Trim Routers

[Dan Henry]

I am looking to buy a new trim router. I have a older De Walt and do not like it very well, the base is too small and the spindle look did not work. I like most De Walt tools this one is a disappointment.

What is good trim router??

Dan

[Jeff Wright]

Bosch Colt. Consistently ranks at the top or close to the top in comparison articles.

[glenn bradley]

Bosch VS Colt. Skip the spindle lock and get a second wrench; easier on the fingers. I'm dragging my feet at having Pat Warner make me an offset base but I have no idea why. Those that have them say they are great.

[David Tiell]

Agree with all the above. Bosch VS Colt. Very nice router.

[Jim Dunn]

Bosch Colt. A real handy router for trim work or light duty routing.

[Bob Michaels]

Agree. I use 3 of them, setup with different round over bits, all I have to do is grab one and work.

[Brian Penning]

What would you need the variable speed for?
The single speed is approx $99.

[glenn bradley]

What would you need the variable speed for?
The single speed is approx $99.

Larger bits, slower speed. Most trim functions are full speed but ogee, dado cleanouts and deep chamfers "feel" better at a bit slower speed. Probably just a personal preference.

[Bill Huber]

Has anyone mentioned the Bosch VS Colt.....:D

I use my to cut groves on my cutting boards and I need the slow speed so it won't burn the maple or purpleheart.

[Paul Fitzgerald]

The only thing I don't absolutely love about my Colt is the spindle lock. Other than that, it was worth every penny!

Paul

[Justin Bukoski]

just to pile on, I can't find anything I don't like about the colt...

[Brian Penning]

Larger bits, slower speed. Most trim functions are full speed but ogee, dado cleanouts and deep chamfers "feel" better at a bit slower speed. Probably just a personal preference.

I understood that but on a a laminate trimmer?
I'm curious if anyone actually uses the slower speeds on their Colt?

[Don Dorn]

I bought the Makita and like it allot, but if I had it to do over again, I probably go with the - yep, the Bosch.

[Brad Townsend]

Another viewpoint. I got a Colt when they first came out and ended up sending it back because the spindle would not center in the base and the fine adjustment was so rough as to be virtually useless. I really wanted to like this tool, and hoping that I just got a bad one, I spoke with Bosch about getting a replacement base. They advised me to return the unit for a refund, as I wasn't likely to get one that would be any better. Supposedly these were problems with early production runs and have been corrected. It's unlikely that you would find any of these older ones still in the supply chain, but if you get one, check the spindle and base for centering.

Rather than wait for Bosch to get it together, I bought a Ridgid, which I have been very happy with. It doesn't offer different bases like the Colt and makes no pretense of having a spindle lock (two wrenches come with it), but it will take standard PC guides right out of the box and has a narrower body which is very comfortable to grip. It is also a bit less expensive.

[Bill Huber]

Another viewpoint. I got a Colt when they first came out and ended up sending it back because the spindle would not center in the base and the fine adjustment was so rough as to be virtually useless. I really wanted to like this tool, and hoping that I just got a bad one, I spoke with Bosch about getting a replacement base. They advised me to return the unit for a refund, as I wasn't likely to get one that would be any better. Supposedly these were problems with early production runs and have been corrected. It's unlikely that you would find any of these older ones still in the supply chain, but if you get one, check the spindle and base for centering.

Rather than wait for Bosch to get it together, I bought a Ridgid, which I have been very happy with. It doesn't offer different bases like the Colt and makes no pretense of having a spindle lock (two wrenches come with it), but it will take standard PC guides right out of the box and has a narrower body which is very comfortable to grip. It is also a bit less expensive.

You Ridgid, does it get really hot. I bought one to start, the price was right and I liked the look and feel but it was so hot I could not hold it. I took it back and the second was the same way. It would run 127 degrees at the base and that was just to hot.
Ridgid told be it shouldn't be that hot but it sure was.

[Bill Huber]

I understood that but on a a laminate trimmer?
I'm curious if anyone actually uses the slower speeds on their Colt?

I use it all the time, now I have never trimmed any laminate with it yet and have just used it as a small general use router but I do use the low speed.
I have made 30 plus cutting boards and when I cut the grove on them if I use anything higher then the lowest speed I really have to watch that I don't get burn marks on the hard maple and putpleheart.
I have also used the low speed when doing some round overs so has to have better control of the router.

[frank shic]

PC 310 all the way...

[Thom Sturgill]

Just to be a contrarian, (I haven't tried the Colt) I bought a $40 Grizzly after reading a review that suggested buying several and dedicating them to a specific task. I have been happy with its performance.

[Brad Townsend]

You Ridgid, does it get really hot. I bought one to start, the price was right and I liked the look and feel but it was so hot I could not hold it. I took it back and the second was the same way. It would run 127 degrees at the base and that was just to hot.
Ridgid told be it shouldn't be that hot but it sure was.
I've run mine for extended periods and never noticed it. Had it over two years now. Maybe they had a bad production run too.

[glenn bradley]

Has anyone mentioned the Bosch VS Colt.....:D

I use my to cut groves on my cutting boards and I need the slow speed so it won't burn the maple or purpleheart.

Yeah, the VS was my suggestion. I should have clarified that I don't use the Colt as a Lam-trimmer. The VS is quite handy using it the way I and some others do.

