Thoughts on Craftsman router?

[Jim Broestler]

Started a project involving sliding dovetails and realized it would be nice to have two routers for it, one for the straight bit cuts to hog out the slots, and one for the dovetail bit cuts to finish. Basically to save time on either having to reposition my cutting guide twice or resetting bit heights every time. So I went looking for an economical 1 1/2-2 HP router and decided on the Craftsman 12 amp fixed base router. The combo pack would've been only 20 bucks more, but the extra 2 amps and 1/4 HP decided it for me, and I already have a combo router set anyway.

Just wondering if anyone here has tried this router out. It seems pretty nice for the money ($95 w/ tax). Solid build, 3 LED work lights, soft start, uses both 1/4" and 1/2" collets, power switch accessible while holding the router on the workpiece, and the fine adjustment works pretty well IMO. Only two complaints. 1. The vacuum attachment feature is almost useless, but that would seem to be true with any router I've tried that has it because the chips can just blow right out of the groove/dado being cut anyway; and 2. It has a 6" diameter baseplate, just a 1/4" bigger than my PC. I guess that's probably a proprietary thing, but it means I have to make a baseplate to match for my PC to keep distance to edge the same for my cutting guide, and I always seem to have trouble getting those precisely centered when locating the screw holes (anybody got a trick for getting that nailed?)

Anyway, for the money I was hard pressed to find a better router. Thoughts?

[Bruce Page]

Jim, can you post a link to the router?

[Jim Broestler]

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-12-am...&mktRedirect=y

[John Donhowe]

I have the combo version (#27683) of your router, and am quite happy with it. It does have a lot of features built into it, and I think it's the best bang for the buck out there. It has plenty of power for my needs, and I agree with your assessment of the router. I do like the LED lights (at first I thought that was a bit gimmicky, but they really do help), and I also prefer the screw bit height adjustment over old school (PC) twisting of the motor to adjust height. The soft start and speed adjustment are both nice, too. Dust collection pretty much sucks (or doesn't )- I also think that's a common condition for routers- but the clear little cover for the open side seems to help.

The minor quibbles I have are:
1) Inserting the motor into the base can be frustrating- you have the match up the alignment arrows perfectly; hard to do if you use it in a router table. With the single base, you probably won't be removing the motor all that often, so this probably won't be an issue.
2) I'd prefer that the bit height adjustment screw had greater range. As it is, you have to slip the cam at the end of the screw into one of the three slots in the motor housing. If you reach the end of the thread while adjusting the bit, you need to "shift gears" to the next slot to move the bit farther. Also, there's some slop between the cam and the slot, creating some lash in bit adjustment. In addition to my C'man, I have an older Milwaukee 5615- no light or soft start, single speed, but full height adjustment Acme thread with quick release is a much better design, but at twice the price.

[Jim Dwight]

Craftsman routers range from total junk, not worth using, to pretty decent. They used to have a version of the Bosch mid-sized combo that was cheaper but still made by Bosch, for instance. The primary differentiator is the collet. This one offering both 1/4 and 1/2 collets is a very good sign. The junk ones are 1/4 and the collet is a machined detail on the motor output shaft. It won't hold a bit securely. If this one will, then I think it is worth at least as much as you paid. I've seen PC690s for around $100, however. I have two of those and consider them to be excellent mid-sized routers. There are a bunch of pretty good sized routers. Kind of like family sedans - every maker has one and the competition keeps them improving.

[Hoang N Nguyen]

I own 2 craftsman routers, once of which is the one you are looking at. It's mounted on my router table and as served me well so far. I've made raised panel doors with it which requires the router to swing a 3" diameter bit for the raised panel part and it does it with ease. I also have a plunge base one which I use when I need to route profiles to the edges of my projects as well as a dewalt trim router. All three have served me well and I haven't had a reason to drop big bucks on a new router yet.

[cody michael]

I have a craftsman router its a little older, 90-2000's my aunt gave it to me, and I have been very happy with it, I just picked up another in a router table for like 20$ and I have a porter cable from garage that I haven't used yet because I don't have a 1/4 collet for it. but the craftsman has done everything I asked it it to.

[Henry Kramer]

I have noticed that the current Craftsman routers appear to be constructed with more metal and less plastic than the Craftsman routers of the 80's and 90's.

[Mike Schuch]

I have 9 routers, 2 of them are Craftsman routers. One is mostly plastic with the worst plastic height adjustment mechanism I have ever used. The other Craftsman is ancient and a pretty handy little router. Of all my routers only my Porter Cable 690 was new, given to me by my parents 20 or so years ago. I have never paid more than $50 for my used routers including my PC 7560 3 1/2hp plunge router and Dewalt DW618 2 1/4hp brand new open box from Home Depot missing the cord. My favorite routers are my ancient Stanley R2-D2 routers that even double as a pretty decent hand planer.

If it were me I would shop around for a better quality less expensive used router.

P.S. It is really handy to have routers of different sizes. If you have a medium or big router a small trim router can be a really handy addition!