How many routers do you have and how many do I need?

[Peter Gregory]

I put up a dust collection system, with metal pipes and soon found that every drill in my shop had a different bit or driver head in it. Total number of drills and drivers is 5.

I only have one router. It is a Dewalt 621, that is an early model and has no dust collection. I find myself moving it from place to place, hand held, router table, and jigs. Just realized, I really want as many routers as Norm, say 10 to 20. ;) I'm sure I can find room on the birthday list for one, but then, how many do I really need?

One for each fancy jig, one in the router table, one for hand? How many do you have?

[James Hart]

Trim router, big one in the table, plunge router, normal size for hand-held, then about 4 more for no apparent reason.

Jim

[John Jendro]

One for every router bit you have is best.:D

I have one that stays in a table. Three handheld, one is a fixed base, one plunge and a laminate trimmer. Could probably get by with two if you want to leave one table mounted.

John

[Mike Henderson]

One table, one hand held, two trim routers.

Mike

[Don Abele]

OK, let's see...

Bosch Colt, 1 HP, 1/4" Collet: Really light work like laminate trimming and hinge mortising.

Craftsman, 1 1/2 HP, 1/4" Collet: Dedicated for dovetail jig (dovetail bit) - this is my first purchased router over 15 years ago).

Porter Cable 690, 1 3/4 HP, 1/2" Collet: Light hand-held work.

Craftsman, 2 HP, 1/2" Collet: Dedicated for dovetail jig (straight cutter) - this was my second purchased router about 10 years ago.

Porter Cable 7518, 3 1/4 HP, 1/2" Collet: Heavy duty hand-held work.

Porter Cable 7538 Plunge, 3 1/4 HP, 1/2" Collet: All my plunge work.

Hitachi M12V Plunge, 3 1/4 HP, 1/2" Collet: Permanently mounted in router table with a Woodpeckers Plunge Lift.

Well, that's my round up of routers.

Be well,

Doc

[Neal Clayton]

one 3.5 hp fixed, one 2.5 hp plunge, one small trim router. will probably add a 4th for dedicated use on my moulding machine's router attachment.

[Steve Flavin001]

tasks such as 1/8 and 3/16 roundover of stock to illustrate.... to avoid constant changing of bits, each dedicated to that function.

One dedicated to router table because changing back and forth is excessive, depending on how you value your time and use of that time.

Also, if possible stay with one brand for commonality of parts, accessories, and bit installation, as well as the "look and feel."

[Dewey Torres]

Well... if you would rather go minimal instead of one per router bit:D

I would suggest 3:

1) Router table set up
2) Hand held
3) Palm router (Bosch Colt is about the best)

Since you are already using Dewalt, stay with them and get your next one with the kit that has 2 bases. This will allow you to change the motors out with the bases or table as you see fit and effectively give you the feel that you have more than 3. I don't see a good way to skip the palm/trim router. I use mine almost more than the others.

My .02

Dewey

[Robin Cruz]

3.
2ea 3hp Hitachi M12 for table and for mortizing and other handheld use.
1 small handheld that I rarely use with 1/4 bits.

I bout the Hitachi M12V2 but it turned out to be of such poor quality and had several defects I returned it without ever cutting wood. I was lucky to find another M12 locally. I see them on Amazon for $500. I guess they are sought after

[scott spencer]

I've currently got 4, but could live with two...one for table, one for handuse.

- Milwauke 5625 - table
- Freud FT1700 - table or plunge
- Hitachi M12VC - hand use, templates, etc.
- Craftsman 8 amp - some hand use

Have also owned and liked the MW5615, FT2000E, and Bosch 1617.

[Ron Dunn]

Have: 2
Use: 1
Need: Debatable between 0 and 1

[Doug Shepard]

5: DW621, DW625, DW lam trimmer, PC7518, Festool OF1400
7 of you count the Dremel and Ryobi Dremel-clone
9 if you count the LV and Stanley Neander tools

[George Sanders]

Four. Two Craftsman.(never used anymore) Two Porter-Cable 690s. One stays in the table and one for use with a plunge base or a standard base with edge guide. I do need a trim router.

[Rick Gooden]

Freud FT1700 in table 1
Freud FT2000 in table 2
PC 690, fixed and plunge bases, hand held
Bosch Colt for everything else

[Chris Kennedy]

I'm starting to feel router envy. I have two, well, two and half.

