router for a router table

[james mc guire]

I'm looking to get a router this weekend, trying to pick a router to put in a router table,not for heavy usage,mostly straight cutting bits,round over bits,most likely not raised panel.under 200,prefer near 100.00 any brands,models?
I'll build my table.

[Jerry Miner]

My general advice for a router table is to get the most powerful router you can afford. My two favorites are the Porter-Cable 7518 and the Milwaukee 5625---but they are over your budget.

I survived for years with a P-C 690 that I both table-mounted and used hand-held. It's within your budget, but only 1 1/2 HP. You may find you've outgrown it sooner than you think. The Bosch 1617 is in the same league and also a good machine.

[Rick Potter]

20 years ago I built an entire kitchen with a medium sized bench top router table (the yellow one Bob Rosenthal (?) sold at shows). The router was a PC 690, and the kitchen was red oak with raised panels, cope and stick etc. I simply made several passes on the big cuts by removing layers of Masonite clamped to the fence, leaving the fence always set at the final depth. Worked fine, and my daughter still lives in the house, where the kitchen still looks like new.

Bigger is often nicer, but usually not really necessary. You mention not being for heavy useage. This worked for me for years.

The 690 was a mainstay for years, and lots of low mileage ones are on CL for $100-140. Many jigs and accessories come ready to attach to this router, and its big brother the 890.

[scott spencer]

Variable speed is a handy option for table routers. In that price range, I'd look to the Hitachi or Craftsman. Most other decent brands are going to be closer to $150+...the PC, Bosch, DW, MW, and Makita could be work pushing the budget for.

[Frederick Skelly]

20 years ago I built an entire kitchen with a medium sized bench top router table (the yellow one Bob (?) sold at shows). The router was a PC 690, and the kitchen was red oak with raised panels, cope and stick etc. I simply made several passes on the big cuts by removing layers of Masonite clamped to the fence, leaving the fence always set at the final depth. Worked fine, and my daughter still lives in the house, where the kitchen still looks like new.

Bigger is often nicer, but usually not really necessary. You mention not being for heavy useage. This worked for me for years.

+1. I used a small (1 horse?) craftsman for a long time. I find that having a big router is kind of like having a 3 hp cabinet saw. It's great to have and you'll never regret buying it. But I've done everything I ever needed to do on my 1 1/2 horse contractor saw and it works just fine. Buy the best you can afford now, learn to use it and get to making some sawdust!

Enjoy!
Fred

[John McClanahan]

I have a 2 hp Craftsman variable speed router in my table. While I'm not proud of the Craftsman name, it's got plenty of power for my needs. Big routers are good when you use large diameter bits and slow the speed down, You might want to look at what kind of lift you plan to use, if any before buying a motor. Some router lifts only fit a few popular models of routers.


John


John

[glenn bradley]

My general advice for a router table is to get the most powerful router you can afford. My two favorites are the Porter-Cable 7518 and the Milwaukee 5625---but they are over your budget.

+1 IMHO. If you go small in the router table, focus on a router that you will like to use hand held. That way when you upgrade you will have a nice hand held router to boot ;-) Seriously, a lot of folks use 2-1/4HP routers in tables and are very happy. I'll assume there is no separate budget for a lift so, you will want one that adjusts from above the table easily.

The Triton (although ergonomically awkward for hand held use by we westerners) has a great table adaptability built in from the start. Milwaukees also do after a fashion. The problem with routers that use a cam-type motor lock (which is almost all of them) is that once you have achieved the height you are after, the setting changes a little as the torque is applied. I got used to this on my 5625 and ran this way for quite a while before I went to a lift.

I wouldn't say this put me off of Milwaukees as I have a half a dozen of them. They were quite a step above the competition in build and operation at the time I bought. I have done nothing but use them for nearly a decade but, cannot comment on the current offerings since I have not bought one in years. It is sad how we cannot simply identify a product as "good" based on historical information anymore . . . things change by the week it seems ;-)

[Charles Taylor]

I'm looking to get a router this weekend, trying to pick a router to put in a router table,not for heavy usage,mostly straight cutting bits,round over bits,most likely not raised panel.under 200,prefer near 100.00 any brands,models?
I'll build my table.

Considering your budget and expected use, I'd echo the other recommendations for either the P-C 690 or the Bosch 1617, fixed-base versions of which are around $150 in the big box stores. I'd urge you, though, to try and stretch your budget and get the combo kits for either of these routers which contains both the fixed and plunge base. The P-C 690 was my one and only router for a few years before I needed something more powerful.

[pat warner]

2 or 3 cutters = 100$.
The router is the least of your life time expenses.
Consider a trip to the Pawn shop for a used 7518 if you can't spend.
Have no advice for used cutters.

[michael langman]

I will need a bigger router in the near future and bought the hitachi M12V2 for under 200.00. A bit over your budget, but VERY easy to use in a router table, and much quieter then most other routers.

