Trim Router Recommendation

[scott vroom]

I'm looking for a small trim router, primarily for onsite finish carpentry. The bosh Colt seems popular but also has a disproportionate # of negative reviews on Amazon. Anyone own a DeWalt DWP611? It's got a 5 star rating and is feature rich. Any others that i should be looking at? This will get commercial grade use so will spend to get quality/durabiity.

Thank you....

[Charles Taylor]

I have the Bosch Colt. In use it's terrific, but I have the same problems as many others when it comes to bit changes. The spindle lock failed, so I have to use two wrenches--and if I've tightened the collet too much, it's a bear to loosen. I wish the old Porter-Cable 310 was still made. I waited around too long before trying to get one.

[scott vroom]

I have the Bosch Colt. In use it's terrific, but I have the same problems as many others when it comes to bit changes. The spindle lock failed, so I have to use two wrenches--and if I've tightened the collet too much, it's a bear to loosen. I wish the old Porter-Cable 310 was still made. I waited around too long before trying to get one.

Yeah, I read some of those reviews about the broken spindle lock....an Achilles heal to an otherwise outstanding compact router. The DeWalt also has a spindle lock....I'm tired of busting knuckles on cold days trying to loosen over-tightened collets, I'm leaning toward the DW611 + with optional plunge base for $168.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I like my Makita. Very compact, fits well in my hand, light weight.

The height adjust is mickey-mouse, but I quickly learned how to get that dialed in.

Good visibility thru the base; the light in there helps with detail work, like routing out for butterfly keys.

I use it exclusively for rounding over sharp edges on table tops, etc. - much nicer than a router.

Assume they have made some upgrrades over time; mine is 7 - 8 years old.

[Robert Delhommer Sr]

I recently got the DWP611 combo kit and love it.

[Cary Falk]

I have the dewalt 611 and love it. I currently have it set up for shelf pins in the plunge base. I also like the newer Ridgid

[John TenEyck]

I have the Ridgid palm router and like it a lot. It has a spindle lock, but I find it hard to get enough torque to tighten the collet with only one wrench, so I use both. I don't think that's a problem inherent to the Ridgid; more just mechanics, or maybe just me. Anyway, the router has great depth adjustment, comes with a round and square clear plastic base, has a nice light, and accepts PC bushings by adding a shim, which I use to route hinge mortises. It also comes with a nice edge guide, all packed in a padded carrying case. I paid about $90. No complaints.

John

[John A langley]

Dewalt 611 or The Porter cable they're the same , I have both like them very much , I have the plunge base for the Dewalt use them every day in my cabinet shop,

[Tony Haukap]

Here's my small router collection...

The DeWalt is a nice size, but it's more like a mini router than in the laminate trimmer class, especially with the plunge base. The Bosch Colt seems to fit in the hand better than the others and I find gives better control for one hand operation. The two Porter-Cables are real workhorses, but I don't think are made any more. Now, you might read something into it, because I have 2 DeWalts and 2 Porter-Cables and only one Bosh Colt. But, that doesn't mean I don't like the Colt (I need another router like a hole in the head!), There's a DeWalt DWE6000 that didn't make it into the picture, that I also like a lot, but it not as smooth running and has a bit more vibration than the Colt. I also have a Dremel in a plunge router base, but that's really a hobby level tool. If something happened to the Colt I would certainly replace it with another one without hesitation.

[Bill Huber]

Scott here is my review of the 611 when I got it.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...walts+new+baby

I love the little router, I have done some inlay work with it, done round over work and even cut some 1/4" dados in some pine.
I have been using both of the bases at different times and find they are great, no problem with it at all.

[glenn bradley]

The Colt does have the best fit in the hand going for it IMHO. The DeWalt height adjustments are better (and easier) but, it is getting a little large to be called a trim router. The PC 310's are rock stars and even used bring top dollar even though they are no longer made. They can be a handful for those of us with smaller hands. I think their larger base and low center of gravity win them a large fan-base.

[John Coloccia]

The 310's were the best. C'est la vie. I have both the Colt and the Dewalt. The height adjustment mechanism on the Colt was always a pain, and the base wasn't exactly perpendicular...I had to shim it. I find myself reaching for the Dewalt 99% of the time for 1/4" bits. I plan on dedicating the Colt to a jig. I don't think the Colt is terrible, and it IS comfortable, but I wouldn't buy it again given that the Dewalt is just a better router, IMHO, and it's comfortable enough.

[pat warner]

Ridgid r2401

[John Coloccia]

Ridgid r2401

Never saw that one before. Looks like someone tossed a bunch of the good parts from the 611 and Colt parts in a bag, gave it a good shake, and pulled out a router.

[Mike Henderson]

I have both the Colt and the DeWalt. I prefer the DeWalt.

Mike