Routers - Plunge/Fixed

[Jacob Snow]

What should a person look for in a router kit?

[Matt Moore]

Both

The 89x series of Porter Cable have been favorites for a long time of many. They are available in a kit with both plunge and fixed base. Here are a few options.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000DCBKN/qid=1148579616/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-6814234-5056126?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009OYFG/qid=1148579616/sr=8-2/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-6814234-5056126?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006411C/qid=1148579616/sr=8-7/ref=pd_bbs_7/102-6814234-5056126?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

[Greg Koch]

Jacob,

My first router was/is a PC690, part of the 694VK combination kit. The 690 has been around for so long, and works so well, it's kind of a standard in the router world. Lots of accessories fit the 690 immediately, without the need for any adaptors. Good power, reliable, can't go wrong with the 694VK IMO.

[Larry Cooke]

I'll play the devils advocate here and suggest the following:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JKXE/qid=1148582153/sr=1-14/ref=sr_1_14/002-9455034-5968051?%5Fencoding=UTF8&s=hi&v=glance&n=228013

I liked it so much I bought one. You might want to check out Pat Warner's site too.

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

Did a fair amount of reading there myself and found it very helpful.

Larry

[Art Moore]

I'll play "devil's devil's advocate" :D and suggest this one :

39354

Just found one and haven't finished putting it through its paces yet, but it sure looks like the other guys might have some competition (especially with the LSA). The company's website has the info...

[Bob Childress]

FWIW, I have the 890 combo and have found it to be reliable and easy to use. Low vibration and convenient controls. Plus, it's reasonably priced.

BUT . . . (there's always a but) I found that after mounting it in the router table I was often too lazy to demount it for hand work. So I ended up buying a small Festool plunger for hand routing (is it comfortable!) and leave the 890 in the table. :rolleyes:

OTOH, what you look for in a kit depends on what you're going to do with it. Plunge routers can pretty much do anything a fixed base can do, but not vice-versa. And I know that the 890 in my table is not strong enough for serious raised panels, etc. Look for a smooth plunging action without binding. And if it is your main or only router, make sure it can take both 1/4 and 1/2 inch bits.

Conclusion: go for the 890 package and you should be very pleased.

[Tom Saurer]

Like Bob said, a plunge can do what a fixed can, but not vice versa. I would also require that it has variable speed, in case you want to use a bigger bit.

I'm personally looking at the Hitachi M12. It's bigger HP plunge unit that has gotten good reviews and is fairly economical.

[tod evans]

jacob, if i could only have one router it would be the 690 series p/c...02 tod

[Vaughn McMillan]

I bought the P-C 694VK kit (plunge and fixed base) about a year ago, and recently added a 10 to 15 year old 690 D-handle (single speed) to the collection. As others have mentioned, the 690 series is one of the "standards", and I like the fact that the pieces of the new kit and the older model are interchangable. I had the fixed base mounted in my router table for several months, but upgraded the RT to a Hitachi M12V (which I would not want to use as a handheld router). Now I have the full assortment of 690 motors and bases for handheld work.

- Vaughn

[Jeffrey Schronce]

This was on sale recently for $140.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BGKIJ6/qid=1148592271/sr=8-15/ref=sr_1_15/104-0871766-3583967?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance&n=228013

I firmly believe that this kit is the best value out there. The plunge base is rated superior to everything out there (combo kit wise). The fixed base was rated as excellent, with only a detraction for no above the table adjustment, which Bosch has fixed in this kit. I image FWW will rank this #1 in the next tool guide (for what thats worth).
This kit is pretty darn inclusive. Contains snap in bushing ($10), an awesome router edge guide ($35), centering cone ($6) above the table adjustment wrench, edge guide dust collector, and fixed base dust collector. The extras in this kit are probably worth $70 and are acutally good, usable items. In you can hold out for the EVSPKE to come back in stock and on a decent sale again. Anywhere sub-$160 is a great deal. The EVSPK (currently in stock) is usually a little higher and contains LESS extras and no above the table adjustment.

[frank shic]

warning on the bosch 1617: it's a good router, but the switch will most likely give you grief somewhere along the way if you decide to table mount it as i did. you could probably avoid having to replace it if you buy one of those rockler accessory on/off switches and use that instead of the one on the router when it's table mounted.

that ridgid does look awfully attractive though...

[Howard Rosenberg]

P-C's 690-series combos are the standard to which other combos are compared.
Nuttin' sexy, just workhorses.

Me, I'm partial to Makita products.

I've got their 1100-series combo and love it.
They'll never admit it, but the 1100-series routers are simply more refined 690-series units.
They take ALL P-C accessories - dust chute, edge guide, you name it!
Better than others on the noise front.
Plenty powerful.
Great soft-start.

My 2C.
HTH
Howard

[Jeffrey Schronce]

[quote=frank shic]warning on the bosch 1617: it's a good router, but the switch will most likely give you grief somewhere along the way if you decide to table mount it as i did. you could probably avoid having to replace it if you buy one of those rockler accessory on/off switches and use that instead of the one on the router when it's table mounted.

quote]

They have a new sealed switch. They even sent me a replacement for my "old" one last week.

[Greg Koch]

...warning on the bosch 1617: it's a good router, but the switch will most likely give you grief somewhere along the way if you decide to table mount it as i did. you could probably avoid having to replace it if you buy one of those rockler accessory on/off switches and use that instead of the one on the router when it's table mounted....

Frank,

What is the problem with the switch, and why just when you table mount the router?

[Mark Singer]

I have many and really like the Bosch pair!

[Larry Crim]

I agree with all the above the PC, Bosch both fine routers and easy to handle when used in the hands but my choice for a table would have to be the M12 and if using it in a jig setup like a FMT where precision plunging is required I would have to go with the Dewalt or the M12 both have smoother plunge ability with almost zero play, the M12 is just a little too big for my likes when used in the hands.
Larry

[Brad Townsend]

Have to offer a minority opinion here. I have both the 890 and DeWalt 618 combo packages. In my opinion the Dewalt is far superior.

I bought the PC890 first, but got tired of removing it from the table all the time when I wanted to do hand work. When I got the spare change, I sprung for the DW618 and found the plunge base on it far superior to the one on the 890. Also, the 618 has a lower center of gravity and has a really nice feel handheld. I don't know haw the DW618 stacks up against Bosch or Ridgid options, but I know my PC890 will never be coming out of the table again!

[Ryan Ricks]

Me, I'm partial to Makita products.

I've got their 1100-series combo and love it.
They take ALL P-C accessories - dust chute, edge guide, you name it!
Better than others on the noise front.
Plenty powerful.
Great soft-start.


I also have the 1100 series combo (and the 3612C in a table) and love them. I do wish the 3612 accepted standard accessories, at least the 1100s do. Very nice routers, well balanced.

-Ryan

[frank shic]

thanks for the update, jeffrey - guess i'll have to call in to customer service so that i can change it for the FOURTH and hopefully LAST time! what took them so long anyways?

:D