Why don't they make.....

[Rick Potter]

Why don't they make a compact router that will take 1/4 and 1/2" bits?

I understand the lawyers not wanting liability because someone might put a panel raiser bit in them, but surely they can simply make the bottom of the router body small enough that you could not do that.

Make it a Makita in corded and battery and I will be first in line. I much prefer using 1/2" shanks and ALL of my 'good' bits are 1/2".

Am I the only one?

PS: An example.. when I made a bandsaw circle cutting jig, I used a 5/8" (?) quarter inch shank bit to cut grooves for T-/track in Particle board with a Formica top. The compact router handled it fine (two passes), but I would have felt much safer with a 1/2" shank.

[Stan Calow]

You know, I asked a Porter Cable rep at a woodworking show about this a long time ago. I was asking about the small 1 hp PC router which was what I then had, before trim routers were available. He told me that most 1/2" bits needed more power, at least 1 1/2 hp, in order to drive them well, and a small router would be unsafe with 1/2" bits. Maybe the experts here can confirm or give a better answer.

[Jim Becker]

I can appreciate what you are asking, Rick, as my Festool OF1010, which is a smaller and lighter tool is limited to .25" and 8mm shank cutters and virtually all my "form tool" tooling is .5" shank. I'm sure that there may be some kind of engineering reason why they don't want to do this with the smaller motor units...but perhaps there is some concern about a small number of folks "doing inappropriate things" as you elude to. Who knows? It's pretty universal that the compact/trim routers don't support the larger .5" or 12mm shank tooling.

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I always pause and think things through very carefully before I change from a 1/4 inch collet to a 1/2 in my hand held routers. I offer a counter point... Why do they make giant whirling masses of steel with razor sharp chunks of carbide attached that will fit into a hand held tool with several horse power?

[Rege Sullivan]

The conspiracy theorist in me says it's because no one would have to buy 2 of the same bit with different sized shafts!

[Richard Coers]

One of the main reasons is the armature shaft is smaller in a compact router, so getting a 1/2" collet changes all that. But the only reason I use a compact router is to trim up plastic laminate, so I don't see the need for 1/2 shank capacity for me.

[Marc Rochkind]

Just bought a DeWalt DW6184. 1/2 with a collet for 1/4. Called by them compact. Maybe you need even smaller?

[Cameron Wood]

The Makita comes with a 3/8" collet, if that helps....

[Michael Burnside]

It is a reasonable question. Power is an obvious factor, but properly motivated that could be overcome. It might be somewhat related to the size of the base and router itself. Many 1/2" bits have considerably long shanks where similarly sized routers can accommodate as well as somewhat larger bases and wider openings for non-endmill type bits.

[Alex Zeller]

My guess is they don't want to deal with people deciding their trim routers are identical to their 3hp routers. I could see a lot of people burning them up and returning them under warranty. I'm sure companies aren't all that happy that people are buying trim routers design with a duty cycle based on limited use being installed in CNC machines and running for hours.

[Jim Becker]

Just bought a DeWalt DW6184. 1/2 with a collet for 1/4. Called by them compact. Maybe you need even smaller?

The DW618 is considered a mid-size router with both its size and 12 amp power level. The tool being discussed here is smaller; typically 10 amp or so and physically more compact than the DW618 and it's competitors from "all the brands". Some of the compact routers are also called "trim routers".

[Tom M King]

Some people are inept enough to screw a tool and themselves up in the best of circumstances. Increase the odds of that happening only slightly, and the number of those instances goes up exponentially, which brings all sorts of trouble. This would be more than a mere slight increase in that type of possibility.

[Edward Weber]

You can't regulate stupid.

Sure, those who know could use a 1/2" shank bit in a small router without issue but someone will try putting a 2"+ diameter bit in one and watch the sparks fly, possibly literally.

[Rick Potter]

Yeah, I can understand why the lawyers win this one. Just wishin' though.

[Warren Lake]

done lots of router work. Never wondered that cause ive done lots of router work.