Router Upgrade Advice

[Karl.S]

I currently have a DeWalt D26204K (1/4") router in my table for manufacturing shaker doors. We're looking to start manufacturing cope and stick doors with raised panels so I'm after a 1/2" router for the extra grunt.

The two I have in mind are the DeWalt DW625EK and the Trend T11. I'm favouring the T11 at the moment as although it's about £50 more, the above table height adjustment would be advantageous. I was advised I could get the Router Raizer for the 625, but it'll come in more than the T11 if I get that with it.

The majority of my tools are DeWalt which I've never had issues with while I have no experience with Trend other than their router bits so I'm stuck deciding where to go next.

I'd appreciate any advice.

 

[MikeJhn]

Have you seen this: https://www.rutlands.co.uk/sp+power-too ... 4cQAvD_BwE the only caveat is that the table may be too small for serious production work.

The router lift IMO is essential for small work production, but if you are going into serious production then once the height has been set and locked it can stay at that height for the run, your most important attribute will be the height lock.

 

[Trevanion]

If you’re doing production work I think you should consider a spindle moulder with a panel raising block rather than a router table with a bit. It’s faster with a far better finish and it’s a lot less noisy and you get far longer life out of your cutters.

You can pick up a decent secondhand 240V spindle moulder like a Wadkin or Sedgwick for around £400-£500 and a block for another £50 or so.

 

[Karl.S]

If you’re doing production work I think you should consider a spindle moulder with a panel raising block rather than a router table with a bit.

A splindle moulder was something I was gonna go for next year when I move to larger premises. There is a Kity 623 (single phase) moulder near me for £375. Might be worth a look.

 

[Trevanion]

A splindle moulder was something I was gonna go for next year when I move to larger premises. There is a Kity 623 (single phase) moulder near me for £375. Might be worth a look.

I've got one of those. They're an excellent machine, but that's a rather high price for it if there's no tooling or accessories included. I paid £200 for mine including some tooling and all the extra pieces like the sliding table and ring-fence. I sold a couple of pieces of tooling that come with it that were too small for the shaft which were actually designed for a Multico saw bench And I got £100 for the pair of blocks. So in all the machine only really cost me around £100 which included a CMT Euro block and a bunch of cutters which were worth another £100 or so, so really it owes nothing at all.

It's not the most powerful machine in the world with a 2HP motor, it will run a panel raising block but it's not ideal as it takes a while to get up to full speed. In an ideal world, you should really be looking for a machine with 3HP if you're doing any amount of serious work with a lot of panels.

I've got a thread on the Kity 623 here if it interests you: https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/kity-623-spindle-moulder-the-ins-outs-and-bearings-t119190.html

 

[Lons]

I bought a router raiser but only because I already had the DeWalt 625 router and it works very well in my table to which I also fitted an Incra plate, both plate and raiser were bought from Peter Sefton.
I don't have any experience of the Trend router but would have carefully considered that if I'd been looking for a router at the time.

I built the table as a folding addition to the side of my table saw and had just sold on a Kity 623 which I'd owned for about 10 years, it was an old model built in 1987 but did everything I needed, was pretty quiet and never let me down, I just didn't use it often enough to justify the space. Sold it for £160 a couple or so years ago with a couple of bit of tooling so I'd agree with Trevanion that £100 to £150 is enough to pay for the machine unless plenty of tooling and accessories with it. Guard was home made as it was missing when I bought the machine s/h

It would have been over £900 in the late eighties when we sold quite a few to small joinery shops.
In case you go to look at it I've attached a pic of mine and spec sheet and old price list which you might find interesting.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Sorry Karl the Router Raizer is no longer available, the inventor has been very ill so not sure when we will be back in stock.

The 625 is an excellent match for the JessEm Prestige lift, or you could put the Trend into an Incra 621625 -AL plate, Incra have made these pre drilled for us to fit the T11 fixing and winder hole.

If you need any advice please give us a shout, cheers Peter

 

[Jonathan S]

Can't comment on the Dewalt....but I bought a T11 because I liked the table lift.....the armitcher failed just after 1 year and dealing with Trend was a nightmare!

If I was to ever build another router table I would probably stick in an old Elu mof 177....they seen to go forever.

Or go the Spindle moulder route.... I've got a router spindle for my moulder and push everything in with a power feeder.....finish is far superior to a router table.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

 

[MikeJhn]

Why does everyone with a spindle moulder say the finish is superior to a router table? Not trying to start an argument, I am just interested on the reasoning behind the statement.

 

[Trevanion]

Why does everyone with a spindle moulder say the finish is superior to a router table? Not trying to start an argument, I am just interested on the reasoning behind the statement.

It's hard to explain, but it's mainly down to the larger cutter diameter taking big arcs of material away rather than a smaller cutter taking small arcs of material away. You're far less prone to tear-out, burning and even kick back with a spindle moulder than you are with a router table.

 

[MikeJhn]

Thanks Trevanion, logic made me think it may be to do with the larger dia cutters, nice to have it confirmed.

 

[Trevanion]

Can't comment on the Dewalt....but I bought a T11 because I liked the table lift.....the armitcher failed just after 1 year and dealing with Trend was a nightmare!

I've only heard bad stuff about the stuff coming from Trend, not even just the newer stuff either! They're notorious for having bearing problems after a while of use, especially T4s.

I always thought the Trend bits were alright, until recently. I was buying Trend professional 16mm straight flute bits for trenching and the last three have shed the carbide within the first few trenches, It wouldn't be too much of a problem if I were abusing them but I'm only taking light passes and at £40 a bit they should last much longer. I buy from Wealden now for over half the price and each one I've bought has gone dull after a lot of use, not shattered or shedded within the first few cuts. Trend really has become overpriced rubbish.

 

[Jonathan S]

I believe Trend is made in China.......

Here in Spain CMT is the most commonly used router cutter, I believe they are still made in Italy, the ones I've used have lasted well.

Sent from my SM-J530F using Tapatalk

 

[Trevanion]

I haven't tried the CMT router cutters, I really should though as their saw blades are excellent and so is the spindle moulder tooling I have from them.

 

[Karl.S]

Sorry Karl the Router Raizer is no longer available, the inventor has been very ill so not sure when we will be back in stock.

Sorry to hear that. Hope they get well soon.

The 625 is an excellent match for the JessEm Prestige lift, or you could put the Trend into an Incra 621625 -AL plate, Incra have made these pre drilled for us to fit the T11 fixing and winder hole.

If you need any advice please give us a shout, cheers Peter

I wish I'd have seen this before buying. I ended up going with a T11 as I was able to get one for less than £300 and paired it with the RTI/PLATE/A. It's blasting through the work since getting it, but only time will tell how well it lasts.

 

[Eric The Viking]

I bought the Incra plate for my T11 from Peter Sefton. It is _very_ nice - a lot thicker than my older plate, and beautifully machined.

It doesn't say on the router where it's made (the 'plate' has a British address and no country of origin), but I think it's Italy. Very similar models have been sold by CMT, Trend and DeWalt, although IIRC only Trend has the T11 'tweaks' to let you drive the router's depth adjustment through the table, and the T11 also has a wider aperture (for really huge panel raising cutters.

I have had no bearing problems, although mine only gets light amateur use, but the speed control magnet did shift on the motor shaft - fixed with a dab of Loctite. The same issue occurs with DeWalt too (I fixed one a few months ago!), and I think it's a design issue. Easy cheap fix though.

Would I get another T11? Without hesitation.

E.