Plunge Router buying advice please.

[recipio]

Well, I think any 1/4" inch bit should run properly in any router. I'm amazed at how many people seem seduced by UK or German sounding names on tools which are all made in China. It must be my generation but I believe in 'buy once and buy right' Top end tools need top end money of course but I can pretty well guarantee that they will have doubled in price in 5 - 10 years.

 

[MikeJhn]

1/4" Routers are mainly for trimming purpose's and putting anything other than that is asking a lot of a 1/4" Router.

 

[bp122]

Second vote for Triton routers.
If you are doing heavy rebates, you need 1/2" and Tritons are reasonably priced for the amount of features in them.

Toolstation prices for Tritons are good. Check them out. Their biggest baddest router with 2400w is for £199 at TS. Definitely worth a look. Buy once, cry once.

 

[MikeJhn]

I found the Interlock feature on the Triton Router an absolute pain and sold it on.

Also when considering your purchase think about the weight you are going to be man handling this thing, whilst weight is good for a stable platform, it can become tiresome if you are using it all day, so may be a compromise between power and weight, but then if you are only on making tenons any 1/2" Router will cope with a couple of pass's.

Do have a look at the Draper Expert if comes with a plunge and fixed base, so if using the fixed base it can be set up for depth and used over and over at the same depth, I made a stand for it to allow me to put it down without compromising the bit, as I said in the earlier post, I have two set at their respective depths which speeds up the work no end.

 

[RobinBHM]

I found a good tip for 1/4" routers is to buy an 8mm collet and then use 8mm cutters.

The advantage is 8mm has almost twice the amount of steel, so you have a much much stonger cutter.

a 1/2" router is tiring for use, so a smaller router is better whenever doing lighter work

 

[sometimewoodworker]

The idea of taking out the waste with a router using a jig is not bad at all. However I would not only use the router, I would use the mitre saw to define the ends then probably a few extra curfs knock most of the waste with a hammer and use the router to clean up.

I certainly would not be using a router to do all the work.

 

[TheBeeBoyKid]

I second what sometime-worker said. I know this is nowhere near budget but I bought a festool 1/2 router a couple of years ago and it’s worth every penny. Absolutely would never go back on any of the festool tools I’ve ever bought.

 

[TheBeeBoyKid]

...in fact, to put it succinctly; I’ve never regretted spending more on a tool but I regularly regret spending less.

 

[Kinz]

The Triton is a lot of router for not much money and has the additional advantage of the built in router-lift that allows it to also be used mounted in a bench, without additional cost. I have a 1/4 fixed/plunge Dewalt that I occasionally use for light trim work but I use my Festool 1/2 the most!

 

[MikeJhn]

Or you could buy this as a Table Router lift: Router Lifts | Next Day Delivery and then buy a Festool Router and spend your whole year budget in one go.

Mounting the Triton in a Table is an absolute pain, the interlock that operates when you raise the router means you have to grovel around the router under the table to find and needs the dexterity of a gynaecologist to unlock, plus the plunge lock is on the other side and again grouping around is the order of the day, Getting up and down on the floor soon gets very tiresome, most who recommend a Triton have never had one mounted in a Table, they are even worse in the dedicated Triton Table as the Lift adjustment is under the fence, I speak from first hand experience on this, not just copying someone else's post's.

 

[MikeK]

I can echo MikeJhn's comments about the Triton router in a router table based on experience and not tribal knowledge. The TRA001 is a great router if used as a plunge router, but not so good when used in an enclosed router table. If the router table was open, my knees were younger, and I had an extra elbow in my arms, I wouldn't have any problems using the TRA001 in a table.

I started down the path of the Triton router table, first with the Triton Workcentre and then to a dedicated router table with an Incra router plate. I never finished building my table with the Triton because I used a friend's over one weekend that was similar to what I was building. That experience was enough to convince me to abandon the TRA001 router table and go down a completely different path, with which I am very happy.

