Need advice on buying router

[Tullie Templet]

I am looking to buy my first good router and would like some info on different brands. I am just getting into ww and I am on a budget with alot of tools left to buy. I'm looking at 2 1/4 HP to start. I would like to know which models are good with above table adjustments and dust removal capabilities. The two brands I am leaning towards so far are PC but I am concerened with the handle vac as far as how good it actually works and do they have better alternatives. Second choice is Bosch. I see they have dust collector ports that look like they may work a bit better. Lowes has the Hatachi on sale for $114 for just the fixed base but I can't find any dust collection for it. I will be using this router for above and below a table and will be taking it in and out for now (I may purchase a seperate fixed base to leave on table in the future.) I don't do much ww for now so an expensive one is not best for now. Is ther universal dust collection or do people make one for theirs. Just trying to gain a much info as possible. THANKS!!

[Jim Becker]

My recommendation is that you buy a 13amp ("2 1/4-2 1/2hp") router kit that includes both a fixed and plunge base for maximum versatility. All of the major brands are decent options. I have the Dewalt DW618 and have been very pleased with it, but the PC, Bosch and Makita offerings are very nice. There are also a couple new ones on the market from other manufacturers, but I'm not familiar with them.

[Mike Heidrick]

I am looking to buy my first good router and would like some info on different brands. I am just getting into ww and I am on a budget with alot of tools left to buy. I'm looking at 2 1/4 HP to start. I would like to know which models are good with above table adjustments and dust removal capabilities. THANKS!!

Another vote for the Dewalt 618 - and get the kit - the 618B3 3 base router set. You can use the D-handle and the plunge above the table and then mount the fixed two handle base to your table. The plunge base even has a dust collection feature as well. You will like the plunge action on the Dewalt much more than the PC. I have owned both and now own two Dewalt 618B3 sets - lots of bases.

[Larry D. Wagner]

Tullie,

I own several routers(Dewalt(2- 618 & 610), PC, Makita, Craftsman(2)& Freud) and the most user friendly in my estimation are the Dewalts. The others are all good and I understand that the Bosch is a very good unit. If I were in the market for another one, I would buy a Dewalt.

My .02 worth!

Larry

[Neil Lamens]

Hey Tullie:

Jim and the other's are right, a Kit is the way to go to get the biggest bang out of your router motor. You want that dust exhaust, but not all pieces in a kit will offer it. The PC kit for instance has the exhaust option for the "D" handle stationery base but no exhaust option for the plunge base that comes in the kit.

One last thing Tullie, don't get hung up on the the tools "you need to buy", you'll be amazed at the building quality you can attain with minimal tools.

Neil

[Gerry Musson]

I have a PC 894 combo and love it. The hollow handle on the fixed base works fairly well but I find it a pain to have the vac hooked up and still try to manouver the router. One caution is that if you have small hands you may find the fixed base set up to be top heavy.

For small jobs I bought the Bosch Colt variable speed but now find myself reaching for it on a regular basis.

[Tullie Templet]

Thanks for the replies so far. Gerry thanks for pointing that out about small hands being top heavy. I have very small hands. Looks like the dewalts are getting good reviews but i still will appreciate as much input on different brands as I can get. One of my biggest concerns is do they all have some sort of dust collection or can I eliminate some of the models for lack of. Am I being to concerned about dust collection on a router? does most people use dust collection on them? Thanks again guys for all of your input so far. You guys have a great forum here. I would like to personally thank Jim Becker for all your replies. Seems like you are on every topic. I know there are alot more but I just listed him because he replied on this one. Congrats on you new toy.

[Conrad Aquino]

I'll throw in my vote in for the DeWalt kit. I bought mine from the Woodworker's Supply catalog a few years ago, and even though it sees limted use, it sure is a big cut about the Sears 1 1/2 hp "starter" router I bought many moons ago.

Which brings me to a point I'd like to make. Over the past 25 years that I've been doing my garage woodworking, I've probably replaced most of my portable power tools because I started out buying tools to suit the budget at the time, instead of thinking a bit more about possible future needs/uses.

In the long run, it's cost me more than if I had just "bought right" the first time around, because of things like my first router only taking 1/4" bits or the Ryobi orbiting sander purchased had no dust collection ability, because it used an onboard collection compartment that needed emptying what seems like every 15 minutes.

So IMHO, if you can pare down your shopping list, for now, where you can devote more to a better tool, that will stay with you for the duration, I'd consider going that route.