Ryobi handheld 1 1/2 hp, 1/4" collet (wedding present from my father-in-law). Just fine for light work.

Porter Cable 890 with two bases. The fixed base stays in the table for the most part, and I use the plunge base out of the table. I just move the motor in and out as I need to.

Cheers,

Chris

[John Eaton]

Hitachi dedicated for the table
4 PC 690s fixed base - use these exclusively for dovetailing
2 Bosch for plunge and fixed base work (1 in each base)
1 HF trim - 1/4" roundover pretty much stays in there other than when I'm mortising for hinges - use a 1/4" straight bit
Dremel with router base - for the super-fine stuff.

-- John

[John Keeton]

Presently have:
2 cheap pawn shop routers dedicated to pins/tails
1 OLD Craftsman in a Veritas router table
1 Plunge router for hand work

Presently want:
Couple more cheap dedicated routers for common edge bits
1 Triton 2.25 for table saw router extension not yet equipped
1 cheap, but heavy duty, dedicated router for plywood dadoes

Aren't they like clamps - can't have too many??? Isn't that the very reason we have pawn shops??

[Michael McCoy]

I keep 3 Freud routers mounted on base plates for the router table. Two more Freud FT1700s dedicated for dovetails. One Dewalt plunge for use with jigs and one trim router for light use. Also have a Triton 3 1/2 HP that I don't care sitting in a cabinet so I don't use it.

[glenn bradley]

I have six but could probably get by with three; 1 big dog in the table, one combo kit for freehand and one Colt.

[Jack Briggs]

One table mounted (Hitachi TR12);
one plunge (Fein RT1800);
one mini (Dremel 395)
one overarm pin router (Delta/Invicta RT50).

[Rod Sheridan]

Based upon use, I could probably get by with 0.0164 routers.

OK, so that was dumb answer, the answer for me is that I could get by with zero routers.

I own a Craftsman 1/4" collet router ( I can hear everyone laughing already) and a Porter Cable trim router, which I purchased to do some laminate trimming for a project for a charity.

I have an E.C. Emmerich wooden router plane which I use frequently, however all my "router type" work is done on a shaper.

I guess the correct answer is that the number of routers needed ranges from zero upwards, based upon your work, and work methods.

Regards, Rod.

[Matt Day]

I think this is turning into a bragging session about how many routers everyone has. I think the first step for the OP is to describe what type of work you do (hobby or production?), as it may be different than the guy who does this for a living.

Personally, I just do hobby woodworking and have 2. One in the router table and one plunge/fixed base router combo I use for handheld work. For a while I just had one plunge/fixed base router combo and left the fixed base in the router table and just moved the motor around when I needed to do other work. Would I like to have a trim router, yes of course, but I honestly can't think of a time when I thought that my 2 1/4" HP Bosch couldn't perform the same task. Would I like to have a few more, sure but it's not necessary for my applications.

[Robin Cruz]

I like the bragging session. NO need to change a thing.

I think this is turning into a bragging session about how many routers everyone has. I think the first step for the OP is to describe what type of work you do (hobby or production?), as it may be different than the guy who does this for a living.

Personally, I just do hobby woodworking and have 2. One in the router table and one plunge/fixed base router combo I use for handheld work. For a while I just had one plunge/fixed base router combo and left the fixed base in the router table and just moved the motor around when I needed to do other work. Would I like to have a trim router, yes of course, but I honestly can't think of a time when I thought that my 2 1/4" HP Bosch couldn't perform the same task. Would I like to have a few more, sure but it's not necessary for my applications.

[Lee Schierer]

I have two, but have been thinking about a third one. I have Freud FT1200 table mounted and it is great. I also have an older Crafstman router that I try to keep set up for dovetails. There are times I need a hand held router and the Freud is too big (inlay templates) and the Craftsman doesn't plunge and isn't variable speed.

[Orlando Gonzalez]

Let's see:

1 PC 690s
2 PC 892's
1 DW 618/6182 Combo
1 DW 621
1 DW 625
1 Milwaukee 5625 (table)
1 Bosch PR-20 Trim

That makes 8. :eek: I need professional help. :D

[John Sanford]

I have one, the Bosch combo. I used to have the PC 690 until a carbide spiral bit broke while using the router in the router table, and the broken piece fell down THROUGH the PC690. :eek: That's a quick way to trash a router motor. :( I generally leave the fixed base set up on the table, although I've used it with the table plate as my baseplate, and use the plunge base for other things.

