What can I expect from a Bosch Colt?

[Eric Schatz]

I just bought one and am waiting a couple days for prime delivery. I have a dedicated router in a table that I REALLY don't like removing. So I purchased this as an affordable hand held router. I bought the edge guide version (not the plunge base yet.

I'm doing an Arts and Crafts style Credenza that needs dado's for shelving at 3/4" wide. From what I've read this guy can do it fine, as long as I take lots of passes and take my time. What are the limitations of this machine. What am I going to want to avoid?

[Mike Henderson]

At one time, all the routers were 1/4". You can certainly do just about anything with a trim router if you're willing to work slowly and take multiple passes. After all, many people do the work of a powered router by hand and that's significantly less than 1 HP.:)

Mike

[Peter Quinn]

It's got good power, the size of the base and stability of the shaft bearings are the limiting factors. I find the plunge base is actually more useful for almost anything beyond basic laminate trimming operations, it's wider and way more stable with two good handles to hold instead of the one palm and two fingers grip of the trim base. It can easily handle plywood dados if you are going in at 1/4" , use a jig with a collar guide and a 1/2"D bit, or a top bearing mortising bit and no collar using the jig as the guide. I'd probably be inclined to reserve the colt for other precise work and get a cheap fixed base 1 1/2hp router for dados like a hitachi or PC if router dados are a very regular part of what you do. It's fine on a limited basis, but that little guy gets warm, it's not really a 100% duty cycle tool, if I were doing a whole kitchen with dados I'd be looking for a different router. But it will do them.

[glenn bradley]

I use it more than I thought I would but, somewhat avoided it until I got the plunge base. The plunge base really makes this a go-to tool for me. I wouldn't want to do dovetails in a jig with it. For that matter I wouldn't want to do anything that required a sizable bite at a time with it. I do use it in multiple passes for:


Edge profiles
Dados
Rabbets
Hinge mortising
Edge Trimming
Anything where a heavier router would be cumbersome


Suffice to say that if it died, I'd order another right away.

[Mike Henderson]

A bit off subject, but if anyone is considering a new trim router, take a look at the DeWalt. I've owned both the DeWalt and the Bosch and prefer the DeWalt. One nice thing about it is the light that lets you see what you're doing. I also find depth adjustments on the fixed base to be easier and more accurate.

Mike

[Ed Labadie]

IMHO, you are in for a headache with the Bosch......

Good little router ( I've got 2), but the height adjustment leaves a lot to be desired.

Mine are dedicated to edge profile bits and never get adjusted unless the bit gets dull.

Ed

[Jim Dwight]

I wouldn't say my Colt causes me headaches but I agree the height adjustment is not so great. I would also add that it has more motor than it has chuck. I've had the chuck slip. That is not uncommon with a 1/4 chuck but it is a reason to avoid trying to do with it what you would with a "real" router. I use it for little round-overs, chamfers, and for cutting the mortise for a hinge. I like it but am glad I have a couple PC690s for hand-held work requiring a stronger grip on the bit and more motor - like dados in my book. But I've successfully done them with the Colt - but also been glad I wasn't at full depth yet when the collet slipped and the bit cut deeper. Even for a 1/4 shank bit, I think the collet of my PC690s holds better than the Colt.

[glenn bradley]

IMHO, you are in for a headache with the Bosch......

Good little router ( I've got 2), but the height adjustment leaves a lot to be desired.

Mine are dedicated to edge profile bits and never get adjusted unless the bit gets dull.

Ed

Again, the plunge base eliminates this but, I hear ya. :) The DeWalt adjustment mechanism is superior for the fixed base and the router itself a bit bulkier. With the plunge base I think both footprints are about the same.

[Robert Parent]

I really like all 3 of my variable speed Bosch Colts...... I also have a couple PC laminate routers but much prefer the Bosch.

Robert

[Mike McGrath]

Eric, the Colt is a high quality trim router and I think you will be pleased with it. The different bases allow you to many jobs that would be difficult with full sized routers. I had the prototype dust collection adapter and plunge base a month before they became available. This is a great method for drilling accurate holes quickly with dust collection. It is easy to add a light to the plunge base. This is a shot of one of my 1617's with a dollar store light.
323248

[Curt Harms]

Re the base there's nothing says you can't get/make a larger one like Glenn B. The depth adjustment isn't great but I found that if I adjusted the clamping lever nut just right I could turn the depth adjusting wheel while the clamp was locked yet it wouldn't move in use. It's not a heavy duty machine so if you're going to be frequently plowing dados or other heavy work a 1.5-2 h.p. combo kit is probably a better idea. It sure is a handy lil' critter for jobs like hinge mortises though, easily used one handed.

[Jerry Olexa]

The beauty of a Colt is its light weight and "one hand" ability..I've used mine to cut DT's in a jig and performed well....Dont use it to hog out heavy material!!

[Derek Stockley]

I got a single-speed colt this summer for trimming edge banding and I am really liking it for light work like that. I've got 5 routers now with the colt and I reach for it more than I expected to.

But maybe other owners can comment on whether they've had similar experiences to this - I find mine gets hot faster than I expect, particularly around the collet. After trimming about 40 linear feet of 1/4" thick solid edge banding on a built-in I was doing, the collet was uncomfortably hot to touch. I also found I need to be more careful to make sure the bit is in the collet straight and sufficiently tight than with my other routers. The first time I turned it on, I guess I didn't have the collet quite right and the vibration and wobble gave me a good scare.

[Tom Ewell]

I've had the VS Colt for a while, picked up two base plates along the way, one round (approx. 5") and one elongated with Aux handle. I use it for hinge mortising, laminate trimming, edge band trimming, edge profiles and small patterns.

Not sure where the depth control is a problem, suspect I operate differently in it's use and never deemed it to be one.

The biggest 'beef' I've had with it is the shaft lock, over time it gave up the ghost, ended up grinding down a 10mm(I believe) wrench for a two wrench bit swap.

Never expected to use it for 'power' routing, it's just not that type of router, like the VS because rarely use top speed available (something like 35,000 rpm)

Feels good in the hand, probably why I got it to begin with. Adding the plunge base is great option to have.

Haven't tried to dado with it, too many options amongst my dozen or more other routers but as has been said, light cuts and patience should result in satisfactory results.

Overall a very handy machine, just learn it's limitations.

[glenn bradley]

The biggest 'beef' I've had with it is the shaft lock, over time it gave up the ghost, ended up grinding down a 10mm(I believe) wrench for a two wrench bit swap.

Thanks for reminding me Tom. My spidle lock promptly broke as many had observed. I had it repaired (very quickly BTW) and it promptly broke again. I had read reviews at the time that recommended a two wrench approach. I have been doing this for so many years I forgot all about the thing ;-) I use a two wrench method on all my larger routers and so this was a natural change for me. As long as I am rattling on about it, I recommend a two wrench method for any router that will accept it. Dad's Tritons work well but, they automatically lock when the collet is raised to max.

[Tom Ewell]

The better spindle locks I've seen are the ones that run a steel shaft through a hole in the spindle, the Colt is probably a little too light for this approach, the Festool OF 1400 uses a ratcheting setup that works well too.

Agree on the two wrench approach, can sometimes be a PITA to grip the router while keeping lock engaged and torqueing the wrench on a collet that's just a tad too tight.