Do you use dust collection with a Makita trim router?

[BradyS]

Good day everybody!

I've been working pretty hard on my new workshop benches and now I got to the trimming edges part. I got myself one of the infamous Makita RT0700CX2, right after they announced end of production for this model.
Long story short, I have never used a trim/palm router before. I do have a small Black&Decker palm-ish router from the 80's but it's the plunge type. Adorable, but doesn't count.
So, my first experience with the beautiful Makita, superb machine. Too bad the edge was left kind of wavy. User error, yes, I took too much material off with a 6mm compression spiral flush trim bit (solid carbide). Next came a Freud top bearing flush trim bit (this one: https://www.freudtools.com/products/50-106). Btw, these bits really have long names in English.

Ok, now the thing is that edges still aren't perfect but I know it's a learning curve and that's ok. My question, addressed to all users of this model, is: Do you use dust collection with this Makita trim router? If yes, is the stock one or some aftermarket option. And, more important: do you use it with a shop vac hose OTHER than Festool's? Because my current setup, consisting of a regular Parkside shop vac hose connected to the stock dust extraction fitting that came in the box feel like an accident waiting to happen. Last night the hose (which isn't flexible enough and always seems to pull back) played a trick on me and I lost control of the router, had a pretty nasty near-miss. And left me with one corner of my shiny new workbench in need of remake.

My blabbering aside, I'm really curious for your input on this topic, also if dust extraction is necessary during edge trimming (for cleaner edges or to avoid ruining them).

I wish a good day onto everybody!

Brad

 

[ChaiLatte]

Do you use dust collection with this Makita trim router? If yes, is the stock one or some aftermarket option. And, more important: do you use it with a shop vac hose OTHER than Festool's?

Yes.

Henry for short cuts. V-tuf for longer cuts. Nylon adaptor from hose to Makita standard clear shield.

There is no excuse for losing control. Do a dry run with the extraction hose connected before turning on the power. If the hose snags or impedes the cut, re-route it so it does not.

Sometimes, having the hose hung up above the bench (on a bungee strap), approximately halfway along the cut is good. Then you are only ever swinging half the cut length of hose in an arc.

Compare this with dragging a ribbed hose up from the floor over the square edge of a piece of wood for the 2.4m length of a sheet of plywood. And finding out at the 2m mark that the hose goes tight and starts dragging the hoover along the floor. And at 2.2m the power cable to the hoover goes tight...

I watch some welding videos on YT and for anything tricky, they always do a dry run beforehand. Then they can adjust body position, cable routing and support (propping) to achieve the whole weld in one fluid motion.

The best thing you will do with the router is to buy or make a bigger base for it. The stock base is quite narrow and the extraction hose hanging off to one side can unbalance it. The Makita offset base is a good start, but my goto for most things is the 3x3 Custom base from YouTube.