[Rod Wolfy]

Dan,

I had the Rigid, took it back. I got the Makita and like the clear housing and two LED lights. I bought the Bosch Colt and like the handgrip. I keep one chucked up with a 1/8" round over and the other with a 45 degree champfer. I like them both.

However, having several Festools and knowing of their quality, I'm looking forward to hearing about their new trim router coming out early next year. If it's anything like their other routers, then it will collect 95% of the dust and have all sorts of tricks: http://thewoodwhisperer.com/new-festool-tools/#more-363

[Burt Waddell]

I like bosch so I bought the Colt. It doesn't live up to the usual bosch standard. Almost immediate problems with the Shaft lock and the depth set. I wouldn't buy another.

DeWalt is marketing a copy of the PC 7310 with a different top cap. Amazon has them on sale with two extra bases for $129. Normal pricing is about $230. I have had good service from the PC trimmers.

[Dar Lounsbury]

PC 310 with Pat Warner's add-ons. I have two.

Had a Bosch (not Colt) and it seemed flimsy but worked ok. I did not like the base for the Bosch.

[Jeff Booth]

I have the colt, who could not buy it after so many glowing reviews. I am not so impressed. The VS and the general handling of the machine are wonderful. THe softstart is really nice in something handheld.

But the locking of the collet, which others have complained about is bad. Worse though in my opinion is the height adjustment, it is a royal pain and even when I am really careful to tighten the collet very carefully and really crank the router body counterclockwise into the height engagement screw and then lock the height adjustment cam guess what seems to always happen with that little *&^%$## machine, somehow the bit or the base slips and I get a deeper cut than I wanted. I am cutting along, everything is fine and great and then all of a sudden, wham - 2mm slip and my piece is ruined. It has happened 3 times and made for some painful repairs on assembled pieces.

I realize this is not a fair comparison and would not be useful for actual laminate trimming, but I think I am going to get a Festool 1010, it is a really slick little router (but it is 3 times the cost of the Bosch Colt).

PS - I work for Bosch, I have the 1617 in a table and I love it, the height adjustment is really great. I have the 1613 on my woodrat (it came with that on it when I bought the rat second hand) and I have no major complaints about it (plunge action could be a little smoother).

[Dan Henry]

I bought the colt last evening and it seams to be a great trim router!! the quick height adjustment with the fine tuning is a great feature, Like the soft start and the finger hold down with the lip to keep your finger away from the bits is good also.

thanks for the recommendation.

Have a great Holiday.

Dan

[Brian Dormer]

Another vote for Bosch

[Steven Wilson]

Lamello Lamina E2. I recently picked one up on Ebay - what a fantastic unit, just great for trimming laminate and edge banding.

[scottj owen]

I have 2 porter cables and 2 bosch trimmers, I like both, I had to return one of the bosch trimmers because of the shaft lock. I was wondering what bases are available for the bosch, all I have seen is the base that came with them, my PC's have the offset and the angled bases which I use all the time. Thanks.

[Burt Waddell]

I have 2 porter cables and 2 bosch trimmers, I like both, I had to return one of the bosch trimmers because of the shaft lock. I was wondering what bases are available for the bosch, all I have seen is the base that came with them, my PC's have the offset and the angled bases which I use all the time. Thanks.


Scottj,

Bosch has all the bases the PC does plus a slitter base. I have had several of the older Bosch 1608 trim routers and have absolutely no complaints with them.

Perhaps the Colt problems are just introductary struggles that will be solves.

Burt

[Charley Preston]

Why doesn't anyone like the spindle lock?? I love it on my colt just use a finger to hold it in, and the other hand on the wrench. I hate juggling two wrenches.

I built my own base like Pat's that I can use the PC guides in and it works slick!!

[Lewis Moon]

OK, I'm wondering in here from the Neanderthal forum so be kind. :o
Would the Bosch Colt et al. handle shallow template engraving well? I'm thinking of adding some engraved flourishes to some rather austere book cases.
I HATE using my big Craftsman router and usually will do anything not to....but sometimes a tailed router is just the best solution.

[Mark Ball]

I have the single speet Colt, and really like it. The variable speed is only about $20 more, but when I bought mine, the VS was sold out, and I was needing it right now. Haven't had any trouble with it.

[Prashun Patel]

I gotta say I got a $39 trim router from Grizzly. If I could do it again, I'd get the plastic body one, but I love it. It's stable and works well.

Seems like I'm reaching for my trim router all the time - way more than I anticipated when I bought it.

For my $100, I'd rather buy 2 Grizzly's and keep frequently used bits constantly chucked.

The Grizzly uses a 2 collet wrenches. It comes with the standard accessories to allow offset routing and guided routing if you don't have a bearing bit.

It received a best value award in (I think) a Wood mag comparison of trim routers a little while back.

[Todd Hyman]

Why doesn't anyone like the spindle lock?? I love it on my colt just use a finger to hold it in, and the other hand on the wrench. I hate juggling two wrenches.

I built my own base like Pat's that I can use the PC guides in and it works slick!!

My spindle lock stopped working properly. I need to call Bosch to get another wrench.

[Lewis Moon]

Does anyone use them for engraving/inlay work?