Best $50 table router I ever bought!!

[Jason White]

Ok -- so this post if a little "gloat"-ish...

Ran by Lowe's today in Woburn, MA. They've been clearing out quite a bit of woodworking stuff (as other people have posted about).

On the "table" today -- a couple of 2-1/4HP Freud routers. One of them was marked down to $50 (orginially $150)!! It was missing the wrench and case, but I didn't care! I've been wanting a "dedicated" router for my table for some time.

Turns out this is a sweet table-mounted router!! The router allows both bit changes and height adjustments from above the table. :)

Another nice feature is that only one wrench is required for bit changes. The spindle-lock automatically engages when you raise the router to it's full height, so I don't have to fumble for it under the table.

Also soft-start and variable speed. The power switch could be better -- but like I said, best damned $50 I ever spent on a router!

JW

[Raymond Fries]

Love those kinds of deals; grab them when you can.

[Randal Stevenson]

I went to Lowe's earlier in the week. Locally they had it marked down to $149. Their last closeout was the P/C 557 bisquit joiner at $159. I wish we had one in a lower rent area.

Congrats.

[glenn bradley]

Great deal. I love those stories. Lowes stopped carrying Milwaukee routers. The blow out price was already stupid-low. Before I could get to the register and get my wallet out, LOML had talked the manager into cutting the blowout price by a third. Ahhhh, love.

[Richard Blaine]

Unfortunately, our Lowes is pretty new (opened this year,) and they don't seem to be into the bargain table thing yet. I did see the Biesemeyer fence on the rack with a clearance tag on it -- at $340. Yeah, that is lower than the original $400 price, but nothing close to what others were stating at their stores. Maybe, I just have to wait a year or two for them to have more stuff that has sat on the shelves without selling.

[scott spencer]

Congrats Jason...you got my $71 beat! I like the same things about that router you do, and I tend to use it in my table over my more powerful MW5625 for those reasons. Enjoy...

http://www.epinions.com/FT1700

[Jason White]

I should also mention that there is (as of yesterday afternoon) another identical router sitting on the same table for $75. It's a little less dusty than the one I picked up (mine was the store display model) and includes the case, wrench, manual, etc.) I imagine it's still there -- ANYBODY IN THE BOSTON AREA SHOULD TAKE A TRIP THERE IMMEDIATELY AFTER READING THIS AND BUY IT!!

JW



Congrats Jason...you got my $71 beat! I like the same things about that router you do, and I tend to use it in my table over my more powerful MW5625 for those reasons. Enjoy...

http://www.epinions.com/FT1700

[Jason White]

Any idea who makes a "pre-drilled" plate for a router table that will accept this router?

My Bench-Dog phenolic plate (that came with my PRO-MAX cast-iron router table saw extension) is pre-drilled for several routers, but not the Freud 1700. They included a paper template for drilling additional holes, but the new holes ended up overlapping some of the pre-drilled holes, making for a less-than-perfect installation.

JW


Congrats Jason...you got my $71 beat! I like the same things about that router you do, and I tend to use it in my table over my more powerful MW5625 for those reasons. Enjoy...

http://www.epinions.com/FT1700

[glenn bradley]

Any idea who makes a "pre-drilled" plate for a router table that will accept this router?

My Bench-Dog phenolic plate (that came with my PRO-MAX cast-iron router table saw extension) is pre-drilled for several routers, but not the Freud 1700. They included a paper template for drilling additional holes, but the new holes ended up overlapping some of the pre-drilled holes, making for a less-than-perfect installation.

JW

Woodpecker makes a lift that fits the Bench Dog plate size but they don't list a plate alone. I would think you would have to make your own or buy a Bench Dog plate as (like others) they use a different plate size. Although a call or email to Woodpecker couldn't hurt.

http://www.benchdog.com/proplate.htm