Router QQ

[Degsy]

Hi all. New to this timber game. Looking to buy either a second hand or new router. Want one that can be table mounted or free to use off the table. Ive looked at the 1200w mac Alistair amd the clark cr 1500w. Are they worth the money and am i right in think this is a possible use. Any others i could look at for similar money.
Thanks

 

[MikeG.]

Makita, Hitachi and De Walt are the brands you should be looking at. Clark aren't famous for the quality of their products (I stood next to someone at ToolStation the other day who was returning his third one.............slow learner), and I have never heard of Alistair. If you can't afford one of the brands I mention new, then buy a second hand one in preference to one of the cheapo brands new.

 

[SteveF]

add the triton to that list although i am not sure would want to use freehand for too long
I had a mac alistair flip saw..what a pile of poo

Steve

 

[Phil Pascoe]

http://www.toolstop.co.uk/hitachi-m12ve ... 40v-p59226
is probably as good as it gets at the price. (this isn't necessarily the best price, but it might well be).

 

[sunnybob]

My son is a shop fitter and has several makitas. I bought a big makita on his advice and put it straight into a table. It has worked for three years now as my most used power tool.
Last year i bought a bunch of tools from a retired shop fitter (no previous relationship), In that lot were two more makita edge trimmers, both of which are great tools despite being at least 20 years old.

So thats my router of choice.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Makita's good gear, but the OP is obviously on a budget and the Makitas are coming in nearly twice the price of the Hitachi. I've a large Bosch which was £25 more in a sale 25 years ago than the Hitachi is now.

 

[Racers]

Hitachi M12V cracking router for the money, I prefer it to my Makita 3612c or Elu Mof177.

Pete

 

[sunnybob]

buy cheap, buy twice. i know, my first router was a nutool.

 

[clanger]

I'm assuming by the examples given that Degsy (the OP) was looking more for cheaper, lower powered 1/4" router.

To that end, I would suggest a Trend T5. They are coming in at just over £120

Good hand-held router, that is not too heavy. It can be used for lighter duty work on a router table (although, personally I'd recommend something that is more powerful and can handle 1/2" larger diameter cutters). Also, parts are available for the T5, should you require them.

I use a T5 handheld and a T11 in the table. On the odd occasion that I need 1/2" handheld, I pop the T11 from the table (it is on quick releases)

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I don't know, but the Clarke is a 1/2" one. I don't know that anyone would plan to use a 1/4" one in a table, although of course people do.

 

[Degsy]

Thanks for the replys. Mac allister is a b and q make. Ive have Hitachi gear and its lasted well but thats tools i use regular. Again dewalts good gear. Hace a autofeed driver fir plaster boards and its great but not sure how much id use the router. I think if the ones ive looked at are "poo" ill look at second hand. Ebay it is.
So next question. If i wanted to use it both in table and free hand what suze collect should i be looking for.
Thanks

 

[Phil Pascoe]

There is very little 1/4" one will do that a 1/2" can't - their only real virtue is that they are physically much smaller. The only thing you can't do with a 1/2" one is where its larger size limits it. You can of course use 1/4" cutters in a 1/2" router, but not the reverse.

 

[MusicMan]

A possibility if you have a 1/2" router is to get a Katzu for £40ish if you find you need one for smaller work.

I have a 1/2" DeWalt in the router table and would not want anything smaller in that. I have an old but good Elu 1/4" which I use for most handheld work. And I do have a Clarke 1/2", bought when I was needing a powerful handheld for edge shaping some big yew boards and didn't want to keep taking the DeWalt out of the table. And recently I bought a Katzu, which is surprisingly useful. I must say that the Clarke has been OK; I used it a lot on that job at first, and only occasionally since.

 

[sunnybob]

You can always fit a 1/4" bit into a 1/2" router. Sleeves are cheap and easily available.
You CAN NOT fit a 1/2" bit into a 1/4" router.

I have sleeves for 1/4", 6 mm, 8 mm, and even 3/8" that all fit into the 1/2" router. I can buy job lots of cutters and know they will all fit.

If youre only going to buy one, buy a good name used 1/2" router and it will do every thing you ask of it, either in the table or out.

 

[Racers]

I would also go for Hitachi 1/4" routers M8V, I have one with a chamfer bit in and one with a round over.

Pete

 

[OscarG]

...I use a T5 handheld and a T11 in the table. On the odd occasion that I need 1/2" handheld, I pop the T11 from the table (it is on quick releases)

Hi Clanger

I have a T11 suspended from a Trend MkII table, I didn't know you could get quick release options.

Would you mind sharing more info on your table/setup?

 

[dickm]

One suggestion, if you can find one, is the Elu OF97. It was probably their last throw as Elu before being devoured by deWalt, and while it's not the best either for table or handheld use, it does both pretty well and will take 8mm cutters, which are a good compromise. As one reviewer said, "if you can only have one router, this is probably the one".
There is a deWalt badged version, but no experience of that.

 

[sunnybob]

I constantly fail to understand the consistant advice to get a 1/4" router.
A 1/2" router takes EVERY size cutter you will ever need. Why would you buy less? It does not compute.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Small ones are good for small jobs like inlaying as they are light and ... small. Other than that go for a 1/2" every time.

 

[Racers]

I constantly fail to understand the consistant advice to get a 1/4" router.
A 1/2" router takes EVERY size cutter you will ever need. Why would you buy less? It does not compute.

Usually the hole in the base of a 1/2" router is large so it can tip when routing small components, you need a 1/2" 1/4" and a laminate trimmer to cover all types of jobs.

Pete