As for your question about whether or not you're being too concerned about dust collection... having experienced both situations, I feel not having it on a router can be a safety concern if/when the dust/chip build up obscures your view of what the bit is doing, especially when freehanding.

[Hoa Dinh]

The DW619 3-base kit is currently $268 delivered from Amazon. A $50 certificate makes it effectively $218 delivered. That is a great price.

In terms of dust collection, only the plunge base in the kit has above-base dust collection. It is possible to add above-base dust collection for other bases and under-base dust collection (for edge routing) for all bases, but you need to get parts from other routers.

The Dewalt edge guide does offer under-base dust collection but it's $30 extra, and it is kind of clumsy.

You may also want to take a look at the Leigh Router Vacuum Attachment. It's good only for edge routing, however. Highland Woodworking has a better price.

I use the under-base dust collection cup from Porter-Cable and the above-dust collection adapter from Freud for my DW618 kit.

[John Seiffer]

I have a Ryobi with multiple bases and it's a real pain to change them. Don't know if other brands are easier.

When I upgrade, I'm going to look at the Triton. Lot's of extra's come with and the dust collection looks very good. I've not tried one but google some reviews and you'll see it's well thought of.

On Amazon it's around $200

[Tim Brooks]

I'll chime in with my limited experience on the router question specifically where the Bosch is concerned. Up until recently, the Bosch router was the only higher priced name brand I owned (everything else is craftsman due to $$ constraints). I bought the 1617 with both bases and carrying case. I used the router on maybe 8 to 10 projects which included a learning curve (so there were a number of additional passes that most on this site would not have had to make). On the last project I used it, it quit working. I think it may be the switch but I must admit I was pretty frustrated as I was just about to make my last pass before assembly on that project.

Of all the tools I have in my garage I could have paid a great deal more for, the bosch is the one that quit on me. Based on what I have investigated, I would pick the porter cable or dewalt if I had it to do over again. And I guess, I just might have it to do over again depending on what is wrong with the bosch.

I can not comment on the dust collection as I have put this off thus far. Dust collection is my next thing to tackle. My shop vac is getting tired.

[john whittaker]

Tullie,
I bought the DeWalt 618 kit several years ago and have used it hard. I'm please with it. I'll just confirm what Jim said....the other major brands like P/C, Bosch and Makita are also very good tools.

[Homer Faucett]

Check out the Hitachi KM12VC kit at Lowe's. I think it is often overlooked, and a great router. I use my router quite a lot (all 4 of them), and consider them the most versatile tool there is in the modern woodworker's arsenal.

If I were you, I'd use the $50 off Hitachi code at Amazon, and get the 3.25 hp Hitachi M12v dedicated to the router table and the 2.25 hp Hitachi KM12vc kit (plunge/fixed base) for $338 - $50 = $288. In my opinion, you don't want to be removing your router table router each time you use it, and the extra hp is nice to have in the router table if you want to do raised panel doors.

Both Hitachi's are highly regarded by their owners, and I think they are fantastic tools for the money. The only thing that would be nice is a D-handle kit for the hand-held router, but I don't consider that an absolute necessity. If price was no object, I would probably consider the De Walt mentioned above or the Bosch, but would still get another router for the table.

[Pete Brown]

Thanks for the replies so far. Gerry thanks for pointing that out about small hands being top heavy. I have very small hands. Looks like the dewalts are getting good reviews but i still will appreciate as much input on different brands as I can get. One of my biggest concerns is do they all have some sort of dust collection or can I eliminate some of the models for lack of. Am I being to concerned about dust collection on a router? does most people use dust collection on them? Thanks again guys for all of your input so far. You guys have a great forum here. I would like to personally thank Jim Becker for all your replies. Seems like you are on every topic. I know there are alot more but I just listed him because he replied on this one. Congrats on you new toy.

In my experience, very few routers have decent dust collection. Even the ones with hoods or through the post DC do an "ok" job. I understand that the Festool routers (which like most other Festool tools are likely best-of-breed) have good DC and are great routers. The problem is, they're expensive. That being said, they're very likely worth every penny.

Pete

[Jim Fox]

Don't know about the PC 7518, but have seen it mentioned in other forum posts. You can get that right now for $275 from Coastal Tool, plus a $50 rebate. Amazon has it for $299 (after $50 mail in rebate), plus you get a $50 promo certificate for future purchase at Amazon.

Also, I don't know anything about Coastal Tool.