New router Purchase

[Jonathan Spool]

I've been using my PC 7310 for most freehand routing for many years. My other routers are real heavy and just not as naturally comfortable to use as the diminitive 7310. For most flush and round over jobs the 7310 has sufficient power. However, the fixed base for the 7310 is terrible. Too small and the fine adjustment leaves alot to be desired.

I cannot seem to find an after market base for the 7310, and so am resigned to purchase a new router to take its place.

The new router must be somewhat compact but bigger than a laminate trimmer is fine.

It must either have its own excellent dust collection, or be compatible with one of the after market dust collection systems. I am tired of cleaning up the shop after flush trimming MDF!

This router does not need to handle 1/2" bits.

Any ideas?

[John Callahan]

Porter Cable's 310 production trim router might fill the bill except in the dust collection dept. It uses the same type adjustment as the 690's do. It's been recently discontinued but there's still nos around. You'll find a few folks including me who think it's the best trim router out there. Another alternative may be the Porter Cable Model 100. 7/8 hp 1/4" only collet. It uses the base as the 690 ( which has DC kits available for it) but is more compact. It too has been recently discontinued but there's nos around. Not really a one hander but light and very well balanced- my favorite router ................I have two. Fwiw Betterley Industries (they make a lot of stuff for laminate and solid surface folks) has aftermarket bases for the 7310. Probably not inexpensive and I don't know if it would improve the depth adjustment on the 7310. Might be worth a call though.

[glenn bradley]

Have you checked with Pat Warner for a better base? His Colt offset is really great.

[Larry Edgerton]

I just smashed a 7310 [I think] all to pieces about a week ago. Is that the one with the one sided base? Anyway I hated it and it screwed up some laminate by running out of square, so I smashed it rather than have it around annoying me. Piss poor tools do not live long in my shop, I take a hammer to them.

That being said I have 5 or six 310 production laminate trimmers around, and will be buying more soon as I do not feel there is a better trimmer, and they are discontinued. Dewalt will slowly screw up PC until all of PC's tools are just as good as Dewalts! I may try a Bosch, but I like to have several of the same for parts reasons. I have all of the Betterly formica tools that use the 310 as well.

The PC 7/8 Hp is a nice little 1/4" collet router, and if you can find an anniversary edition they look cool. I like the looks of that Bosch router that is sized like a large laminate trimmer. The cheap 1 1/2 Hp Bosch is a nice router for the money as well, and I used a Milwaukee 1 3/4hp the other day that had a contoured body that felt pretty good.

I know they say that the worst router that you ever had is better than no router at all but that particular PC is their first attempt at Home Depot sellout junk, and it was not better than a night alone.......:)

[Curt Harms]

Makita makes this (http://www.makitafactoryoutlet.com/%5Cmakita%5Cproducts%5C3606.asp) which looks sorta like the discontinued PC model 100. Make a sub base if necessary ( I don't think I'd pay $40 for the Rockler one.) and mount this (http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=19743) to it. I did something similar with a now discontinued P-C router dust collection fitting. Porter-Cable and discontinued...:mad:.

Curt

[Jonathan Spool]

Thanks for some good suggestions. It seems a quandry to get small size plus excellent dust collection. Browsing around this forum, many are prising the Festool 1010. It might be the ticket for me but I wonder whether the ergonomics make up for the size? Dust and chip collection look excellent.

[Jonathan Spool]

I decided to go with the Festool MFK-700 Kit. The OF 1010 was too big for what I was looking for, and it really seems to need the larger $95 base to be very stable during edge work. I found the MFK 700 to be quite comfortable and comes with a good base, not to mention versatility. Only drawback I could find was the price.