trim router

[Stephen White]

Adding a trim router to the shop. There are a lot of options. Leaning towards the Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to look for?

[Cary Falk]

I have and really like the Ridgid R2401 trim router. I also have the DeWalt DW611 with the plunge base and love it for shelf pins. Looks like the Makita is about $74 on Amazon and wouldn't have an issue with buying it either. There are a lot of good choices

[Kris Cook]

I have heard good things about the Bosch Colt.

[Mark e Kessler]

I tried bunches to replace my aging PC’s that were beat to death in my biz, the Dewalt beat them all as far as base being square holding its adjustment ect and I don’t even like dewalt tools but after the Bosch, Makita and Ridged were no good, (maybe i got all duds..) i went for it…


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0048EFUV8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[Derek Cohen]

Adding a trim router to the shop. There are a lot of options. Leaning towards the Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to look for?




Hi Stephen

I have this one. It is very good - excellent dust collection, good power, lots of accessories and reported reliability.

If I were looking for a new trim router, I would get the cordless version. It has the addition of an internal light, which is very useful. I also hear it is even more powerful.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Doug Garson]

I have heard good things about the Bosch Colt.
The older Bosch Colts have an issue with the fixed base slipping, I understand the newer model solved this and the plunge base on the older ones doesn't have any problems.

[ChrisA Edwards]

I have a Bosch Colt and just bought a Milwaukee M18 Fuel, battery powered router.

Love the freedom of not dealing with a power cord.

The Milwaukee is also easier to bit change and adjust the router bit height.

[Christopher Wellington]

I have the 20V Dewalt one and it's very good. Easy to adjust depth and locks securely. The spindle stops immediately when you cut off power, which is nice. I guess because of the brushless motor.

I use it with the single stack (2Ah?) batteries for better balance and get plenty of runtime from those.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Leaning towards the Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to look for?It's alright.
I had the chance to really work with my Makita cordless version of that router. I also have the corded version that you want. I bought it just so I could get the plunge base.

I love how handy the cordless router is - but - the plunge base leaves a lot to be desired.

I really like the DeWalt 611pk a whole lot better. That little rascal has a great plunge base.

[Richard Coers]

I've not done a ton of research, but isn't there quite a difference between trim routers and compact routers? The trim routers I have run at 30,000 rpm. Really only good for small diameter bits as anything with some size will burn incredibly easily.

[Stephen White]

Hey thanks everyone will go through and check out suggestions.

Richard, ya know the term 'compact' and 'trim' seems to be interchangeable between the brands and often have both terms in the description, I will dig deeper on this though.

A number of you seem to like the cordless. I was worried they would be gutless. I have a cordless circular saw and love it for being able to chop down my wood order so I can get wood back to shop in my covered pickup bed but the saw seems pretty gutless and would not want it to be my main circular saw. It is a cheapo one though so that might be it.

[Rod Wolfy]

I've had the Bosch Colt, the Makita corded, the Rigid Cordless, the Makita cordless and the Milwaukee cordless. I sold the Colt, gave the Rigid away and use the Makita cordless sometimes. I usually reach for the Makita and Milwaukee cordless ones, as the freedom of movement is nice (take a piece outside, where I don't have to clean up the shavings from the lawn). I've used the dust collection on the Makita, too. It works great. Both are well lit and both will power thru cuts as well as the corded version did. I have a lot of Milwaukee tools, so it's nice to have various batteries available. I tend to use the Makita more, as it's always set up with the round over bit.

[Dave VanDewerker]

Adding a trim router to the shop. There are a lot of options. Leaning towards the Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to look for?



I have this router along with the Ridgid trim router, I use the Ridgid a lot more than my Makita, smaller lighter, easier to use. I have the plunge base for the Makita and honestly have never used it, I have always like the size and weight of my bigger plunge routers.

[Christopher Wellington]

Stephen - I've never found myself wishing the Dewalt cordless had more power. It only takes 1/4" bits after all. I use it for chamfer and radius bits and for cutting narrow dados with a 3/16" straight bit.

[Curt Harms]

Adding a trim router to the shop. There are a lot of options. Leaning towards the Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router. Any suggestions or words of wisdom to look for?




