I KNOW NOTHING!

[Jinx]

Hiya - I have the exact same model as I am new to woodworking and have bought mostly entry level tools. I have to say it works fine for me. It might be that an experienced professional would not be so happy, but to be honest I plan in the future to upgrade my entry level tools if I think there are ones I need to do so with. I have looked at some of the woodwork projects some have filmed on Youtube, and some Eastern Europeans who seem to be working with handmade or broken tools are producing fantastic work. I think tools have to be safe and basically fit for purpose, on top of that the best ingredient is experience. Jinx

 

[mind_the_goat]

If you expect sub mm accuracy then you may have to pay quite a bit more, however if repeatability on the the depth stop is important to you then that is certainly something you can look for in other machines. You may find that such a machine is lacking in other areas though, If you want perfection then you will be spending several hundred pounds http://www.axminster.co.uk/festool-of-1400-ebq-plus-1-2-router for example. It's sound like you may not be sure what you want, which is quite understandable. I suggest you are better off buying something and working with it, spend any extra on good quality cutters, I think this will make far more difference to the experience than spending more on the machine.
I use an B&D machine I brought about 20 years ago, the biggest improvement I got using it was spending £15 on a half decent cutter instead of using one from a box of homebase jobbies.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes. Wealden! Wealden!! Wealden!!! Decent prices, too.

 

[Alexam]

Hiya - I have the exact same model as I am new to woodworking and have bought mostly entry level tools. I have to say it works fine for me. It might be that an experienced professional would not be so happy, but to be honest I plan in the future to upgrade my entry level tools if I think there are ones I need to do so with. I have looked at some of the woodwork projects some have filmed on Youtube, and some Eastern Europeans who seem to be working with handmade or broken tools are producing fantastic work. I think tools have to be safe and basically fit for purpose, on top of that the best ingredient is experience. Jinx

Thanks Jinx, that's reassuring. Perhaps I am a bit fussy, so will see what this JCB works out like. It can always be returned if it plays up.
Alex

 

[Alexam]

If you expect sub mm accuracy then you may have to pay quite a bit more, however if repeatability on the the depth stop is important to you then that is certainly something you can look for in other machines. You may find that such a machine is lacking in other areas though, If you want perfection then you will be spending several hundred pounds http://www.axminster.co.uk/festool-of-1400-ebq-plus-1-2-router for example. It's sound like you may not be sure what you want, which is quite understandable. I suggest you are better off buying something and working with it, spend any extra on good quality cutters, I think this will make far more difference to the experience than spending more on the machine.
I use an B&D machine I brought about 20 years ago, the biggest improvement I got using it was spending £15 on a half decent cutter instead of using one from a box of homebase jobbies.

Cheers Rob, will give it a go first. Which are the best cutters to use these days?
Alex

 

[Phil Pascoe]

As I said three posts ago - as good as any and cheaper than a lot.

 

[Alexam]

As I said three posts ago - as good as any and cheaper than a lot.

Cheers Phil.

My old stamping ground down there, about 55 years ago.

Alex

 

[deserter]

I've never tried weelden cutters so cant comment, I always use trend cutters and find them to be brilliant.


~Nil carborundum illegitemi~

 

[mailee]

As has been stated Alex the cheap router will be fine for starting and I wouldn't worry about mounting it in a table yet as when the time comes for that he will probably find he want's a 1/2" machine for it as they have a lot more 'grunt' for table work. I used to have a small Bosch mounted in a table when i started out and found that it just wasn't 'man' enough for the job so bought a second hand Hitachi and this could handle anything I could throw at it! (I am still using it's brother in a table now) I started off with cheap tools and upgraded as I had the money to do so and at the last count I had 9 routers! All of them are named ones such as De Walt, Elu, Hitachi, ETC. as I demand a lot of work from them and need them to last and perform well. Also as has been stated Wealdon Tools are the place to buy router cutters from, good quality and a reasonable price and they will last for years if taken care of. A common user fault when first using a router is trying to take too big a cut or the router speed too high for the cut, these will cause the cutter to heat up and destroy the edge. (don't ask me how I know this) :lol:

 

[Alexam]

As has been stated Alex the cheap router will be fine for starting and I wouldn't worry about mounting it in a table yet as when the time comes for that he will probably find he want's a 1/2" machine for it as they have a lot more 'grunt' for table work. I used to have a small Bosch mounted in a table when i started out and found that it just wasn't 'man' enough for the job so bought a second hand Hitachi and this could handle anything I could throw at it! (I am still using it's brother in a table now) I started off with cheap tools and upgraded as I had the money to do so and at the last count I had 9 routers! All of them are named ones such as De Walt, Elu, Hitachi, ETC. as I demand a lot of work from them and need them to last and perform well. Also as has been stated Wealdon Tools are the place to buy router cutters from, good quality and a reasonable price and they will last for years if taken care of. A common user fault when first using a router is trying to take too big a cut or the router speed too high for the cut, these will cause the cutter to heat up and destroy the edge. (don't ask me how I know this) :lol:

Thanks again Alan.

The JCB 1500w is both a 1/4 and 1/2 Router and I hope it will work well for us. I seem to be doing more in looking at workshop equipment and videos at present. My son is at work, so I have the time to 'Play'! It's giving me a new interest that lights up my day.

Alex

 

[Alexam]

Still having minor niggling doubts that I have not made a mistake in buying the JCB 1500w Router for my son, I telephoned JCB today and discussed the possibility/probability, that a router table would be a need in the future.

Unfortunately the guy at JCB said that it was not designed to be used upside down and if a table were used later on, then lots of alterations would be needed. He also said that it was a plunge router and I should be looking for a fixed router if it was to be used with a table.

I am now more confused than ever. Do I take it back (probably), but what should I look for as a starter router (new) for my son's Christmas present. (probably cost more, but within reason???)

Alex

 

[Hudson Carpentry]

Hello. My first router table was home made and had the original jcb in it. Its quite simple to put any router into a home made table simply by some very very basic engineering with wood. Or even basic engineering with metal.

The current router in my table is a plunge router.

Ill show and explain it all when you visit.

 

[mailee]

A majority of routers on the market today are plunge routers Alex, a lot of them are used in tables. Some routers are designed especially for table use such as the Trend T11 but most of them are designed to be hand held and are just modified in some way for a table by the user. All of my routers are hand held plunge routers but I have three of them in a table. HTH. :wink:

 

[MMUK]

My first router was a Blackspur 1/2" jobbies from Castle Hardware in Hockley back in 1998. If memory serves correctly it was something silly like £15 with VAT. The bits were cheese but with some new Trend cutters it lasted me for about 15 years. I'm sure I still have it somewhere....

 

[Alexam]

Hello. My first router table was home made and had the original jcb in it. Its quite simple to put any router into a home made table simply by some very very basic engineering with wood. Or even basic engineering with metal.

The current router in my table is a plunge router.

Ill show and explain it all when you visit.

Thanks Alan, (sigh of relief) ...... Looking forward to meeting you. Will call within next 24hrs to make arrangements with you.
Alex

 

[Alexam]

A majority of routers on the market today are plunge routers Alex, a lot of them are used in tables. Some routers are designed especially for table use such as the Trend T11 but most of them are designed to be hand held and are just modified in some way for a table by the user. All of my routers are hand held plunge routers but I have three of them in a table. HTH. :wink:

Thanks Alan. Relieved to know that the guy at JCB seemed to be talking .. Double Dutch .. Perhaps he needs a training lesson from JCB.

Alex