The TRA001 was mounted to a fixed Incra plate, with the adjustment access hole, and the only modification was to remove the plunge return spring. An Incra CleanSweep housing enclosed the router for dust extraction and the rest of the table was enclosed with side panels and doors. Anytime I needed to access the router, which was often, I had to open the main door, open the CleanSweep access panel, reach into the abyss and find the power switch or height locking lever.

 

[Droogs]

What MikeJhn say can be true, if you buy a ready made table system or insert plate. I built my table myself to specifically hold the Triton and rotated it (the router) 90 degrees to the norm to make access to all the switches etc easy. I used a router plate from trend that I had lying around for around 15 years and had not got round to using and had to drill a couple of holes.
Now my height adjuster is nowhere near the fence I have easy access to the height lock and also the safety cover etc. No getting on my knees to look, just either hand in either side of the router to get the knob I want. If I can get to the wksp in the next couple of days will take a couple of pics

Edit to add
i have also fitted a NVR switch to the front door of the routers cabinet but have not got round to doing the mod to wire it in. Hopefully will do so soon after getting all clear to go back to work in Oct

 

[porker]

I'm in between opinions with the big triton in a router table. Mine is in a cast iron table but I can lift the top on gas struts. I don't benefit from the height adjustment from above as I don't want to drill the cast iron. I can reach underneath for the height adjustment OK but can see how this would be a real pain with a table with less access. I like the automatic spindle lock when the router is raised for changing bits but it is a real fiddle with the power switch interlock. I saw the other day some instructions on how to remove this 'feature' but it looked like a lot of dismantling.

I bought the triton for table use only and it's a big thing that I personally wouldn't want to use off the table. For hand use, I replaced my ancient Erbauer when it finally gave up and bought a Hitachi which I have been happy with. I actually use my Katsu 1/4" much more than the 1/2" and prefer to use the router table if I can.

 

[sunnybob]

I found a good tip for 1/4" routers is to buy an 8mm collet and then use 8mm cutters.

The advantage is 8mm has almost twice the amount of steel, so you have a much much stonger cutter.

a 1/2" router is tiring for use, so a smaller router is better whenever doing lighter work

I havent heard of upsizing router bits. have you managed to confirm you can put 8 mm bits in a 1/4" router?

 

[RobinBHM]

I havent heard of upsizing router bits. have you managed to confirm you can put 8 mm bits in a 1/4" router?

Yes sorry, I wasnt trying to suggest using very large cutters in a small router


Certainly the ELU 96 and Dewalt equivalent take an 8mm collet -made by the manufacturer.

I should just point out, I dont try and use big cutters, when I was running a joinery shop, I used a lot of 10mm dia cutters 2 flute straight cutters for hinge cut outs etc. also chamfer cutters in 8mm variant. In a professional environment 8mm are so much more substantial

 

[RueFondary]

My TRA001 is mounted in a cast aluminium table top next to my table saw and find that it works fairly well. It's install in a way which makes it easy to adjust the router height from the below table (quick and micro) and to use the locking mechanism (this way, height adjustments are much faster than with the crank).
Accessing the power switch and reading the speed dial is not ideal, but it works.

I wouldn't use such top heavy router hand held

 

[gog64]

Sorry I haven’t read all the replies, so maybe a duplicate. Are you dead set on new? A Dewalt or Elu 1/2 inch are pretty robust. I still get out my old Dewalt (bought in 90s when I was fitting kitchens) when I have a lot of material to remove and I can work outside. They must cost buttons second hand now? I think the Trend T10 is a Chinese made clone if you want new?

 

[MikeJhn]

My TRA001 is mounted in a cast aluminium table top next to my table saw and find that it works fairly well. It's install in a way which makes it easy to adjust the router height from the below table (quick and micro) and to use the locking mechanism (this way, height adjustments are much faster than with the crank).
Accessing the power switch and reading the speed dial is not ideal, but it works.

I wouldn't use such top heavy router hand held

Of course it works anything works if you must, but the point is to make it easier to work with and the Triton Router in a table with it's automatic switch lock is a pain best avoided, there are so many other routers out there that are better at the job if they don't have that stupid shaft/switch interlock, read back through this thread, nearly all people with one agree.