best router these days?

[Michael MacDonald]

I am looking at articles online to identify the best variable speed software start router... at least 2 HP... any suggestions as to the best model? I know some of the ww magazines put their content online, but then protect it with passwords--but I bet in the last year at least one mag has done a review and provides and easy answer... anyone remember the latest recommendations?

[Neil Brooks]

2yrs old, but ... from a brand standpoint ... I can't find much fault with their picks, in each category:

http://www.consumersearch.com/router-reviews

A year old, but ... same comment applies (I like the way they think !):

http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/woodworking/4230661

And ... when all else fails ... talk to Pat Warner ;)

http://www.patwarner.com/selecting_router.html

[John R Green]

going to mount it on a table or just use by hand?

[Eiji Fuller]

DW625 my all time favorite

OF1010 is second

PC 100 chrome body

These are my favorites and the ones I use the most. You can't just have one.

[Caleb Larru]

I am looking at articles online to identify the best variable speed software start router... at least 2 HP... any suggestions as to the best model? I know some of the ww magazines put their content online, but then protect it with passwords--but I bet in the last year at least one mag has done a review and provides and easy answer... anyone remember the latest recommendations?


I have the Bosch, DeWalt, and Porter Cable. I would rate them in that order. The Bosch is a really great router in your hands. The DeWalt is just as good but the wooden handles on the Bosch give it the edge over the DeWalt. I also like the DeWalt in my router table with a Jessem lift. The Porter Cable is my least favorite. I don't like the "ON/OFF" switch and the handles don't feel secure in my hands probably because I have to constantly tighten them.

As far as power, they are all about the same.

[Ed Kilburn]

When I built my round bar http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=714052#post714052 (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=714052#post714052)
The Chicago rail is hard maple, I started to rout it with my PC 7518 it was working but slow go. When I put in a 2-3/4" cove crown bit it keep tripping out, even taking 1/64th cut. I liked the fixed base because I could dial small increment cuts. After a few trips out, I got out my Bosch 1691EVS, wow what a difference, if I'd started with if I'd been drinking by then. I still us the PC in the router lift, only because the Bosch won't fit. I wish Bosch would make a fixed base 3+ hp with the same outside diameter. The PC would go up for sale.



(http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?p=714052#post714052)

[John Thompson]

Milwaukee 3 1/2 HP under the talbe for 8 years.. Milwaukee plunge combo 2 1/4 HP hand held. I sold my Bosch.. PC and DW 621 to get the MW combo kit. Best move I ever made in the router department.

Good luck with what you chose...

[Michael Simpson Virgina]

You have to first indicate if its to fall into one of the following categories.

1. Router Table only
2. Hand and Jig use only
3. Both router table and hand/jig use.

First let me say there is no one router fits all. I have seven. Each one excels in different areas. It sounds like you are looking for a good allround general purpose router. If thats the case I would stick with a router that has multiple bases. IE plunge and fixed. This will narrow it down quite a bit.

My favorite router is my Festool 1400. Its powerful yet very smooth. Its also expensive. It can be kind of awkwqard for hand use becase of the handle. I love the removable cords and dust collection.

My most versitle router is my Portercable 8902. I have both a plunge and fixed base. It vibrates a little more than the Festool. I now have a dticated plunge base mounted on my FMT jig and in less than 10 seconds I can take the motor out of the base a slap it into another for use free hand or dovetail jig. Its get even better dust collection then the Festool. My only complaint is it does not have a removable cord which is handy with the FMT jig.

Dewalt sells a 2-1/4 set that comes with three bases. It hase the same dust collection system as the PorterCable 890 system yet has a removable cord. The only reason I did not purchase this one was I dont like yellow.

The large 3HP routers are nice for router tables but too much to use hand held. My PorterCable 7518 is a beast. It scares me to hold it and turn it on. Its permanatly mounted in my router table.

Also the Tritan MOF001C router is a nice one. It works good in a router table and hand held use.

