Routers

[Jeff Kelley]

WHat do you think? Milwaukee 5625-20 3.5 hp for 369$ Canadian or thr Freud FRE FT3000VCE 3.25 HPf or 269$ canadian. This is going to be used in a table.

[Mark Boyette]

I'm a porter cable guy myself. They are workhorses...
Mark.

[Mike Heidrick]

I think I would call Mark Strickland at Heavy Duty Tools dot net (Strickland Plumbing and Supply is their Store Front), 828-652-6873, Tell him Mike Heidrick from Bloomington, IL sent you, and see what kind of deal he can make you on a Milwaukee 5625-20.

That is a super nice router for a router table and you will BE VERY VERY happy with it!

[John Thompson]

I have been running a Milwaukee 5625 under my table for 6-7 years. I am not going to tell you there is no other router that will work but it will be the only router I ever use if I ever have to replace. I was so impressed with the "hoss" that I sold my plunge DW 621 and Bosch to get their combo set for hand-held when it came out. That one is a winner also.

Most of the heavy duties will work but I would go with 3 HP + whatever you chose.

Sarge..

[Jim Becker]

I'd choose the 5625 of the two. Nice big, heavy duty tool, not unlike the PC7518 I have in my table.

[Jeff Kelley]

Thanks guys as that what I expected to see. There are some personal reviews of the Freud on Amazon and they really like them though.

[John Lucas]

I have bth the Jessem/Milwaukee router with external speed control and the PC 7515. Both in tables.

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/jes-mtr-2.htm

I like the external speed control of this new product and the soft start.
http://www.woodshopdemos.com/jes-mt9.jpg

and the PC7515 which I have had for years...what a work horse. I am now mounting it in the new Woodpecker Quick Lift http://www.woodshopdemos.com/woodpk-rtrtab-1.htm

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/woodpk11.jpg

[scott spencer]

Jeff - I've got an MW5625 (http://www.epinions.com/review/Milwaukee_3_1_2_HP_Fixed_Base_Production_Router_Wi th_Electronic_Variable_Speed_Feedback_Circuitry_An d_Soft_Start/content_245903494788), and it's a very stout workhorse. However, it doesn't offer many above table features and is much more cumbersome to chuck bits into than my smaller FT1700 (http://www.epinions.com/review/Freud_FT1700VCEK_2_1_4_Horsepower_Variable_Speed_F ixed_Base_Router/content_411774455428). The FT3000 offers many of the same above table features of the FT1700 but with more power. I like my MW5625 alot, but I love the one handed above table bit changes of the Freud so it tends to stay in the table most of the time while the MW5625 sits on a shelf waiting for the bull work.

[Michael Gibbons]

I recently went to the Woodworking Show and was impressed by the Triton used by Marc Sommerfeld. Cheap too!

[Russ Massery]

The Porter cable 7518 I feel is best router for a table. What I like about Porter cable routers is the collet. They have a snap ring which pulls up on the collet as you loosen it. This makes bit change over a lot easier. Nothing I hate more then have to tap on a expensive router bit to release it. If you narrowed your choices to just these two. I would go with the Milwaukee.

[Curt Harms]

The Porter cable 7518 I feel is best router for a table. What I like about Porter cable routers is the collet. They have a snap ring which pulls up on the collet as you loosen it. This makes bit change over a lot easier. Nothing I hate more then have to tap on a expensive router bit to release it. If you narrowed your choices to just these two. I would go with the Milwaukee.

but it has a 2 stage collet. Loosen it, keep turning and it'll snug up again. Keep loosening and the bit will free up. I have the Freud 1/4" & 1/2" collets; both work fine. P-C has 8mm collets which Freud doesn't but I'm not sure it you'd use 8mm bits in a router table. No experience with Milwaukee but they get uniformly good reviews.

Curt

[Steve Rozmiarek]

The Porter cable 7518 I feel is best router for a table. What I like about Porter cable routers is the collet. They have a snap ring which pulls up on the collet as you loosen it. This makes bit change over a lot easier. Nothing I hate more then have to tap on a expensive router bit to release it. If you narrowed your choices to just these two. I would go with the Milwaukee.

Russ, I think a bunch of the other routers have that style of chuck now. I even have an old Dewaly 621 that does.

[John Keeton]

Freud FT3000VCE - soft start, plenty of power, easy above the table bit changes, dependable. I really like mine, but I am sure the others mentioned are good machines as well.

[Steve Roxberg]

I recently went to the Woodworking Show and was impressed by the Triton used by Marc Sommerfeld. Cheap too!

The parent company of Triton recently declared bankruptcy so you may want to research that before purchasing a Triton power tool.