Trim router with best dust collection ( besides festool )

[Drew Sanderson]

I looking for suggestions on a trim router with great dust collection that isn't a festool.

Thanks,
Drew

[Derek Cohen]

Drew, the Makita has excellent dust collection ...



Available in both corded and cordless.

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Rick Potter]

My DeWalt 'compact' router has the optional DC fixture which seems to work pretty well, but the pic of the Makita that Derek shows looks even better.

[Curt Harms]

The Grizzly trim router and MLCS Rocky (appear to be the same machine) have the same dust collection fitting as the Makita. I think the dust collection fitting would obstruct vision of the bit somewhat but that's pretty much unavoidable.

[Drew Sanderson]

That Makita looks perfect.

[Phil Gaudio]

The Dewalt has excellent dust collection as well:

[Phil Mueller]

I have the Dewalt. I have their edge guide with dust collection. It works pretty well...but probably not as well as the versions shown above. One thing though, if you are free handing like for a hinge or inlay or lettering (for example) the attached hose is a bit cumbersome. I tend to not use it in those situations.

[Wojciech Tryc]

I have the Dewalt. I have their edge guide with dust collection. It works pretty well...but probably not as well as the versions shown above. One thing though, if you are free handing like for a hinge or inlay or lettering (for example) the attached hose is a bit cumbersome. I tend to not use it in those situations.

I expected that free hand operation will be cumbersome with my Makita, but not at all. The new Festool hose with a tiny home made adapter works very well in this combo.

[Robert Engel]

The Dewalt has excellent dust collection as well:

I love this router, but the DC needs to be re-engineered IMHO. For one, it is a process to remove and attach.

Second, performance overall is poor. Dados and grooves ok, but routing an edge profile or rabbet it is actually quite poor in my experience (that is collecting with a Festool extractor wide open).

The shroud also obstructs the view of the bit.

I know this isn't the answer you want, but if I were very concerned about DC I would spring for a Festool. DC on several of their other tools I have is quite superior and I would expect their routers to be the same.

[Charles Lent]

For those of you with dust collection hose problems, I have a DeWalt 611 with the DeWalt vacuum options for both the fixed and plunge bases. When I use it at my bench I have a plastic clothes line reel attached to the ceiling above the bench that I attach about mid loop to the vacuum hose using a Velcro strap. I also bundle the power cord and vacuum hose together with Velcro straps. The rewind spring of the clothes line is just strong enough to hold the working loop of this hose/power cord bundle above the bench and completely out of the way. I use this same technique when using one of my sanders at the work bench too. When not in use, I leave a long Velcro strap attached to the plastic line end piece, so it hangs down just enough for me to reach it when I again want to use it.

One similar to this is what I use.

https://www.amazon.com/Drynatural-Re...%2C183&sr=8-64

Charley

[Rich Engelhardt]

Can you put a 1/2" collet into the Makita?

Sadly - not that I'm aware of. Were one ever available for the Makita compact, I would put it on the cordless & not the corded version. I've read many reports from people that have both & they all agree the cordless has way more power.

[Derek Cohen]

I do not imagine that there is a trim router on the market anywhere that has a 1/2" collet. For good reasons - it would encourage someone to use a router bit that is too large to be handled by such a dinky machine. Trim routers are for trim work.

I am still tossing up whether I should get the plunge base accessory for the Makita - it encourages it to be used as a small plunge router. Perhaps it will work well as such? I do have a small plunge router, an Elu MOF96 (the one on the right), which is the forerunner of the DeWalt DW615 ...



Anyone here with the plunge accessory for a trim router, and with opinions in this regard?

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Phil Mueller]

I have the plunge accessory for the Dewalt 611 and use it frequently. I don’t find that visibility is any more or less than the fixed base. I primarily use it for stopped groves for inlay or banding. The edge guide has a vacuum hose attachment, which might get about 80%, but again, it’s a bit cumbersome with the hose attached. May have to give Charles’ clothes line reel idea a try. The reality is that using it for what I do (1/16”-3/8” inlay) there isn’t must debris, so I rarely use the DC.

[Prashun Patel]

The dewalt is imho impossible to use unless you are edge routing. You cannot see the work when mortising.

[Phil Mueller]

I actually haven’t had too much difficulty seeing what I’m doing, unless it is a very short bit. Wojciech, I’d love to see a picture of your home made adaptor...I also have the Festool hose.