My oldest working router is the Boshe 1617. The original was built like a tank. The newer ones not so well.

If it were me I would look at the Dewalt DW618B3 kit or the Portercable 893/5 PK kits.

[Paul Greathouse]

I have Porter Cable, Dewalt, Freud and have just recently aquired Milwaukee routers. They are all good in one way or another but if dust collection is not an issue or it will be strickly for table use the Milwaukee is the best router available right now. I have the 1 3/4hp and the 3 1/2hp and they are both better overall than the other fixed base routers that I own.

If dust collection is an issue then the Dewalt 621 is about the best without stepping into the Fesstool neighborhood.

[george wilson]

To tell which router has the best bearings,I turn them on,then switch them off. Listen to how smooth,or rattly each router sounds as it comes to a stop. PS's I've had rattle a bit. The Bosch 1617 I now have comes to a smooth stop. It has better bearings. I also like to use the variable speed feature to not run the Bosch at quite full speed. It works just fine,and doesn't make as much noise when no at top speed.

I haven't used the Milwaukees,but they must be good,as my work partner bought an expensive gunstock carving machine that has one in it. I plan to use my Bosch in one I'm building.

[Michael MacDonald]

great comments so far... thanks for the input. I have a PC 691... with the D handle. no VS though... no soft start. mostly, I want to build a router table to mount a new router with VS so I can use larger bits and get better dust collection... otherwise, I have done pretty well with the hand routing so far... so it would be primarily for the table... I would start with manual adjustments and one day in the far future I would splurge for the router lift.

I have an opportunity to buy a Hitachi KM12VC 2-1/4 HP Variable Speed Fixed/Plunge Base Router Kit for $140... this hasn't been on anyone's favorite list, but seems like it gets some pretty good reviews. There has been a lot of debate on the magazine recommendations, but I still like to check them out before I jump... probably the personal experience expressed in this thread is more valuable than that though...

still, I hate to be a lazy bum and not do my own research... but I do appreciate all the input... good stuff.

[scott spencer]

There are lots of favorites for a variety of reasons, but you'll be hard pressed to come up with a clear "best".

In the "2hp" class, I like the Milwaukees for build quality, the Body Grip feature, the excellent plunger, and they accept standard bushings. I like the Hitachi because it's lighter and quieter than others, and also accepts standard bushings. I think the hardwood handles on the Bosch 1617 are cool, but I don't like the plunger as well, and it won't accept standard bushings without an adapter. I like the Freud FT1700 for table use because it has a full compliment of excellent above table features. The Freud and MW's also have the same color scheme as my original cheapie Cman router, so they avoid flagging the CFO like the Hitachi and Bosch did! :D

I you're primary objective is router table use, get one of the big boys...it'll never flinch with the big bits. The Freud FT3000 and big Triton are loaded with above table features.

[Myk Rian]

I want to build a router table to mount a new router with VS so I can use larger bits and get better dust collection...
Porter Cable 890. I've always had one in my table, and it'll stay there.
The shape of the router makes it very easy to build custom lifts for it.

[Neil Brooks]

I've got the Milwaukee 5625-20 (http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-5625-20-2-Horsepower-Variable-Adjustment/dp/B00007FPJK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1279984382&sr=8-4) mounted under my table.

NewWoodworker (http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/milw562520rvu.html) did a pretty comprehensive review of it.

The thing is a beast. I've found ZERO downside with it.

[Rusty Eads]

I have the hitachi combo kit that you mentioned and have used it for the past 4 years without a single problem. The fixed base is mounted in my router table and I use the plunge for all hand work. It has plenty of power for my needs though I don't do anything too fancy with it. I have a monster of a multi profile bit that I use in my router table and as long as I dial the speed way down it doesn't have a problem handling the job.

[Van Huskey]

To the mag reviews FWW did a review of 2 1/4hp multibase sets, the Bosch 1617EVSPK and Dewalt 618PK. I have used them both and like them both, I do prefer the plunge of the Bosch better because you release to lock as opposed to press to lock.