That's the one that China knocked off. Grizzly sells the knockoff as does MLCS. I have the Grizzly T27139, $89.95 with both bases. I imagine the finish is more crude than the Makita but the Grizzly seems to work just fine in my limited usage. Any of the trim routers will be limited to 1/4" shank bits and the Grizzly does lose torque at low RPMs. Trying to spin a relatively larger bit at low RPMs probably wouldn't work. But then that's not what these machines are intended to do, that's the bailiwick of 1.5 h.p. and up midsized routers. For jobs like trimming wood edging overhang they're excellent, light and nimble. I wonder if that's why they're called trim routers?;)

[George Waldner]

I have the Makita you are leaning towards and the latest Bosch (GKF125CEN). Makita is nice but micro bit adjustment is impossible. Bosch is a little bigger and heavier. Fine bit height adjustment is incredible on it. No backlash whatsoever. Really like the led light on the Bosch.

[Tom M King]

I have one of each, and multiples of some, but not a single one that I'm really excited about. One toolbox is full of different ones with roundover bits from 1/16 radius up to 3/8's. Some of those have to be marked to keep one side against the workpiece, or the bit doesn't ride exactly flush with the board surface.

I have a couple of those 701 Makita's, with a pair of laminate edging bits in them. They're okay, but nothing to be excited about either.

[Mike Kees]

I have about 4-5 PC690's and a couple bigger ones, so decided to get a "trim" router. Ended up with the Dewalt 611 pk with plunge and fixed bases. I really like the router and the plunge base is a pretty darn good unit. Nice smooth router with a light. I like it with my hinge jig and jamb templates for door installation. Overall a great little combo.

[Stephen White]

Well now I am stuck on the "Ryobi 18-Volt ONE+ P601". Buying one with a battery and charger for $150, not very high-end but I really really like the dial-in depth, that along with being cordless will make this a great grab on the bench.

I can't seem to find an edge guide or many accessories though. The cheapo $70 no name corded trim router sets all come with the edge and roller guides and other gadgets and bits but the reviews make them all sound like junk and the name brands don't come with anything and I am finding it hard to determine if there are any universal jigs and guides for trim routers? I hate making jigs but I guess they all can be made pretty easily.

I have a both a full size plunge router and a full size one mounted in a table as well as a small 12x12 CNC so its OK if it does not do everything. I mainly would like it to easily round board edges and do small dado and grooves.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Stephen, regardless of which one you get, you will probably enjoy using it once you do. I bought a corded Makita a couple years ago. My pro-carpenter SIL was visiting before I bought it and noticed I didn't have one. Since he knew I had 18v Makita drill and driver, batteries and charger, he bought me the battery version for Christmas. I am not a battery tool fan as batteries die and are expensive but I do like that battery version of my Makita! Regardless, I have found some tasks that the trim router makes so much easier.

[John TenEyck]

Same here with the Grizzly knockoff of the Makita. Both bases work very well as do many Makita accessories. Unlike Curt, however, I find it underpowered and wish I had the Makita for it's extra power. My Rigid trim router will run circles around the Grizzly and overall it is a much better little router. If that had a plunge base I would have had no need to buy another.

John

[Curt Harms]

I find the power adequate as long as I leave the speed at maximum or close to it. Lower the speed to midrange and the power seems to really drops off. I doubt there's any sort of feedback mechanism to add amps as speed drops. I haven't used mine much, cutting 1/4" X 3/4" dadoes in plywood using a 1/2" straight bit have been the largest cuts so far. The power was fine. Anything more than that and the midsize router comes out.

[Stan Calow]

I have three of the old model Colts now, and one Ryobi (garage sale, $5). I keep each one loaded with a specific bit, so I don't have to change the bits out. I haven't tried the new model, but agree that base slippage and painful collet access were downsides. I'd suggest considering buying the adaptor for bushings and a centering base plate when you get any trim router, as they came in handy pretty quickly.

[Todd Mason-Darnell]

Jonathan Katz-Moses did a comparison review of trim routers a few months ago....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6HYDdyzQ60


I would recommend reviewing. I do trust him as he is not sponsored.

[Stephen White]

OK pulled the trigger on the Ryobi. Saw positive and negative reviews (the guy above blew it off when it slipped) so we'll see. They all break by price and this is a cheaper one. With these small cordless options I am really thinking of having several out with different bits so I might get a few bites at this tool. For some projects when I am batching this will be a real time saver.