Best router for £500 fish

[julianf]

I have the same make for my battery tools, for obvious reasons, but for other tools, there is never one company that does the best of everything.

I mean there's not with battery tools either, but you get locked into one system with them, so you have to accept compromise, but with mains powered stuff, whatever would be the point? To have matching colour schemes? : )

If you were to put the 110v tool in a router table then you could have a dedicated transformer somwhere in the base of the table, and, given a bit of time, you may forget it's even there?

 

[Rallymantony]

I have the same make for my battery tools, for obvious reasons, but for other tools, there is never one company that does the best of everything.

I mean there's not with battery tools either, but you get locked into one system with them, so you have to accept compromise, but with mains powered stuff, whatever would be the point? To have matching colour schemes? : )

If you were to put the 110v tool in a router table then you could have a dedicated transformer somwhere in the base of the table, and, given a bit of time, you may forget it's even there?

Colour schemes are very important.... I like the idea of using the 110 for a table to be fair

 

[Against_The_Grain]

I have the Trend T10 and the Makita RP2301, the Makita is miles ahead in quality in my opinion, just everything about it is a level above the Trend.

It doesn’t help my opinion that over the years we’ve gone through about 6 Trend routers (3 T4s and 2 T10s), they don’t last in a professional environment from my experience.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

I have the Triton TRA001 and the Festool 1400. The 1400 is the every day use due to the reason Mike has suggested. Lovely tool.

 

[sploo]

I have the Triton TRA001 and the Festool 1400. The 1400 is the every day use due to the reason Mike has suggested. Lovely tool.

That's one of the reasons I've always resisted trying out one of the Festool routers in a shop; I worry I might really like it and want to spend the money

My handheld routers are currently an ancient Worx brand (cheap Argos 1/2" router) that's on its last legs, and a US-sourced Porter Cable 892; which is "different" to UK routers, but has its merits.

 

[boschboy]

I run a Triton TRA001 it is a joy very powerfull its mouted in a table also have a trend t4 for smaller jobs you could buy the two for well less than £500

 

[Spectric]

I haven't used Triton before but the online reviews looked good. so any advice would be welcomed.

There has been a lot of discusion on this subject and it is not as straightforward as it may appear if looking at a router for the table. If you have nothing then you need to seriously look at the AUK motors in a lift because not the cheapest option but not as expensive if you sit down and compare overall pricing, I think the difference between a Triton setup and AUK was around a £100 and you get a really great setup. If you already have the Triton then look at fitting it into a Jessem prestige lift which is where I am right now, I did this because I already had the Triton otherwise it would have been AUK. I would not like the triton as a handheld router as it is rather bulky and not the best ergonomics, plus the fence arrangement is clumsy and the bright orange is .

I have a Festool plug saw and guide system plus hoover, I think in my head I'm thinking it would be nice to have one make for all tools,

You can be forced down that route if you use cordless because of keeping the same batteries and is why I still prefer corded 110 because I can pick the better tool for a given task, no one makes the best of every tool although festool fans will like to believe festool does!

I can't ignore the price difference and many of you seem to be very happy with the Trend T10, T12 or T14 so I think this is the way I'm going to go.

A sensible outcome, with everything you reach a price point that is above the DIY / el cheapo sector and tools in this region will all deliver good performance, then at higher prices you start paying for a few extra bells and whistles and then branding which I refuse to pay for. Festools biggest positive is in dust extraction and if working in a basement like @MikeK with a wife upstairs then he has no option because she may have something to say if she has to wear a respirator in the house!

 

[Jake]

Festools biggest positive is in dust extraction and if working in a basement like @MikeK with a wife upstairs then he has no option because she may have something to say if she has to wear a respirator in the house!

For someone who has not owned and used a Festool router you talk with a lot of authority.

 

[Spectric]

It doesn’t help my opinion that over the years we’ve gone through about 6 Trend routers (3 T4s and 2 T10s), they don’t last in a professional environment from my experience.

Comparing the Dewalt 625 and the T10 they are the same, made in the same factory but in different colours. The 625 is the one many kitchen fitters use, I have had one for many years now and with no problems but for the low price got a T10, what makes the T10 less robust. Does Dewalt make a watered down version for Trend by cutting back on quality of components? The Dewalt is 2300 watts DeWalt DWE625KT-GB 2300W ½ but the T10 is only 2000 watts. The brushes are interchangable, so are most other parts and you could actually assemble a two tone one if it took your fancy, how about grey and yellow!

 

[sploo]

If you already have the Triton then look at fitting it into a Jessem prestige lift which is where I am right now, I did this because I already had the Triton otherwise it would have been AUK.

Do you mean the Triton TRA001? If so, it's got the lift mechanism built into it; no need for anything extra.

 

[Spectric]

For someone who has not owned and used a Festool router you talk with a lot of authority.

You may not have noticed but Festool do go to most woodworking shows to show of their wares, handling and trying their router did not do anything for me and the one thing I really hated about it was the stick out handle that made it feel like it should be used in the vertical. When you pick up a router with just two normal handles it feels balanced and freindly, that Festool did not. I also own an XL 700, infact I have had it for over 18 months and so far it has produced nothing, it also feels wrong and as I have said before it is like owning a riffle with a bent barrel because it can make a nice hole but not always where you want it so I go back to my Dowelmax, slow but a lot moe precision and I am currently thinking about the Jessem jig because that may be a faster doweling jig than my dowlmax.