I think Bosch has a new redesigned 2 1/4hp kit but I do not think it is available yet.

[glenn bradley]

Milwaukee 3 1/2 HP under the talbe for 8 years.. Milwaukee plunge combo 2 1/4 HP hand held. I sold my Bosch.. PC and DW 621 to get the MW combo kit. Best move I ever made in the router department.

Good luck with what you chose...

Like John, I picked up a Milwaukee one day . . . I have 4 or 5 now. A hand router is a very personal thing so you will get a lot of answers swearing that "brand X" is the best thing since sliced bread.

Fortunatly there are quite a few really nice machines in the $200 - $250 range right now so unless a few bucks is going to make or break your decision you will be able to choose on merit. Try to get your hands on some of the ones folks have grown to prefer and you will know when you have found your "best" router.

[Drew Loehr]

I want to build a router table to mount a new router with VS so I can use larger bits and get better dust collection... otherwise


Then I would highly recommend the Triton.

[Michael MacDonald]

great comments...

after some researching, I have settled on the bosch (1617evspk) or milwaukee (5616-24) combo packs... I will keep the fixed base in the table and use the plunge for hand-work if I like it more than the PC691 I already have... I like the fact that these routers allow for height adjustment through the table. pricing is about $200... so I am on the prowl for deals now...

Hadn't take the Triton seriously... perhaps I will take a look at that before I leap. I looked at it a while ago before I really started to research, and I don't remember it being much cheaper.

[Will Blick]

Even though you may have made your decision, I will add my 2 cents, as these threads are read for many years by many others going through the same "buy" decisions...

Under the table, I have tried many, as another poster suggested, the Milwaukee 5625-20 is a BEAST... maybe the best built router body I have seen / used... great speed control, and what's best, nearly zero run-out tested 6" above the collette, no other router had this level of precision. Not a big deal when new, but after wear, precision is reduced...so the more precision from the start, the longer the usable life... Of course this router is a killer above the table as well, but limited accessories....so for above the table...

The Festool 1400 is an amazing all-around plunge router in the 2hp range. Of course for the high price the quality of the build is as good as it gets....but what you really get is the versatility of completing any task very effectively and efficiently, albeit at the cost of owning many of the Festool accessories...but its the accesories that make this router such a great "system".... If one doesn't forecast the need for benefits these accessories offer, than surely the Festool is overkill IMO, assuming funding is a concern. Routers in general are very well made tools, makers have had 100 years to perfect them...

For riding atop dovetail jigs, the Bosch 1617's are a perfect companion...the dual wooden handles are the perfect control system...even Matt the owner of Leigh Jigs, uses the 1617 for this reason...

as mentioned previously, there is no ONE perfect router, they all have their pros n cons....

[Victor Robinson]

Michael, I started out with the Hitachi KMV12C kit, which I happened to score on Amazon for $99. It was a great first router for me, especially for handheld use. It is very quiet for its power class. One of its only downsides is the two-wrench bit changing, but it's not that bad.

When it came time to plan for a table, I found the Hitachi lacking. Mostly because it doesn't have above-the-table bit changes and above-the-table height adjustment (the bit changing is a bigger deal for me - I don't want to have to remove the router from the table and then use two wrenches everytime I want to change the bit). It also doesn't fit into many popular router lifts, e.g. Woodpeckers PRL-V2.

For table use, I got the Triton. It's a great table router (check out recent reviews from FWW, etc.) with nice safety features and convenience (above table bit changing and height adjustment). However, compared to my Hitachi, it's a screamer.

[John Piwaron]

I appear to be coming late to this party. But I like a "what's best conversation", so. . .

I recently got a Porter Cable 894PK. This is in addition to my Bosch 1617EVS and a Porter Cable 7539.

