar to the DW621.

Of course, the OF1400 more than fits the bill at almost $500 :)

As far as the Triton is concerned, I have read some good and some so-so reviews. Also, I've heard that the company is having problems.