A question of routers/router lifts....

[Bo McCorkle]

I have been looking for a new router to replace my 20+ year old craftsman(the bearings are starting to squall and id have retired it long ago except the big Made In USA tag keeps me from abandoning it) anyways I was looking at the ridgid r29302, the porter cable 892, and the bosch 1617EVSPK . anyways my question is (the main use is going to be in a table) is it wiser to just buy a router with the adjustment from underneath already built into it or to move to a router more like a hitachi m12vc and a router lift from someone like jessem?? I just bought a jessem dowel jig about a week ago and have yet to pick my biscuit joiner up since..... anyways any thoughts????

[Michael Schneider]

Bo,

Bosch is releasing a new router next month.

http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Tools/Pages/BoschProductDetail.aspx?pid=MRC23EVSK

I have not seen it, but it is on my short list to try out.

If you can wait, you may want to add it to your list.

Merry Christmas,
Michael

[James Malcolm]

Not saying this occurs with every plunge router, but with the one I had there was enough slop in the system that the router body would angle slightly when the clamp around the body was released in order to move the router. This makes it very difficult to fine tune the depth because it always moves once you tighten the clamp. Also, when tightening the clamp with the body at an angle, the body wouldn't always come back to the same spot, sometimes it would stay on an angle and not pull back straight. If the perpendicularity of the cut mattered, I had to support the router while tightening and even then, I still had to verify that it was perpendicular with the table. Not any more with my Woodpecker PRL-V2. The carriage is rock solid.

If you decide to get a plunge router, make sure it has above the table adjustment and a speed wrench. It's is such a PITA turning that little knob on the router a million times to get the router into position to change bits and then another million turns to get it back into position to cut. That's why I love my PRL-V2 so much. Insert the handle, turn it 180° and the carriage is free to move. Takes all of 2 seconds to move the lift into position to change bits and not much longer to get it back into position to make another cut. Definitely recommend this lift.

[Chip Lindley]

Spring for new bearings in your beloved Craftsman router! Do it yourself! It's not that hard. Do a search for the many threads here on router bearing replacement.

[Burt Alcantara]

If you're using this under a table you should consider 15 amp motors. I have the Bosch 1617 but decided to take the plunge (pun intended) and pickup the Freud FT3000 at my local Woodcraft for $199.99. It negates the need for a lift as I can change bits without removing it from the table. The only drawback is there is no real crank. They have a hex wrench with a knob that requires a good deal of turning to get it up. Goes down easily tho. Height adjustments are a cinch.

To change bits, they supply a single bent 22 mm wrench (yes, this is a metric built machine). A second wrench is not need because it has a shaft lock that is engaged with the hex wrench or manually below the table. Easy. For on/off, I leave the switch on and use the power cord as a "switch."

Because this is a massive machine, you mount it on the router plate at a 45* +/- angle. Use the sub plate as a template.

Hope this helps,
Burt