 

[Spectric]

Do you mean the Triton TRA001? If so, it's got the lift mechanism built into it; no need for anything extra.

Yes it has the lift built in and I have used that setup for a fair time with good results, but not repeatability because I always have to wind up to height to ensure any slack in the system is taken out. You should also use the knob to raise it to a near enough height and then the handle to the final required height otherwise you may get issues with the internal plastic gear. I now use it in the Jessem prestige lift and what a difference, it is smooth and very precise so I can control my height easier and locking it is just so quick, no finding the lever on the router. My Triton is now nothing more than a shell, all it's original lifting mechanism removed, no switch or interlocks, spindle lock taken out and it is fixed in the fully raised position. With the muscle chuck it allows easy bit changing above the table and is as close to the AUK idea as you can get with a plunge router.

By the way I have a Kreg insert plate drilled for the TRA001 in the for sale section.

 

[Spectric]

Do you mean the Triton TRA001? If so, it's got the lift mechanism built into it; no need for anything extra.

Yes it has the lift built in and I have used that setup for a fair time with good results, but not repeatability because I always have to wind up to height to ensure any slack in the system is taken out. You should also use the knob to raise it to a near enough height and then the handle to the final required height otherwise you may get issues with the internal plastic gear. I now use it in the Jessem prestige lift and what a difference, it is smooth and very precise so I can control my height easier and locking it is just so quick, no finding the lever on the router. My Triton is now nothing more than a shell, all it's original lifting mechanism removed, no switch or interlocks, spindle lock taken out and it is fixed in the fully raised position. With the muscle chuck it allows easy bit changing above the table and is as close to the AUK idea as you can get with a plunge router.

By the way I have a Kreg insert plate drilled for the TRA001 in the for sale section.

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/kreg-router-plate-and-inserts.137148/

 

[Against_The_Grain]

Comparing the Dewalt 625 and the T10 they are the same, made in the same factory but in different colours. The 625 is the one many kitchen fitters use, I have had one for many years now and with no problems but for the low price got a T10, what makes the T10 less robust. Does Dewalt make a watered down version for Trend by cutting back on quality of components? The Dewalt is 2300 watts DeWalt DWE625KT-GB 2300W ½ but the T10 is only 2000 watts. The brushes are interchangable, so are most other parts and you could actually assemble a two tone one if it took your fancy, how about grey and yellow!

It would be interesting to know what the differences are, if any, between the DeWalt and Trend routers, and any other clones like the old CMT router. My supposition would be that possibly the Trend has lesser quality bearings as it always seems that the Trend routers suffer from bearing issues, 1 T10 and 3 T4s all failed due to bearing issues (push them too far eventually the machine gives up the ghost completely), 1 T10 suffered a bent armature which the cost to repair was almost as great as buying a brand new router.

The new T12 seems to be a little more expensive than the Dewalt 625KT in the majority of shops, so I don't know why anyone would go with the Trend.

 

[Spectric]

The new T12 seems to be a little more expensive than the Dewalt 625KT in the majority of shops, so I don't know why anyone would go with the Trend.

It is like Trend now believe they have such a loyal following that they can get away with charging these prices but they do have competition from Dewalt, the t14 is priced at £500 so not a choice for router table use as you will still need the insert plate whereas for £685 you get the auk motor in a jessem lift

https://woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/j...metric-with-auktools-2400w-fixed-base-router/
For handheld use the Dewalt is really all you need, but who is going to disagree that these new Trend routers are actually Dewalt !

Again Dewalts new gen routers are the same as the trend T12 .

If you want a new T12 for less in yellow then https://www.raygrahams.com/products/155698-dewalt-dwe625kt-half-inch-plunge-router.aspx

 

[deema]

Have you considered a small spindle moulder such as a secondhand Sedgwick SM3? You can IMO do far more with a spindle that you can with a router in a router table

 

[Rallymantony]

Have you considered a small spindle moulder such as a secondhand Sedgwick SM3? You can IMO do far more with a spindle that you can with a router in a router table

NoI haven't Deema, not even sure what a spindle moulder is to be truthful

 

[HOJ]

Have you considered a small spindle moulder such as a secondhand Sedgwick SM3? You can IMO do far more with a spindle that you can with a router in a router table

I bought a Sheppach SM for £200.00, but even better, find a SM which has a tilt option.

 

[Against_The_Grain]

Have you considered a small spindle moulder such as a secondhand Sedgwick SM3? You can IMO do far more with a spindle that you can with a router in a router table

I personally thought @Rallymantony was asking more about a router for handheld use rather than for a table? I might be mistaken. You're not wrong though, a small spindle moulder is practically superior in every way to a table router.

 

[deema]

A Spindle moulder is a router table on steroids. It usually has either a 30mm or 1 1/4” spindle driven by a dedicated motor. The whole system is built robustly which enables it to take large tooling. It can cut a door rebate in one pass, none of this taking tiny cuts, you make the cut in one pass.
It uses cutter blocks, which can be a bit pricey initiall, but you get your money back when you sell them. About the same price as a big router cutter. You then buy cutters to fit into, for instance the Euro 40mm cutters come in standard profiles, about 200 off. They cost around £20 for a set of cutters and limiters or £10 just for the cutter which is what does tge work. You can get any profile custom made for around £50.
A spindle is about the most flexible machine there is. Usually every professional shop will have at least one.
Loads of Utube stuff…….but read up how to use them properly……not how a lot show them being used.