I'd like to get a Bosch Colt trim router, and a honkin' big router for "permanent" installation in the table. Of the two, the trim router is a higher priority because lotsa stuff gets roundovers, but even then, not terribly high. Basically, when I see the Colt go on sale for a smokin' price, one will probably join the herd.

[Peter Quinn]

I have 5, 6 if you count the roto zip, which I do not. I could easily get by with just 8.:D:D My slot mortiser has replaced 1, so I need to repurpose it.

I think if you make lots of jigs and such in a one man shop it might be cheaper to get a few extra bases which many makers sell separately and just swap motors and cutters as needed.

If you make a lot of dovetails with a jig you may want to buy one for pins, one for tails, set them up once and forget them for anything else.

There is no shame in collecting routers. Just expense.

[John Callahan]

All PC-7518, 690, 100H, 310 plus I bought another 100H for DW as a present. A man can't have too many routers :D though DW doesn't always agree. May pick up another 310 when funds permit- PC recently discontinued the Model 310 and Model 100 (which had been in production in one form or another for almost 50 years)- a shame imho. imho too many of the newer tools including routers seem to have been designed by marketing guys; lots of bells and whistles ......... more power, variable speed, table top height adjustment etc, etc. Nice things to have I reckon but weight and balance suffer; important things to have in a hand held tool imho which is why I don't care much for the 890. Could be I'm getting to be an old curmudgeon too :rolleyes:

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

4, and it's not enough

[Bill Wyko]

Lets see
2 table mount
2 dedicated circle cutters
4 Trimmers
1 plunge
2 general purpose.

8 of which are PC
2 Bosch (Trimmers)
1 Big old Freud
What I want, Festool OF1400.

[Jim Becker]

Dewalt DW618 with all three bases
Festool OF1010
Festool OF1400
PC 7518 (in the table)
PC 7529 (oldest and used for convenience)

The DW618 and OF1400 get the majority of the hand-held work in my shop.

How many do you need? One can do the job, but having more than one makes for more convenience and flexibility. I prefer a table router to be dedicated. But if you can only have one router, get one of the multi-base kits with 12-13 amp motors and variable speed.

[John Ricci]

Okay...

2x PC 690 for the Leigh D4 and the Shopsmith table w/overarm routing, 2x fixed base, 1x plunge base for the keyhole jig
1x Ryobi 600 in a LV table/Incra Ultra 24"/Intellifence
1x Freud FT2000 as a backup for the LV table (rarely used)
1x Ryobi trim router
1x Delta router/shaper table

I could probably be greedy and justify more routers for dedicated setups but SWMBO would beat me:eek:

J.R.

[John Stevens]

(1) PC690 fixed base for light hand-held work, usually with an offset base for edge work. Could do without this one because of the...

(2) Festool OF1000, plunge for light hand-held work, and for use with the guide rails and shelf-hole-boring jig & horizontal trimming jig. Used to use it with mortising and tenoning jigs, but then got the Domino. (I'd include the Domino as a router, and it's by far the one I use most.)

(3) Triton 2 1/2 hp router in a table. Seems like a nice router, but the only other table-mounted router I've used is the PC690.

Please note, I don't have a big router for hand-held or table-mounted use. Maybe I'm missing out on something (like when I pattern-rout 6/4 and 8/4 stock and have lots of chatter to clean up afterwards with a rasp).

Hope this info is useful to the OP.

Regards,

John

[Greg Hines, MD]

I have two pairs of Porter Cable Combo sets, a 690 and a 890, and a Craftsman rotary tool that I can use as a lightweight trim router in a pinch.

Doc

[Don Bullock]

I have two and wish I had a lot more.;) Routers are like clamps --- You can't have enough!:D

[Dewey Torres]

Great thread but it kind of reminds me of:

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?

ah, one, ah two, ah (crunch...) three. Ah Three "says the wise owl!

Dewey

[Mike Heidrick]

5625 in the table
Colt
Two 618 3-base kits

Buying another 618 kit and two more motors.

I want a dedicated dovetail, dado, and rabet router and a multi purpose dedicated fixed and plunge setup.

