Router Question - Which to buy?

[Alex Carrera]

Okay - I finally decided to get myself a decent router, and since money is an issue, I want one that will do all functions, including work in a router table occasionally. After looking around, it seems like the Triton 2 1/4 hp plunge unit, or the new Ridgid two base kit are the way to go. Both are priced at $200. The Ridgid seems to be very well constructed. I went to Woodcraft today, and they no longer carry the Triton in store. The guy there really pushed the Freud, but it didn't seem as well constructed as the Ridgid, nor did it feel as light.

Anyone here have any experience with the Triton or the Ridgid? I've never been a big fan of Ridgid, but I just got the R4330 planer (3 blade replacement for the TP1300LS), and I couldn't be happier with it. Also, Ridgid is now offering LIFETIME service on their tools. If only I didn't despise HD with a passion.

[Mike Marcade]

I cant speak to either of those units, but I can speak for the Bosch 1617 2 base kit. I really love the ones I have. You can also find remanufactured ones for very good prices.

[scott spencer]

Freud makes 3 routers...the FT1700 is a great table router IMHO, and also has a plunge base available now. I suspect what you perceive as not being well constructed is the switch that rocks in peculiar manner and feels flimsy. Otherwise any of the Freud routers I've used or handles were well made.

If you're looking at a combo kit, I'd give the new Milwaukee a very serious look. Very well made routers with plenty of power, an easy to handle "BodyGrip" design and a very good plunger. Milwaukee is owned by the same company that owns Ridgid, and is actually their upper end. Anothers I'd consider is the Bosch 1617EVSPK. I'm not sure I'd choose the Ridgid of several of the more popular and really well proven kits.

[Alan Trout]

I personally would look at the DeWalt 618 sets. They are pretty tough to beat for the money.

To me the Ridgid seems very top heavy which I do not like in a router. Kind of like the PC 890 series of routers.

Good Luck

Alan

[glenn bradley]

The Triton is a very nice machine. Taking it in and out of the router table might be a pain. I don't own the Ridgid but passed on it due to the plunge-stop mechanism which looked kinda flaky. I hope an owner will chime in because the Ridgid set reviews well. With a dual base set you can leave the fixed base in the table and use the plunge for everything else. Just for grins, check out the Milwaukee 5616-24 multi base kit. FWW and others loved it: http://www.tylertool.com/milwaukee57.html

P.s. I have two Milwaukees and they are great routers. They are industrial-base designs and so are pretty much devoid of any dust collection function. If DC is high on your list, you'll have to go to another body style. I also have other brands and the Mil's are my favorite.

[Gary Ratajczak]

I have the older Freud Plunge unit mounted in my table. The hole in the base is small, and can cause some problems lowering large panel cutters. I have it on a woodpeckers plunge lift.

Works well, but I would like something more rigid (no $$ to upgrade now). I have build a number of doors, and they all came out great, so it works for now.

Hartville tool has the Freud plunge units for $125 on the home page. It does have a great deal of power. I have never had mine slow down a bit.


I bought the Dewalt 618 kit as a hand held. I have the fixed and plunge base. GREAT router - very smooth. You could mount the fixed base in your table, and remove the router to mount in the plunge base. I looked at the Rigid, and felt the plunge on teh Dewalt was MUCH smoother. Way better than the Porter Cable as well.

I looked at the Freud 1700 the other day. Again, fixed base in the table, and a plunge base for other work. It offers top mount raise/lower, so you would only need a plate.

Just my 2 cents.

[Robert Strebler]

I've had good luck with my Hitachi combo set which is the KM12VC. It's done everything that I asked it to with no problems. The motor is smooth and the soft start is nice. I got the set for something like $125 on sale at Amazon and have been extremely happy with it for that price.

A lot of people don't like the Hitachi Green, but I don't have a problem with it.

Cheers!

[Bill Huber]

I can't comment on those routers but I do know the Bosch is a good one.

I do know there are a lot of companies that make accessories for the Bosch and there are lifts that will fit them without and adaptor.

Right now you can get the kit for $210 or you can get a reverb for $180 form Bosch.

http://bosch.cpotools.com/routers/router_combo_packs/1617evspk.html?ref=pricegrabber1617evspk

[Bob Goldsmith]

I have the Ridgid R2900 kit and it has some nice features. The fit and finish is very nice. I do not find it necessarily top heavy and the LED lights around the bit are very handy to get some extra illumination. I really like the extra long cord as it prevents me from always running extensions. I've never found it lacking for power and like the variable speed feature. I have used it frequently mounted in the fixed base on my Bosch RA1180 router table and bit changes are easy utilizing the spindle lock feature.

BUT

I don't particularly care for the plunge base, or specifically the plunge lock mechanism. I find it cumbersome to plunge the router and then lock the base in a smooth motion. Maybe it's the size of my hand, I don't know, but for me I don't get as smooth of a plunge, cut, or whatever you want to call it as I would like. I don't want to think about anything other than making the cut when I'm plunge routing and when I use the plunge base I have to think "Ok, where's that damn lever!" :) I also don't find the dust collection mechanism on the plunge base to be all that effective, but I don't really expect great dust collection from a hand-held router in the first place. Though I must say DeWalt's method looks appealing. I also don't find the plunging motion to be as smooth as I thought, but not having used another plunge router that could just be the way it is and I don't know better.