[Rich Engelhardt]

The router is the least of your life time expenses.<<<------That right there.
Just like an ink for an ink jet printer or ammunition for gun - a router is a tiny part of the total price.

I went through no less than three routers before I finally gave in to conventional wisdom and stuck a 3+ HP router (Milwaukee 3625) in my router table.

I could have saved myself a few hundred by doing that in the first place.

Anyhow - - with all the "free money" offers going on right now, there's no reason to limit your budget.

I got my Milwaukee - pretty much for free.
I opened two checking accounts and picked up a credit card - the checking accounts paid $150 and $50 respectively just for opening the account for $25 or more and leaving the money in there for 6 months. The credit card paid me $150 just for using it to charge $1000 on it within the first three months.

Since we were buying materials for a rehab, meeting the $1000 was no problem. I also charged enough to ear a few hundred dollars in bonus points.
The real kicker was the card was zero percent for 6 months.
In essence I got a six month no cost construction loan.

[Jim Dwight]

I have a router table setup on my table saw extension table for a PC 690. I built some doors for my former shop on it but not a whole kitchen as has been mentioned. I use it occasionally if I want two setups at the same time. My main router table has an old Ryobi R-500 motor in it that draws 13.3 amps. That's more than the 690 but less than the bit 15A models. Works fine for me.

An advantage of the Hitachi that has been mentioned is you can use a Router razer on it because it is a plunge router. That's a form of router lift for around $100. I built a lift that is part of my router table and spent nearly that much on parts. You don't really have to have a lift but it is nice.

If you do not have both a fixed base and plunge base router, the two base kits of the Bosch or PC (or DeWalt or possibly Milwaukee) mid-sized is a good place to start with routers. Cheap routers have crummy collets so it doesn't matter what the motor can do, they can't transfer that to the bit. You want 1/2 inch collet of a good design for most things and a 1/4 for little stuff (unless you have a small trim router for the little bits). The collet is the key and first requirement. Motor size is after that. Last I looked, the Bosch kit was available around $200.

[Thomas Pender]

I have had really good luck with my Bosch 1617 combo - admit I have three separate motors now, a fixed set up on a special Pat Warner edge routing plate, and a couple set up for plunge work on jigs. One motor is full time on my Rockler table with the old Jess Em lift which is terrific and very adjustable. Main advantage of the Rocker is its dust collection capacity with that box below - it is just terrific. So, others have made a great point - the router is the cheap part. If I added up my bits and jigs, I can probably buy an ATV for my farm with what I have spent. One thought - call Leigh and ask them which router works best in their dovetail and mortice jigs and buy that - I have had nothing but trouble making my Bosch work on their mortice/tenon jug and I would like to know the answer. :) I suspect a PC may be a better choice. Oh - get a separate power switch to plug the router into on the table - going for the router on and off switch is a real challenge and a safety issue.

[Roy Harding]

... One thought - call Leigh and ask them which router works best in their dovetail and mortice jigs and buy that - I have had nothing but trouble making my Bosch work on their mortice/tenon jug and I would like to know the answer. :) I suspect a PC may be a better choice. ...

Yup - I have a PC 690LR on a plunge base dedicated to my FMT jig, and another one dedicated to my D4R dovetail jig. They worked perfectly from the first cut, and the add on plate for the FMT fit perfectly, without having to mess around. I believe Leigh has a list of preferred routers on their website (or maybe that was in one of the instruction manuals - which are available to download on their website.)

[Wakahisa Shinta]

Maybe consider this PC 7518 being offered in the Classified section (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?237387-PC-7518-Router-Like-New)? It's being offered for $185, over your budget but maybe splurge a bit? Assuming it is still available.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Oops ....
I completely forgot my "go to" onsite setup since I'm currently using my better router/table onsite where I'm working.

I picked up a Ryobi 1.5 HP router/table combo a few years ago for $99.
It's more than paid for itself and was well worth the price I paid for it.
It won't do anything heavy duty and it's limited to using only 1/4" shank bits, but, it does the job.

Craftsman and Skil both have similar setups for around $130 or so.
W/Black Friday just around the corner, I'd hang out until then to see what comes up.

[Robert Chapman]

I am on my second Triton in my router table. Tritons are well engineered for use in table. They adjust easily in the table without any special lifts.

[Edward Oleen]

Pick up a DeWalt 625. All the power you could ask for, which is handy when you try to swing panel raising bits.

I've used one for at least a decade and have never regretted the purchase. Variable speed, and I just mounted the plunge base to the mounting plate. A bit awkward to adjust the depth, but the power makes up for a LOT of awkwardness.

[Gene Takae]

I also used a PC 690 for many years although I now have a PC 7518 in my table. Since you stated that you don't intend to used raised panel bits IMHO it doesn't matter what horsepower router you get. I did find it convenient to mount the fixed base from the 690 to the table for easy removal of the router motor and used the plunge base for all other router applications. What I would consider as important is variable speed (soft start is nice too) and an accessory switch to allow easy powering down in case of an emergency.