[Peter Gregory]

I build furniture and I'm an amateur, but I do have quite a few expensive toys and a bit of floor space. I'm filling my house with Arts and Craft furniture, lots of Mortise and Tenon work these days.

The best new thing I learned from this thread is the idea of having a base mounted and moving the motor. That would do great for me, in quite a few areas. Had never heard of that before.

I forgot in OP that I have a trim router, with a permanently mounted round over bit. Sorry.

What got me going was I have a Leigh FMT, that currently has my router mounted in it. I need to move the router to fix something I messed up, then put it back. Bummer. Don't really know how to finish with the FMT without pulling the router out and putting it back. With my Dewalt, it is hard to get the exact depth of cut back.

I'm tempted to stick with Dewalt routers, because I know how to work them, as someone suggested, but I just ordered a Milwaukee router kit, with two bases. I like to read manuals, so I'm just figure it out. I'll try to post a comparison between them. Looks like new routers are a lot nicer than my 8 (10?) year old router.

I need about 2 more, to keep up with the Jones. Have to tell the wife I'm due! :D

Really fun reading. Thank you.

[John Keeton]

Peter, I really don't know all of your intended uses, but I commented about pawn shops. Routers are a staple of pawn shops, and I can get them for about $25/ea in various brands, etc. You can plug them in there and try them. If you have storage space, it's hard to argue with having 4-5 special purpose routers at that price.

I'm not suggesting that this substitute for the one or two nicer machines that we need for various purposes, or for router table use. But for frequent and light duty work it sure is convenient and cheap. The last one I bought was a Bosch plunge which I use as a fixed base for dovetails - works great. The one before that was a DeWalt and is still going strong. May want to check out the local shops. Then you can tell your wife how much money you saved when you bought them - familiar words in my world!

[Kirk Poore]

I have three. Two were given to me, and I no longer use them. The third is a PC 890 for hand use. I don't use a router table, since I have a Rockwell LD shaper.

Kirk

[Prashun Patel]

One good router with a plunge and fixed base. Mount the fixed base permanently in yr table, and use the plunge for handwork.

Get a couple cheap trim routers for quick and dirty work. People love the Bosch Colt, but for my $100, I'd get 2 Grizzly's and keep a 45 deg chamfer and 1/8" roundover permanently chucked.

[Neal Clayton]

Please note, I don't have a big router for hand-held or table-mounted use. Maybe I'm missing out on something (like when I pattern-rout 6/4 and 8/4 stock and have lots of chatter to clean up afterwards with a rasp).



that one big 3.25/3.5 HP router is nice. i have a necessity for it with cutting molding rabbets and reliefs, which kinda denotes all day use with large bits, but even if i didn't i'd still want one. i'm annoyed by the less than reliable plastic fine depth adjustment on my milwaukee 3.25 hp fixed router, but otherwise it's something i couldn't live without i think. there's alot to be said for a 300 dollar tool that will cut 3/4" x 1" rabbets through 16 foot long hardwoods all day long with the sharpness of the bit becoming a problem before the heat of the router.

[Steve Clardy]

Ah.......:o


24 :rolleyes:

7 of them are in router tables and pocket cutters.



1 Hatichi
23 Porter cables

[Paul Kinneberg]

Milwaukee 1-3/4 Max HP BodyGrip® Router - By far my favorite (most used) router
PC 7518 table mounted
PC Laminate trimer kit
Bosch Colt (like better than the PC but don't want to replace laminate bases so I keep the kit for laminate work)
PC Plunge Router (least used)

Wish list (festool 1400)

[Steve Nouis]

Pretty close to the number of chainsaws 13 or 14, I think it's a sickness. Steve

[Ben Cadotte]

5 or 6 if you include a laminate trimmer.

2 plunge and 3 fixed based routers.

[Ron Dunn]

I'm not saying it is wrong to have so many routers - your choice, after all - but I really question both the economic and emotional values behind these decisions.

Economic: How much money have you wasted on routers that could have gone into other tools or materials?

Emotional: "He who dies with the most toys, wins" is not a healthy way to run your life.

Conspicuous consumption at its worst, I think.

[John Stevens]

that one big 3.25/3.5 HP router is nice.

Thanks, Neal. I was hoping someone would share their experience & opinion on that.

Regards,

John