If I had it to do all over again I wouldn't buy a kit. The main reason being that even though it's not that hard to swap the motor between bases, it's still one extra step that for some people (myself being one of them) is sometimes a PITA. I just want to grab the router, chuck a bit, and start cutting. For hand-held use I'd buy a dedicated plunge router, a dedicated 1/2" shank fixed base router, a 1/4" shank laminate trimmer, and whatever (plunge or fixed base) router I thought would work best in my table. See, soon after I got my Ridgid kit, I got a smoking deal on a PC690 which has become my go to router for 1/2" shanked bits. I also picked up a used Ridgid 2400 laminate trimmer on eBay and really haven't found much that I can't do with it and my 1/4" shank bits. The Ridgid R2900 motor sits in the fixed base attached to my router table. The plunge base...well, it collects dust. :)

[Scott Kilroy]

I have the Triton 2 1/4 hp plunge and the Porter Cable 690 fixed base. I only use the Triton in my table or when I need to plunge. I like the Triton a lot but I don't think I'd be happy with it as my only router. I've played with a friends Rigid with the fixed and plunge base and it seems like a pretty good machine for the money.

[Scott Rollins]

I have the Bosch 1617. I have the fixed base mounted in a table and use the plunge base for hand work. The fixed base is fantastic under a table. You can adjust the bit height as easily and repeatably as my router lift in my other table. I cannot justify ever buying another router lift when the bosch is as good or better.

[Don Stutsman]

Just my opinion, but if your choice is between the Triton or Rigid - hold out for the Triton.:)

[Norman Pyles]

Here's my take on this. If you can, go and pick up each router you are looking at, and try to get a feel for it. Move the adjustments, and take the motor out, try out the plunge, and flip the on off switch. See which one feels the best to you. Dewalt, Milwaukee, Bosch, Triton, Frued, all these are really good routers. I know nothing about the Ridgid but I'm sure it will do you just fine. I think you will probably be happy, with any of these routers. Good luck.

[Allen Bookout]

If you decide on the Ridgid I noticed that my Home Depot had it on sale for $170. You might want to check around at different HDs to see if any of them have it on sale in your area.

[Scott Kilroy]

Personally I use my plunge (out of the table) only when I need to. My fixed base is always my first choice, I just don't feel as in control with the plunge since it puts all the weight at the top.

[Gene Michael]

I have a bosch 1617 that has been great. Bought a porter cable 890 to use on my router table and to free hand. The PC had a bad overheating problem - customer service wasn't very helpful. They said I obviously had low voltage. I ended up calling a PC repair center and leaerned that there was a recall on this model due to overheating. They replaved the entire motor and no more overheating. Hope this helps.

[Mike Marcade]

I have 2 Bosch 1617 motors. I have one permanently mounted in my router table and the other one is usually used in the fixed base. It is a very smooth soft start with variable speed.

[Richard Dragin]

If cost is a major factor I don't see how you could not consider the Freud 3 1/4hp variable speed plunge router for $129. I picked one up and so far I am very happy with it. I have two PC690's and it has way more power.

[John Browne]

I just bought the Triton after reading favorable reviews. It comes with a lot of extras, including a full set of template bushings, adaptor for PC bushings, edge guide, oversize base plate, and a 1/2 " carbide bit.

I got the Woodpecker plate and template, made a quick & dirty router table today out of a piece of 3/4" birch ply across a couple of sawhorses.

Seems like a good router. We milled some wenge today and it didn't seem to faze it. I thought the through the table height adjuster would be handy and eliminate the need for a more expensive lift. As for moving from table to handheld, there are four screws securing it to the insert, remove those and put the standard base back on (or leave the insert on as an extra large base). Oh, and put the plunge spring back in--real easy since it was obviously designed to be removed for table routing.

the Rigid I haven't looked at.

[Alex Carrera]

Wow, thanks for all of the responses. I've got to check out all of these. I'm really glad that a couple of you have tried the Triton - that's been my first choice, except that there's be nowhere for me to go and look at it. I'm going to head up to Rockler today to take a look at what they have and get a better feel for things. The Triton's features, including great dust collection, really seems like it might be the way to go.

[Curt Harms]

I bought the Dewalt 618 kit as a hand held. I have the fixed and plunge base. GREAT router - very smooth. You could mount the fixed base in your table, and remove the router to mount in the plunge base. I looked at the Rigid, and felt the plunge on teh Dewalt was MUCH smoother. Way better than the Porter Cable as well.

Just my 2 cents.

Take a look at the new P-C plunge base. It looks identical to the DeWalt 618 plunge base.
http://www.deltaportercable.com//ProductImages/PC_Graphics/PHOTOS/PORTER-CABLE/TOOLS/LARGE/8/895PK_1.jpg

[Mark Singer]

The Bosch!

[John Thompson]

I would not over-look the new Milwaukee 2 1/4 HP combo kit. Milwaukee's first plunge and they nailed it. The Body Grip design on the fixed base has already spoken highly of itself as the 5625 3 1/2 HP fixed I use under a table.

I sold a Bosch combo.. a DW 621 to purchase the Milwaukee combo and it's the best router I have had in my hands in 36 years. I have had PC's.. Hitachi.. DW's in the past that statement is based on. I have never used a Triton or Makita to put the statement in better prospective.

Sarge..

[JayStPeter]

The Bosch combo is still my favorite of the 4 routers I have.

[frank shic]

the power switch on the ridgid is a pain to turn on since it's basically a piece of embossed plastic that you have to pull out.

[John Seiffer]

I just bought the Triton after reading favorable reviews.

John,
I noticed that the dust collection from the Triton comes in at the side, while some of the others allow you to connect the hose from the top.

Does it get in the way with the Triton?