Pulling the plug on a Freud 3000 router?

[Wade Lippman]

I always unplug my router before changing bits. I am very attached to my fingers!

My new Freud has what appears to be a solid locking mechanism used when changing the bit. Is it secure enough to make unplugging unnecessary? It would be nice to hardwire it to the router table switch, instead of having to deal with the plug; but I sure don't need trouble.

[Ron Dunn]

I always unplug every tool before changing anything.

It might be belt-and-braces, but it guarantees that nothing (or no-one) is going to bump the switch while I'm working.

[Rick Frye]

In a world of if it can go wrong it will, why chance it. And besides, what if you someday get a different router for the table, then there is the poor 3000 with a clipped cord.

[Fred Voorhees]

Consider this.....what happens should you have it locked and it does somehow get turned on? I can tell you from experience and the older, now no good Hitachi M12V router that sits forlornly in my shop. They burn up. In a split second at my router table - I plugged in the router and found that the switch was somehow on and the collet was locked. In roughly two seconds flat, I needed to call Amazon.com for another M12V. My advice, unplug it.

[Jim Becker]

"Stuff happens". Unplug it or if the cord is removable like with Festool or Dewalt DW618, do that instead...same effect.

[Wade Lippman]

Consider this.....what happens should you have it locked and it does somehow get turned on? I can tell you from experience and the older, now no good Hitachi M12V router that sits forlornly in my shop. They burn up.

I know it will burn up; I am willing to risk $200 but not my fingers!
Obviously it can happen, since it happened to you, but it would be a rare occurance; I am not real confident the lock would hold.

[Norman Pyles]

I always unplug.

[Charles McCracken]

I always unplug my router before changing bits. I am very attached to my fingers!

My new Freud has what appears to be a solid locking mechanism used when changing the bit. Is it secure enough to make unplugging unnecessary? It would be nice to hardwire it to the router table switch, instead of having to deal with the plug; but I sure don't need trouble.

Definitely unplug it. I never make any adjustments or bit changes unless I see the plug end of the cord on the table.