I really liked my Bosch until I got the new Porter Cable. That router puts the 1617EVS in the shade in my opinion. The version of the new Porter Cable has the grip vac. And it has the ability to be adjusted from above the router table. The Bosch has neither. The Bosch's height adjustment works pretty well in terms of how fine it can be changed, but it's kind of finicky about it. The Porter Cable has toothed rack on the side of the motor and it engages a gear on fixed base housing. It's operation is very smooth. Right now at least. Hey, it's new. The Bosch on the other hand has more than few years of living with me. It's got the magnesium housing that has come to be very sticky. It doesn't want to slide up and down easily anymore. And it has no dust collection except for some afterthought attachments. I have those and use them, but they don't work as well as ones designed for the job from the start. While I like the wooden knobs on the Bosch, the shape of the handles/knobs on the new PC just feel better to me.

The PC plunge base in the kit has dust collection too. It's the DeWalt design. And it works pretty good too, though neither design gets all of it. Some, though, is better than nothing.

And the PC7539. What can I say? Although it has zero dust collection ability, it has a good plunge, it's variable speed and it has enough muscle to do anything you'd want to do hand held. It's Godzilla on a leash. If you need any more muscle you'd better get a shaper.

So, today, my choice is the PC894 in it's fixed base, the PC894 as a plunger, the PC7539 and then the old Bosch.

[John Piwaron]

great comments...

after some researching, I have settled on the bosch (1617evspk) or milwaukee (5616-24) combo packs...



O.K. But - watch out for corrosion on the Bosch housing. I'm experiencing it (hence the remark about it being sticky). It's a known problem. I'm not the first. I'll take mine apart and scrub it off, but it'll happen again.

But it's lack of dust collection is relegating it to secondary or spare use. I promised my wife I'd do everything I could to collect the dust and chips off my tools in an effort to protect a new furnace and generally keep the house cleaner. For me, the Bosch 1617EVS is just going to continue spewing dust almost no matter what I do. That just can't happen at my house anymore.

[Michael MacDonald]

When it came time to plan for a table, I found the Hitachi lacking. Mostly because it doesn't have above-the-table bit changes and above-the-table height adjustment .... For table use, I got the Triton. However, compared to my Hitachi, it's a screamer.

good points... that very same limitation is why the hitachi is not for me. as for the triton, good to know... I think i will check the decible levels specs before I buy...

[Michael MacDonald]

I recently got a Porter Cable 894PK... has the grip vac... And it has the ability to be adjusted from above the router table. The Bosch has neither.

the grip vac is interesting... was just reading about it... didn't know that existed... right now, dust collection is a problem for my PC691, so that is one of the things driving the need for a table.

why do you say the bosch does not ahve above-the-table height adjustment? I thought I read that it did have that... they provide a t-handle wrench for it, I thought...

[Michael MacDonald]

[QUOTE=John Piwaron;1477028]I promised my wife I'd do everything I could to collect the dust and chips off my tools in an effort to protect a new furnace and generally keep the house cleaner.QUOTE]

funny... I am in the same situation... I constantly brush off the furnace... can't be good for it. luckily, my wife has not noticed the dust yet... and my workspace is isolated...

I looked at the amazon reviews... the PC894 has a real mix... equal good and bad. the bosch and the milwaukee are mostly positive, but not without some differing opinions... but have to take with a grain of salt... the opinions on SMC go through a better inherent selection filter than those on amazon...

so... does that gripvac really work? it would seem to me that the chips fly off so fast that it might not catch a high percentage... plus the handle has to be oriented right on the "out" side of the bit.

I have on occasion used duct tape to attach a hose to the d-handle base of my 691... mixed results with that.

[Neil Brooks]

But it's lack of dust collection is relegating it to secondary or spare use. I promised my wife I'd do everything I could to collect the dust and chips off my tools in an effort to protect a new furnace and generally keep the house cleaner. For me, the Bosch 1617EVS is just going to continue spewing dust almost no matter what I do. That just can't happen at my house anymore.

