Router Kit -GMC ATBR1500 any good?

[Mike Weaver]

Our favorite on again/off again Bessey source (Amazon) has the GMC ATBR1500 2 1/4 HP Router Kit with 3 bases for $89.99:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000EOQVWS/bretsreviews4-20

I've done a google search, but haven't come up with any decent reviews.

Does anyone here have any experience with it?

My gut says if t looks too good to be true......it proably is.

Thanks in advance,
-Mike

[Burt Waddell]

The only GMC products I have owned stayed in the shop for about 5 hours and 10 minutes. I bought one of their cordless nail guns. I took it to the shop and it took 5 hours to charge the batteries. Then it took me less than 10 minutes to determine that it was useless and head back to Lowes with it.

From what I have seen of their products, they seem to be low end quality. I checked out one of their sliding compound miter saws only to find that it had excessive movement.

[Hoa Dinh]

Apparently GMC tools have some loyal customers there. Both of the reviewers on Amazon own tools from GMC only. :eek:

If you are in need of a router, check out the Freud 1700. You can have it from Amazon for $144 ($169 - $25) with a plunge base rebate direct from Freud.

[Vaughn McMillan]

I'm with Burt on this one...

Of the two GMC tools I've bought (from Lowes), one (an angle grinder) went back immediately, and the other (a benchtop bandsaw), was nowhere near the quality of similar bandsaws, and was replaced by a real bandsaw shortly after I bought it.

I thought GMC used to be Lowes house brand, but apparently that's no longer the case?

[Mike Weaver]

Thanks folks!

I strongly suspected that it wouldn't be worth it - thanks for saving me the heartache.

Hoa,
I saw that Freud as well and it's certainly worth a look.
I was kinda holding out for a 3 base kit, but for that price, I can get TWO FT170s for nearly the price of ONE Dewalt 618PK. :eek:

-Mike

[Bob Childress]

GMC is an Australian company, a division of Triton Tools, and is an entry-level (read cheap) brand not suitable for sustained use. Made primarily in China, but that's probably irrelevant as so are many others. Some of their tools can be a good value if it is for only occasional use. I own both a GMC benchtop drill press and portable DC and they work okay, but don't get a lot of run time. (The DC is dedicated to the TS only.) For something as important as a router, I certainly would not consider them.

[glenn bradley]

No personal experience but I would avoid GMC anything based on the results from any outfit that has bothered to test them. Just my take.

[Hoa Dinh]

I was kinda holding out for a 3 base kit, but for that price, I can get TWO FT170s for nearly the price of ONE Dewalt 618PK.
I'm not sure if you are poor :D , but you can always have a poor man's D-handle router base. It looks like this:

[Mike Weaver]

Thanks again - great idea Hoa!

I went and picked up the Bosch 1617EVSPK deal from Amazon with the "Bonus Accessories."

I have had postive experiences with Bosch tools and with the Amazon discounts & gift certificates & SWMBO approval, I couldn't pass it up...:D

I figure I'll leave the fixed base with either a handled base like you've made, or attached to my EZ SRK.

-Mike