Plunge router with dust port??

[Jim Mackell]

Years ago I saw someone at a fair making name signs. Using a plunge router with some type of plastic shield around the circumference of the face plate. The operator could see most of what he was doing and the vacuum hose connected to the shield caught most of the sawdust.

Need to be making more signs and probably try to work some butterflies or dutchmen into some other projects.

Looking for a good plunge router and one of those shield units. Recommendations?

[Paul F Franklin]

I have the triton tra001 big boy and the dewalt 611 plunge/fixed combo. Both either come with dust collection or it's available as an accessory. I use the triton in a table and the dewalt for hand held stuff.

Dust collection on a router is tough, especially when edge routing, but both do a decent job. Way better than not having it. I have no problem recommending both routers, although I will add that mine aren't used all day every day.

[John Sincerbeaux]

Festool 1010 router. I believe the best router in its class.

[Andrew Nemeth]

I’m not recommending it, but my porter cable 890 series router came with a clear dust shroud that attached to/around the baseplate. IIRC, it could be used with both the fixed and plunge base. I don’t know how the 890 router is now, but it was not nearly as smooth as the older 690 it was purchased to compliment. I still grab my old 690 and only use the 890 as a back up or secondary router.

[Art Tripp]

I have the Dewalt DW611PK router with both the fixed and plunge base which I really like a lot. I have primarily used the router with the plunge base and the Rockler State Park Font Kit to make signs and it works quite well. It makes a large amount of dust though and has often required a first cut, a sweep with the shop vac and a final cut before the final clean-up. For Xmas, I received a dust collection adapter for each base (each was on my list) and they have had pretty good reviews so it should simplify and speed up the work quite a bit. I have been involved in other projects so haven't had the opportunity to put the adapters to use yet but hope for (and plan on) good results. I use a shop vac / Dust Deputy combo for portable tool dust collection and highly recommend a separator to keep from constant shop vac filter clogging. Attached are links to each (for convenience and not necessarily a plug for Amazon) and a picture of the router & a couple signs in my workshop.

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWP611.../dp/B0049ZFUK2

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DNP616...GQ9P41P6TVEY95

https://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DNP615...VBGJWGEEW7AGPK

Router.jpg

[Joe Hendershott]

Festool 1400 does a fine job with the dust collection and is a pleasure to use. Puts the Bosch and DeWalt routers I have had to shame.

[Jim Becker]

Both my Festool OF1010 and OF1400 have excellent dust collection with reasonably good visibility to the "business end" of what's twirling around in the center. They also operate very smoothly.

[Jamie Buxton]

The best dust collection on a router that I've used is the DeWalt 621. It collects most of the dust, but still offers good vision to the bit. Unfortunately, I found it unreliable -- perhaps because I use a router a whole lot. I moved to the Festool 1400. The dust collection is okay, but the vision into the bit is not as good. However, it is very reliable.

I have a DW611 small router. IMHO dust collection on that thing was an afterthought. I don't think you can even hook dust collection to the fixed base. To put dust collection on the plunge base, you have to add a bunch of pieces, and you have to remove them to change the bit. And when they're on the router, the dust collection hose gets in the way of the plunge operation, and vision into the bit is poor.

[Dave Sabo]

This is the only universal vac housing I know of.

https://www.oneida-air.com/contractor-tools/router-hood



in addition to those routers already mentioned, Bosch routers have pretty decent collection accessories at reasonable rates.

Also, I think the Porter Cable 75 and 8529 have some of the best built in dust collection around for plunge type cuts.. And yes, that includes the two festool models mentioned. I have them all except the Triton.

[Curt Harms]

Years ago I saw someone at a fair making name signs. Using a plunge router with some type of plastic shield around the circumference of the face plate. The operator could see most of what he was doing and the vacuum hose connected to the shield caught most of the sawdust.

Need to be making more signs and probably try to work some butterflies or dutchmen into some other projects.

Looking for a good plunge router and one of those shield units. Recommendations?

That may have been a base that Porter-Cable offered with their 69x routers. I had one, it worked better than I'd have expected. The new DeWalt 618 and P-C 89X plunge base - looks like the same base machined to fit different motors - are pretty good as long as the bit opening is mostly covered by the work. Edge chip/dust collection is tough, here's a Rockler product:
https://www.rockler.com/edge-routing-dust-port

[Derek Cohen]

I have the Elu version of the Dewalt DW621. Dust collection on this is excellent. It is a great router in general. I also have the Elu version of the Dewalt DW625, and added the dust collection insert from the DW625. This works very well, and I would expect the Dewalt to work even better.

Dewalt owners here might pipe up with their experience.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Stephen Rosenthal]

I've had a Bosch 1619EVS for many years. Came with a dust shroud and I purchased an optional accessory shroud for edge routing. Use it handheld and with a table. Does a great job and am very pleased, but I do focus a work light directly on the area I'm handheld routing for better visibility.

[Frank Martin]

I have a Dewalt 621, which I think has the best dust collection setup. Dewalt 625 is also great. I had Festool OF 1400 and 1010. Did not think they were really an upgrade over the Dewalts and sold them.

[Edwin Santos]

DeWalt 621 owner here, big thumbs up on this router overall. The trigger lock is a little unusual until you get used to it. The dust collection is excellent.

[Jim Mackell]

I have a Dewalt 621, which I think has the best dust collection setup. Dewalt 625 is also great. I had Festool OF 1400 and 1010. Did not think they were really an upgrade over the Dewalts and sold them.

Thanks Frank. Looks like exactly what I'm after.