Interesting.

My shop's in my basement, too ... butting right against my furnace.

But ... between a whole-house HEPA filter and a Skuttle (http://www.skuttle.com/model_db25ac.html) media filter, I feel pretty safe that my furnace is well protected.

My furnace (I'm sort of asking if yours is different, in this regard) gets its fresh air from a chase ... TO the main floor (FROM the basement). I'm not seeing a lot of obvious ways that shop dust will get sucked INTO my furnace, anyway.

The unit is pretty neatly weatherstripped. The innards don't look bad ... ever.

By the way ... when I change the media filter, every six months ... I SHOULDN'T BE changing it.

It looks THAT good.

So ... I tie the old one to my box fan, and ... there's my portable filtration for sanding and finish work ;)

[John Piwaron]

Well, first the gripvac - yes, it works. It gets a pretty good amount, sometimes all, but what it gets is partly a matter of which bit, but also what kind of cut your doing. P-C has designed the router to not only have that hollow D handle style grip with an opening near the cutter, but also there's clear plastic cover over the top of the base just above the cutter. Plus, there's the clear plastic base. When they're new, they're very clear. The base has some pretty good size holes in it. I suppose to better suck dust and chips, but also simply to get air to move throught the system. The plunge base is similar.

So, is it perfect? No, not at all. But like my wife says, these things weren't really intended to have dust collection. Anything it gets is better than nothing. And that goes for the afterthought attachments on the Bosch 1617EVS. It's just that the PC dust collection on the new router works better.

Now, to the one thing that I think many complain about - the bit changing. While there is a button to press in to hold the shaft still while using a wrench to loosen it, the button has a heavy spring trying to push it open (can't have that engage while the thing's running) and that makes bit changing a 3 handed operation. One for that button, one for holding the router and one to turn the wrench. But I don't care. I have that old PC plunger, the 7537 and have 2 more wrenches. So I loosen the collet the old fashioned way. They still put a hex shape on the shaft above the collet.

Overall, I love this new router. Enough power at a fair price. And that above the table height adjustment looks good too. The whole depth adjustment action is much much smoother with finer control than my old Bosch.

To the writer asking about my Bosch's above the table height adjustment - mine doesn't have that. My Bosch 1617EVS is pretty old, I've had that for a lot of years. It was new not long after Bosch released that design. I don't think very many, if any router manufacturers were selling a feature like that at the time.

And the furnace - it's new, installed in June. It's pulling in outside air for combustion and venting the exhaust back outside. So, no matter how dusty the shop would get, probably no dust would get in that part. It's the rest of it. My previous furnace would get pretty filthy. I took to vacuuming everything I could outside and inside the access panel. And used compressed air to blow things out. I'd even gone as far as using a toothbrush on a stick to clean the vanes on the squirrel cage fan (the blower)

Some of that last part isn't going to change just because the combustion chamber is sealed. That's more about trying to make sure carbon monoxide has left the building. So to speak. The rest of it still applies. There's a cold air return vent in the basement and 2 dampers for heated or cooled air to blow into it. I kind of like it when the temp drops to 65 on a 95 degree day. :) So, it's the air circulating in the house that's affected by how dusty the shop gets. The dustier it is, the more that gets in and gets blown around upstairs. Which is not making my wife happy. And it doesn't make the heat exchanger or A coil happy either. Trust me, that dust gets on some surfaces and just won't come off without a good direct scrubbing.

That seems to happen even with a filter on given enough time. I was religious about keeping a filter in place 100% of the time with the old one, but i was shocked to see how clogged the A coil was. Not from wood dust (there was a little there) but from dog hair. We have 2 long haired dogs.

Part of us buying this entire new system was to also collect dust. My wife didn't veto a single thing about getting this stuff. That's that router, a Festool CT22 vac and a PC dust collector for the bigger tools. Now when I sand, I collect all the dust. When I saw I get most of it, but not yet from above the table. It's getting all the planer chips. I'm still working on the rest of it. But as I write this, things are staying much much cleaner and haven't seen a cloud of dust for a couple of months. And darn few chips on the floor.

