Bosch 2.25HP vs PC 3.25 HP router

[Neil Gentry]

I need a router to run raised panel bits.

I need some advice from some of the experts here. I am looking at 2 routers.

The PC 7518 is 3.25 HP and the Bosch is 2.25 HP. The Bosch is appx $120 less expensive and I am leaning toward it but is it capable of running the larger raised panel bits?

I should mention that these are the reconditioned routers for both.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Joe Chritz]

The PC is sorta the industry standard for production routers from what I gather. The smaller will spin the bits but running a panel raiser takes some horsepower and I would be concerned about killing the smaller router.

A friend and I smoked a 3.25 HP router doing RP doors for his kitchen a couple years ago. I think it was a bosch if I remember correctly.

There are some great routers designed for table mounting but I don't have a router in a table so I wouldn't know what to suggest.

Joe

[Stu Ablett in Tokyo Japan]

Is this a green or a blue Bosch?

I recently made the mistake of buying two of the green Bosch tools, a ROS and a cordless drill, both of these tools have underperformed in a big way.

The Bosch sander sticks, the dust gets built up between the pad and the body, and sticks, don't Random Orbit anymore, I have to take the pad off and clean it out. I only use the sander attached to my shopvac, the DC is fair. The variable speed controller switch came unsoldered from the PC board it was on, I had to take the sander apart and re-solder it on.

The hand drill had one battery pack just simply die, about 10 days after the one year warranty ran out, other than that, the chuck on the drill wobbles, and the plastic part of the drill body at the back, where you push with your hand flexes so much, that it has pinched me a few times, in the hand, I now have a piece of duct tape over that joint. The chuck also wobbles enough to be useless for dilling anything under say 1/8", as the hole will be bigger.

Totally and completely disappointed in both tools, I'd not buy a green Bosch again.

Now there blue tools are a whole other level, but they are SO expensive here in Japan, that I can buy the best quality Makita or Hitachi for less.

I can't get the PC routers here, so I got a Hitachi M12, great router for the table.

If I were you, I'd go with the PC, seems to be the industry standard over there.

Cheers!

[tod evans]

neil, it`s really hard to kill a 7518 p/c.....02 tod

[Ken Belisle]

neil, it`s really hard to kill a 7518 p/c.....02 tod

I agree.............in my opinion, you can't beat the PC 7518 for a table router or the Bosch 1617EVS for hand held operations. Both great routers when used for the right job.

Again, this is just an opinion.........

[Hank Knight]

I'm a fan of Bosch routers. I have three of them and they've never given me a minute's trouble. One is an old model 1615EVS I've had in my router table for 15 years. If I were looking for a new table router, I'd look at that Bosch 1619EVS. It's a 3 1/4 hp router that' s designed to spin large bits in a router table. The plunge spring and lock are designed to be disconnected for easy depth adjustment in a table. It's in the same price bracket as the PC 3 1/4 hp machine.

[Philip Glover]

I have the 7518 and Bosch 1617EVSPK.
I use the 7518 in the router table 99% of the time until something really requires a lot of power. As for the 1617 I use that for general work. It's okay. The depth adjustment is not so great. Because of this, I am considering a PC310 with a Micro-Fence base.
I would recommend a Festool 1400 instead of the Bosch.

Regards,
Phil

[Tom Jones III]

FWIW, I've got a 2HP Porter Cable plunge router that I mounted in a simple table because I didn't have any other router. Last week I made 3 large raised panel doors using this router and the 3.5" Freud bit set. I made the cut in 3 passes in walnut and the quality is perfect. I probably could have made the cut in 2 passes but not in a single pass.

Given the two choices I would get the PC 7518 without a second thought. That said, my bday is coming up and LOML wants to get me a big table mounted router so I chose the Milwaukee 5625.

[pat warner]

Some perspective on your selection issue at the selection link.

[scott spencer]

I think either is capable of spinning the big bits, but the 7518 will have an easier time of it. That said, if I were choosing a big router for table mounting, I'd grab the Milwaulkee 5625 for it's power and above table features. It's a pleasure to not have to work below the table with bit changes and height adjustments.

[Jim Becker]

PC 7518 is the better choice for your given use of the two machines you mention. It's what I have in my table and I'm very pleased with it. The Bosch router you mention is more of a general purpose 13 amp machine. It will spin the big bits, but will have a lot less tolerance for working with them "hard" and for a long time. It would be the better choice only if you really needed to use it for both hand-held and table use. IMHO, of course.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

In a table the BIGGER router is likely going to always be the better router given some considerations: Bearings. They gotta be large & good bearings, Housing of the motorshould be metal 'cause Metal is better than plastic for seating a bearing any day all day.

So take a look at the router bodies and if you can, learn something about the bearings - call the factory repair shop or any one who does repair.

[Mark Pruitt]

I've had a PC 7518 in my RT for years. Never been disappointed by it. If it died tomorrow I'd buy another one.