Hitachi M12V in Router Table-Recommendations?

[Terry Flowers]

I am kind of new here, so hi all.

I have seen this router recommended in the past as a good one for router table use. It is now $160 on Amazon less 10%, which is cheaper than I have ever seen it.

I would appreciate comments pro or con.

Thanks,
Terry

[Larry Crim]

You will find many here use the m12 in router tables it is a good all around router and powerful enough to handle most large bits there are several threads on this, search and you will also find some simple mods for using it in a table.
Pat

[Larry Cooke]

Terry,

Back around the end of May Amazon had them on sale for $127.99. I'm not sure if you really want to play a waiting game for a better price or not but it's something to consider.

I bought one when it was on sale and it's a very good router. I'm not sure I really like it as a hand held, the plunge mechanism isn't the best out there. For a table setup though (which is how I really use mine) it works great.

Larry

[Norman Hitt]

Didn't someone post a survey on here a while back about which router everyone used in their Router Tables? If I'm wrong, maybe someone should, as it would be interesting. Where's Frank when we Need Him? (I know, I know, out playing with his Festools in the Canadian "OutBack").:D

Terry, I have an M 12V in mine, and my Buddy has an M 12V mounted to a Woodpecker's lift in his. This is my second one, due to an unfortunate failure of the Speed Control Unit, on my Reconditioned one, (which may have been the reason for the original reconditioning, and since it was an intermittant problem, they may not have caught it at that time). The replacement part from a local Svc Ctr. was quoted at $88.76 + tax with a 1 to 2 week wait for delivery, but I got lucky when someone here pointed me to an Amazon "Day Sale" (where the price actually changed 3 times in 24 hrs),:rolleyes: and they had an additional Promotion discount going at the same so I ordered a Brand NEW M 12V for $115.19 from them late on Friday, and received it on Tuesday.:D

They are very powerful, and work Great in a RT.

[Burt Waddell]

Terry,

I've had the pleasure of having most of the 3 horse routers in my shop at one time or the other. The M12V was not a machine that impressed me favorably. It just didn't seem to have the quality of a Makita or Milwaukee.

Burt

[Jim Young]

I've had the M12V in my router table for roughly seven-eight years. I am a weekend warrior in the shop and have in that time never had an issue with the router. Does little bits the same as big bits, like door panels. I can't see how the twice to three times expensive routers give you that much more. If anything the one gripe would be height adjustment, just not the easiest, but I'm in no hurry when in the shop.

[Wes Bischel]

Terry,
I have the M12V as well and it has worked fine. I purchased it via Amazon as well on sale for around $130 which included the fine adjust knob as part of the deal. I would suspect it will go on sale again - it seems to cycle.

Wes

[George Summers]

Lots of good information on the M12V (especially for table use) at the woodshopdemos website. Too bad I can't post the link here, but if you google it you will find it.

George

[Fred Voorhees]

I am on my second M 12V (through a fault of my own) and I have to say that it has handled anything that I can throw at it. In my opinion, it is a great router for table use. In fact, that is the only thing that I have used it for. I have a Makita for hand held use. Don't have any qualms about buying one. You won't go wrong.

[Hoa Dinh]

I have one for 8 yrs, dedicated to the router table. If it went dead tonight, I'd order another one tomorrow.

My RT is very simple, no above-the-table height adjustment, no lift. I just (1) added the adjustment knob (it may be part of the package now, was not 8 years ago), (2) cut off the ears to accomodate large bit (the ears are useless anyway), and (3) bought the offset wrenches from Woopecker for above-the-table bit change.

[Charlie Plesums]

I had an M12V for quite a while... It was too heavy for routine use hand held, but worked great in the router table. As someone mentioned, height adjustment is cheesy, but the optional adjustment knob makes it work fine.

When you first look at it, it appears that you have to modify it to use larger bits (I have seen detailed instructions for hacking the router apart). I used it with all kinds of bits, with no local mods. The router table was in the wing of my table saw, so departed when I upgraded my saw... I would have gladly kept it, but no room in my shop for a separate router table.

