Bosch 1617 Plunge base: Feature or Design flaw

[Bharat Badrinath]

In my never ending quest for the perfect router, I have been trying out quite a few router sets. Started with the PC 690, then moved to a PC 893PK, Craftsman 2HP kit, the Bosch 1617 and finally have settled on the Craftsman 2 1/4HP kit. I have seen several people comment on Craftsman's bad quality etc, however i have found the 2 1/4 HP to have the feature set that suited me the best. (dust collection, above table adjustment, variable speed etc).

After trying all the plunge bases, have found that all of them except Bosch depress and spring back without using the lever and the lever is used to stop the movement. On the Bosch however, i found that the default position is locked and depressing the lever allows a plunge or move the motor upward. I find this pretty dangerous if i were to set the base on a table with the motor winding down as the default position is not fully up.

Is this a feature or a design flaw or is it just my single plunge base?

[Bill Huber]

If you set any router on the bench with it running down and the bit is out more then the base that is not good.

I like it, you plug it down, let go of the lever and it stays there until you are though with the cut and then hit the lever again and it pops right up.

[John M Bailey]

In my never ending quest for the perfect router, I have been trying out quite a few router sets. Started with the PC 690, then moved to a PC 893PK, Craftsman 2HP kit, the Bosch 1617 and finally have settled on the Craftsman 2 1/4HP kit. I have seen several people comment on Craftsman's bad quality etc, however i have found the 2 1/4 HP to have the feature set that suited me the best. (dust collection, above table adjustment, variable speed etc).

After trying all the plunge bases, have found that all of them except Bosch depress and spring back without using the lever and the lever is used to stop the movement. On the Bosch however, i found that the default position is locked and depressing the lever allows a plunge or move the motor upward. I find this pretty dangerous if i were to set the base on a table with the motor winding down as the default position is not fully up.

Is this a feature or a design flaw or is it just my single plunge base?

Never ending quest - settled on Craftsman?
If it is never ending, then you would not have settled the matter.
You tried the PC, Bosch and Craftsman.
What about Milwaukee, Hitachi, Makita, Freud, Dewalt, Ryobi, Fein, Festool, Trend? This is The Quest for a perfect router, right?

Never set a router on a table with the motor still 'winding down'
That would not be very smart thing to do, no matter which way the base works.

[Bharat Badrinath]

What about Milwaukee, Hitachi, Makita, Freud, Dewalt, Ryobi, Fein, Festool, Trend? This is The Quest for a perfect router, right?


Good point. I do want to buy a Festool router sometime in the future.

[glenn bradley]

My Milwaukee is normally locked. Like Bill, I prefer this design. It is also the smoothest plunge I have ever tried.

[Mike Heidrick]

I have a 1617 on my Leigh FMT dedicated. It is nice. I love my dw618 Dewalt plunges though and one day will try their 621!!

[Brian Penning]

I like my 1617 also but do wish there was a way to fine tune the adjustment.
The springs are fairly strong and to get the exact height can be a little difficult.

[Jason White]

Ditto.

This is not a design flaw, but a terrific feature!

Jason




If you set any router on the bench with it running down and the bit is out more then the base that is not good.

I like it, you plug it down, let go of the lever and it stays there until you are though with the cut and then hit the lever again and it pops right up.