Newbie with a ? about squaring up blade and picking a router

[Heath Patrick]

Little background to start with. I started doing woodworking when I was 13(you could say). My dad has a home shop and him and my brother built cabinets and stuff. when I was 13 my dad had a Darwin moment and lost half of his pinky and ring finger in a router. They had a big job making 9' tall shutters for a historic district so I had to step in and help get them done. Any way for the next 10 years I would help out building all sorts of stuff. For the past 17 years I have done little things here and there. I have just built myself a shop at the house 16X32 and am getting setup to start doing my own thing and that leads me to my ? I picked up a new table saw and have the blade set so it is .0005 wider at the back side of the blade from the right miter slot at 90 (I got lucky with 1 adjustment). When the blade is at 45 the front of the blade is .020 closer to the miter slot. I know I need to shim the front to get it right but how close is good enough should I shoot for perfect? I have read about the .003 or under for the blade at 90 does the same apply for 45?

I have also been looking for a router and I am looking at the Milwaukee 3.5 HP model 5625-20 I like the idea of being able to adjust it from above the table and like the fact that it adjusts without having to turn the motor in the base. Any input on it good or bad? I really dont want to spring for a lift table right now so my thinking is I can get it and just mount it up to a plate and be GTG. any sugestions on a plate to mount it to?

[George Bokros]

I would say you are close enough.

[John Fabre]

Welcome aboard!

[johnny means]

I have the Milwaukee 5625 in a table. I like it for its power and smoothness, but the above the table adjustment sucks. The problem is that the gear that the adjusting screw mattress with is plastic. It is also springloaded, which is how it is engaged to the screw. The gears wears quickly and then starts to disengage when the router is adjusted upward in the table. The motor is just to heavy for such a lightweight mechanism. My router is pretty much dedicated to pattern and template routingn so the loss of fine adjustment is not a big deal for me. Another flaw in the 5625s design is the switch. It's highly susceptible to dust and stopped working for me on a regular basis. I would disassemble and clean it and it was like new, but it was a pain my mule. This hasn't been an issue since i bought a remote switch. I can recommend it as a strong, dependable motor to be used as the center of a router table setup, but IMO, it needs to be used with a separate lift and switch.

[Jerry Miner]

I have the Milwaukee 5625 too. I think the "above the table" adjustment is next to worthless. I had problems with the gear disengaging right away. Even if it worked, though, you still have to reach under the table to lock the position so the "above-the-table" adjustment advantage goes away, IMHO.

BUT, when I added a Woodpeckers lift, it became a sweetheart! Good power. Smooth operation. For me, the lift made a world of difference. I, too, was hoping for the "above-the-table" adjustment feature to replace a lift. It doesn't.

On the TS issue: For me, the results are what matter. If you're getting good, clean, bevel cuts, with no burning, leave it alone. If not, tweak it. my .02

[Heath Patrick]

Thanks ks for the input. I would add a remote switch so that shouldn't be an issue for me but the lightly made lift mechanism might be a deal breaker. Any other suggestions on a router that has the same power but is easy to adjust from under a table?