[Scott Thornton]

I would highly recommend the M12V. It is an excellent router. Mine is in a table. Buy a bent wrench and take the spring out, then you can do fine adjustment easier and swap bits from the top. You can get a bent wrench for the Hitachi at www.sommerfeldtools.com

Good luck.

[Mark Singer]

I have one also and really like it!

[John Lucas]

I have 3 Hitachi M12V in router tables and all with router raizer. SOmeone mentioned "hacking" the base...I ma not sure about hacking but I do remove the three ears that are meant to hold the collar adpaters. There are about 7 different articles on website...go to the main menu and down to the router section:
http://woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm
http://woodshopdemos.com/cmt-jr73.jpg
That is the picture of the tabs that I remove.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Add another vote for the M12V (and the Router Raizer). I wouldn't want to use it for hand-held operation, but it has performed well for me in the table. It was a nice step up from the P-C 690 I was using prior to the Hitachi in the table. The P-C is a good router, and it served me well in the table, but it's better suited as a hand-held IMHO. I'm sure there are other good 3+ HP routers available for table use, but the Hitachi seems to be great bang for the buck, especially if you catch Amazon on a good day.

- Vaughn

[Terry Flowers]

I appreciate the great input from everyone. And John, I will check out your website. :) :)

Terry

[Jeremy Gibson]

I'll post another vote for the M12. Mine is in a Woodpecker Plunge Lift in the right extension of my table saw. I have to give credit to the many other M12 owners here for their input and to John Lucas of Woodshopdemos to help me decide. I bought mine from Amazon and removed the ears and springs per Johns excellent instructions. I've also added two 1/2" od o-rings in the collet to seat the bits at a consistent and safe level.

[glenn bradley]

As you can see Terry, many folks have and love the m12. It is a fine tool and at that price you couldn't go wrong. I opted for the Milwaukee 5625 and love the ability to micro-adjust from above the table without a lift but, you're talking about an extra hudred bucks.

I had been using a router table for awhile and realized that for me, a lift or other option was what I wanted. I decided to go with the 5625 as it was cheaper than buying a router and a lift BUT, an m12 with a seperate lift is a more elegant approach.

If you're not using a router table now, you'll see the value of the above the table adjustment (however you get it) once you start. Decisions, decisions, they're half the fun!

[Charlie Plesums]

I have 3 Hitachi M12V in router tables and all with router raizer. SOmeone mentioned "hacking" the base...I ma not sure about hacking but I do remove the three ears that are meant to hold the collar adpaters. There are about 7 different articles on website...go to the main menu and down to the router section:
http://woodshopdemos.com/menu2.htm
http://woodshopdemos.com/cmt-jr73.jpg
That is the picture of the tabs that I remove.
Hacking was a harsh word - I apologize. I did see your instructions, and other suggestions about removing those tabs. They certainly look like they would get in the way of larger bits, as suggested in various forums, but I used practically every type of bit, including large moulding cutters and panel raisers, and never had a problem with the tabs. They do make it harder to use an offset wrench to change bits, so it would be convenient if they were gone, but I wanted to keep this as a full-function back-up router out of the table, so kept the tabs.

My comment was to help people know that they had a choice... that in my experience they didn't NEED to remove the tabs if they didn't want to.

Again, sorry for the harsh words.

Charlie

[Jason Chrin]

I have one table mounted as well. It cuts very well and I've never had a major problem with it. My only gripe is that I find it a pain to change bits. I'm not a fan of the collet lock with one wrench. I find myself wrestling with it on the table every time I want to change a bit wishing I had three hands (one to hold the router, one to hold the collet lock and one to turn the wrench) One of these days I'll get motivated enough to find myself a wrench that will replace the locking mechanism.

[John Kain]

Works like a champ with the Raizer in my table.


41220



It's a great table router. Not the best out of the table.

[Wes Bischel]

Terry,
Just a heads-up Amazon has the M12V with a 20% discount until June 30th - makes it around $128 includes free shipping as well. (see the "special offer" note)

Wes