I think it's time to get a Router

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There are so many routers out there that this can be a real "minefield" subject, as everyone will have their favourites. What would be really good for you is to find someone who regularly uses a router, then get them to show you what to look for. If that's not possible, you might want to consider a few of the following points:

1) Plunge routers MUST plunge smoothly. This sounds obvious, but once you try a few, you'll see how much they can vary. Do NOT get one with a sticky or jerky plunge.

2)
Most routers have soft start now - i.e., the speed builds up slowly when switched on, so that there's no initial jerk. It's not essential, but if you will be doing more hand-held than table-mounted work, ensure that your new machine has soft start for more comfortable working.

3) Variable speed is a great facility - it increases the range of bits you can use. Most routers have it now, but there are those that don't. Speeds can vary between, say, 8,000 rpm and 20,000 rpm. You may not make much use of the facility early on, but it's very well worth having for a little extra on the price.

4) Collet size is important for future-proofing. If you get a router with a 1/2" collet, it will take half-inch, 8mm and 1/4" bits (via either separate collets or reducing sleeves). If you get a machine with only a 1/4" collet, you've immediately restricted your choice of bits right there.

5) Bit changing is very important, whatever the size of the router, and a lot of smaller and/or cheaper machines are let down in this area. Collets are released by either using two spanners to undo a locking nut whilst the collet is held with the other spanner, or by a single spanner and a spindle lock.

The spindle lock, in a good-quality machine, is generally of a plunge-pin type, which holds the collet shaft rigidly so that the single spanner can tighten and loosen the collet nut effectively. Cheaper machines can have all sorts of "iffy" methods of so-called "spindle lock" mechanisms, mostly so flimsy that they break long before the machine itself has given any useful life. Take particular interest in the quality and effectiveness of the spindle lock, if fitted.

6) Power
is generally expressed either as HP or Watts. There is no substitute for power, but couple this with the size of collet. A 1/4" collet router will not benefit from more than, say, 1200 or 1400 watts, whereas a machine with a 1/2" collet will be able to use all the power - probably up to 2000 or 2400 watts.

I hope that's given you some additional info, plus some food for thought. I did a page on basic router safety a while back, which can be seen here if you get the time.

I'm biaised towards Triton routers, having owned their large machine (TRB001) for a number of years and their smaller one (MOF001) since it was released about a year ago. The smaller one is ideal for both table and hand-held use. Reviews of both, if you're interested, are here.

Ray.
 
SAFETY.

Several shallow passes are always better and give a cleaner cut.
Just as Ray suggested, if you can, get someone to give you a demonstration, routers can kick.
Whatever you do start slowly and always switch off at the mains when changing a bit.
Whilst it is agreed that their is more steel in 8mm bits quarter inch are more available.
Practise on various timbers first ,Oak reacts quite differently to MDF and as already mentioned it will not improve your ability , just give you more scope to do certain jobs more quickly.

Good luck
 
i have an elu 177e freud ft2000 dewalt613 and the little trend t3 the elu is allways in the table but as a big router the freud is nice and they are going cheap on ebay.
 
I agree, Bill Hylton's book "Woodworking with the Router" is one of the clearest most informative books I have purchased. The diagrams are excellent.

John
 
Colin , B&Q are doing a deal with the MAC router table and router 1250W (I think) for £59.95 at the moment. I bought one for the router table so I could bolt my Freud 2000 ( top router) to it. It is a great setup .I was pleasantly pleased with the way the router performed ,it was easy to set up and handled well. A must have I find is a micro adjuster for the depth of cut.Make one or buy the Trend version.
 
Sorry ,I forgot to mention , I use a lot of router bits for my hobby of furniture restoration and have recently discovered Rutlands.co.uk range of cutters, I have found them to be top class and hardwearing with a wide range of profiles , they are under offer at the moment ( 20.1.07) .My next port of call is usually Axminster.co.uk and I find their perform range are up to the job. If you are going to go into mass production them obviously Trend and Freud are the makes to go for.
 
Mr_Grimsdale":1c2nlq3b said:
Or you could get one step ahead and go straight for the spindle moulder and miss out router all together. Spindle; higher initial cost but much cheaper tooling and vastly superior performance in every respect except portability.

cheers
Jacob

Yeh, and whilst your at it, forget hand planes and purchase a four sided planer
 
senior":787tz1m2 said:
Mr_Grimsdale":787tz1m2 said:
Or you could get one step ahead and go straight for the spindle moulder and miss out router all together. Spindle; higher initial cost but much cheaper tooling and vastly superior performance in every respect except portability.

Yeh, and whilst your at it, forget hand planes and purchase a four sided planer
Nah, cut-out the spindle moulder and go straight for a 6-head through feed moulder then plane all round and mould in one pass - at a leisurely 30 metres/minute......... :mrgreen:

Scrit
 
Back to the routers ......... I got B&Q Macalaster one and it was crap ...... the collet lock didn't work and no matter how much you tightned the collet the bit's would still slip (very dangerous)

So I took it back got my money back then went and bought a Triton great in the table
 
Ray has covered just about the whole issue of choosing a router there in his post and good advice it is too. One thing I would add though is try to go for a router that has electronic speed control. It is more important if yo are using a router in a table but it increases the routers speed under load. (Handy if you are running some deep profiles through the table in a particularly hard wood) I mention this as I used to have the B&Q 2050 watt router mounted in my table but it would slow to a snails pace if you put it under load. I now have an Hitachi MV12 and it handles everything I throw at it. You pays for what you get is my motto. Hope this is of some help. :wink:
 
What is a router anyway? :oops:
I`ve always wanted to know what they are/do.

cheers

CarlC

P.S i`m trying to learn most of my tools so when i go back i can impress him with me knowledge. :lol:
 
It's a motor mounted vertically with two handles on the side with which you try and control it. If you've ever used one of those industrial floor polishers then you know the score - only with a router instead of a mop you attach assorted razor sharp cutters.

Wikipedia has a page. I've enjoyed browsing through some guy called Pat's Router Woodworking Website

With a huge assortment of shaped cutters and various guides and jigs you can get a router to do just about everything - though it's rarely the easiest/safest/most efficient way of doing anything.
 
MrJay":20rupfh3 said:
It's a motor mounted vertically with two handles on the side with which you try and control it.
:shock:

MrJay":20rupfh3 said:
With a huge assortment of shaped cutters and various guides and jigs you can get a router to do just about everything - though it's rarely the easiest/safest/most efficient way of doing anything.
I somehow feel that you're not convinced of the worth of a router :-k
 
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