[scott spencer]

I've got the Milwaukee 5625-20 (http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-5625-20-2-Horsepower-Variable-Adjustment/dp/B00007FPJK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1279984382&sr=8-4) mounted under my table.

NewWoodworker (http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/milw562520rvu.html) did a pretty comprehensive review of it.

The thing is a beast. I've found ZERO downside with it.

Neil - I've got and like the 5625 too, but the downside is that it doesn't offer the above table features of the Freud or Triton. The Freud has an auto spindle lock, and the collet protrudes well above the table which allows for easy one handed bit changes without removing the insert. It also has above table height lock and height adjustment. Those features set the Freud aside from routers with just above table height adjust (which is most of them), which still require you to unlock the router from underneath, plus require two wrench bit changes. Everyone's preferences are different, but I've found those above table features to be extremely convenient and can't believe it's not the norm for all potential table routers.

[Neil Brooks]

Great points, Scott.

My Milwaukee has never seen a day ABOVE the table, in its life.

So far ... I'm limping along with a recon'd Ryobi plunge router for hand-held work.

But ... paying close attention to this thread :)

[John Piwaron]

Interesting.

My shop's in my basement, too ... butting right against my furnace.

But ... between a whole-house HEPA filter and a Skuttle (http://www.skuttle.com/model_db25ac.html) media filter, I feel pretty safe that my furnace is well protected.



Yeah, I have a nice air cleaner unit too and I'd hoped that'd do the trick for keeping the air clean.

But there's a problem. That plan sort of assumes that all dust in the air stays there until air currents can deliver it to the cleaner for it's capture in a filter. That just doesn't happen. Lot's of it does get there, but lots of it doesn't. It's what doesn't that's free to settle on everything and find it's way into the air being blown upstairs. And settle on the furniture, carpet, and everything else.

And your lungs.

I have a Dustfoe I can wear to avoid breathing it in, but it's inconvenient to do so. Now that I've got the Festool vac, the dust collector and tools with decent enough (for now) collection ports, things have improved greatly by capturing the dust at the source.

[Neil Brooks]

John,

All my experiences agree with yours.

As my brother reminded me, you need a TON of air movement in order to circulate ALL the air THROUGH the HVAC system -- not practical, nor desirable, for a home (think: hospital clean room).

Like you, I'm trying to deal with shop dust as shop dust, and airborne house stuff as airborne house stuff -- HOPING that the two stay separate ;)

I run a DC, to minimize the issues at the source, and a JDS air filtration unit for the airborne fines. Still, I wear a 3M P100 or a 3M7500, depending on what I'm doing.

And the hand-held router activity ... IS the worst of it.

In that whole "basement vs. garage" calculus ... I DO often wonder whether 'basement' was the right answer for me.

Guess I always will :)

MODS: Sorry. This is getting a bit o/t.

[John Piwaron]

John,


And the hand-held router activity ... IS the worst of it.



Thread creep. For the on topic part - the PC 894PK is an excellent choice in my opinion.

The off topic part: I think my sanders are the worst offenders for fine dust in the air followed by the planer. The planer though, for me, has had that reduced by at least hooking the shop vac to it. That got a lot of it though not all. Not as good as a dust collector but better than nothing.

Of course, routing MDF is absolutely horrible and is by far the worst dust creating activity I've experienced.

This is why a router with built in dust collection, something the manufacturer thought about from the start, is a requirement for me now. Table use or not. It might not get it all, but I'm thinking in the case of MDF it'll get most of it. And the rest - it'll get a lot. And a lot, while not all, is better than nothing.

[Roger Jensen]

It looks pretty cool, but I haven't seen much press about it or had one in my hands. Popular Woodworking had a story a couple of months ago.

Roger