WHAT ROUTER?

[Nev Hallam]

Ok i'm about to buy a new router, I mainly, no always have used a dewalt router 2000w i think. I have no problem with this router but have never really used many others, so wondered what you guys thought?
I'm having a guess if money is no object, to go for a festool, but i'd like to keep the ol price margin under the 300 marker, my brothers a cabinet maker in california, he says he uses a 3hp makita and thats pretty nice.
Well look forward to your opinions and advice.

 

[Oryxdesign]

Depends what you want to use it for. If you want to fit kitchen work tops or fit it in a table and take large cuts you need a biggun. If you are doing detail work you only need a small one especially if you are doing repetitive work. If you want just one router to do all jobs you need something in the middle.
I have several routers; one in a table, one in a woodrat, a mid size one I use generally and two palm routers I use as much as I can.
My general router is a Festool OF1400 and I can use it to do all the jobs that all the others do, and it is the biz, so if I only had one that would be it.
Perhaps give us some more info and we will be able to give better advice.
Simon

 

[Nev Hallam]

I have a laminate trimmer use that for intricate detail. And as stated in the ad I usually use a 2000w dewalt so thats a good indication of the size of router i'll be looking for, also stated was how didnt wanna spend over £300 so rules out the ol festool

 

[Oryxdesign]

I guess you're fine as you are then.

 

[Nev Hallam]

Yeh thats why im looking for a new router! so i usually use a 2000w dewalt, budget under £300, good start info to work with!
I use a router for more things than i could possibly list thats why I just stated the power output. Like I said festools nice but budget ltd.

 

[Rich]

Hi Nev, You can drive from London to Glasgow in a mini or a roller, both will get you there, the difference of course is the comfort against cost,
I have 3 routers bought from Aldi, for £20.00 each, I'm willing to bet you that I can do as much with mine as you can do with your Dewalt, admittedly I would probably have to take more passes, but once again we would both arrive at the same destination.

Regards,

Rich.

 

[Chems]

Is true what rich says, I have the big Triton I got from B&Q, love it to bits, but I also have £20 mcKeller router that I bet is the same as Rich's, both have their uses, the 1/3 McKeller is much better for hand use, but on normal bits there is no difference whatso ever it cuts, but the ease of depth setting etc on the triton is un-surpassed but I can still achieve the same results with the small router. But the real difference is the McKeller has just come out of the table cause it was terrible table mounted for the bit change, and the triton is going on and I can't wait to see the difference its going to make!

 

[joiner_sim]

If you go on my website, the WIPs of the coffee table, all the routering on it was done with a ARGOS challenge xtreme router, about £30.

 

[Rich]

If you go on my website, the WIPs of the coffee table, all the routering on it was done with a ARGOS challenge xtreme router, about £30.

Thanks JS, It proves my point that, it's more important HOW a tool is used
than what the make of it is, admittedly there becomes a point whereby the tool is SO cheap and useless that one would be UNABLE to execute a job "nicely" but more importantly, SAFELY, but I for one WOULD endorse the Aldi routers for general diy use, certainly not commercial use.

Rich.

 

[chippy1970]

Have you looked at the Festool 1400 if you looked at it and the quality you might just bump your budget up that extra £60 and get it.

I already have an Elu 96e a Dewalt 626 the biggest Dewalt and I had a trend T5 (rubbish) but I will still buy the Festool one day I just think its so well designed. From what I can tell it will still cope with kitchen worktops which is what I use my Dewalt for , but with better extraction setup than my Dewalt.

 

[Nev Hallam]

Whats the most powerful festool router? Or where's the best place to buy festool? I'll have a butchers

 

[Nev Hallam]

Also been looking at trend routers, anyone use them?

 

[dicktimber]

I love my Trend...1/2 inch..either free hand or upside down in the table.
The fine height adjuster is excellent when used in the table.
Trend customer service has been good also.
You can get the machine serviced, ask advice over the phone and.......and this is a big plus.....get spares and attachments you know will fit.

I have tried Axminster white...and ended up binning it....down right dangerous...with a locking lever that was far from substantial.....
at the end of the day as the guys say,'you get what you pay for'

But you won't go wrong with the Trend..start with the 1/4 inch and you can progress upwards is my advice.

Good luck
Mike

 

[chippy1970]

Nev,

I dont know where exactly you are but you can look up your nearest dealer at www.festool.co.uk

Also good info here www.festoolownersgroup.com

I visited a place called Bunnys bolts last week in Woking and they are very good they are also online.

or Jaycee tools of northolt are very good online at www.festool-fanatics.co.uk

 

[forrestdale]

Whats the most powerful festool router? Or where's the best place to buy festool? I'll have a butchers

It's very much over your budget, even in its basic form, but the recently-introduced OF2200 is Festool's largest (7.8kg), most powerful (2200 Watt) and most expensive (463 GBP + VAT base model, 630GBP + VAT with accessory kit) router.

See the Festool Routing Range webpage for more information about this and other Festool routers, including links to the OF2200 brochure, manual, videos etc.

Forrest

 

[Mr Ed]

I've not used any Festool routers, so can't comment on them. I'm extremely pleased with the 2 Dewalt routers I have. I use the big 626 in my table and the 624 for hand held stuff.

I went through loads of cheaper routers before shelling out for Dewalt and wish I'd just gone straight there in the beginning. The feel is completely different to the cheap ones and I think they're worth paying for.

Since you already have Dewalt I'm probably telling you something you already know...

Cheers, Ed

 

[Nev Hallam]

Well people thanks for your advice, I agree with you Ed with regard to the Dewalt, I don't actually own one just use them at work all the time, it's strange as every place i've worked in the past 3-4 years have had dewalt routers. I'm gonna see what fundage I have and have a butchers at the festool, but i'll more than likely end up with a Dewalt.
I been looking at the woodepecker table inserts, they very nice! bit pricey but very useful, like the idea of being able to adjust the height from the table top!

 

[Oryxdesign]

My OF1400 litterally runs rings around my 625 clone (CMT) even when cutting oak work tops.

 

[marvic18]

Hi everyone I am new to the site and already I'm asking for advice. My query is this. I currently own a couple of 1/4 bosch routers for small work and a non descript 1/2 router for my kitchen work. I have decided I need a new router for this side and after looking around settled on the dewalt 625ek however after further digging I found the hitachi m12v2 very reasonable. How does this perform against the dewalt and is it possible to get a 30mm guide bush for this machine? Many thanks in advance.

 

[chippy1970]

yeah you can get a 30mm bush for the Hitachi I have used both and would say the 625ek is better I have its bigger brother the 626 I had a couple of 625's and they both broke so I ended up with the 626.

I when I last used the Hitachi it didn't have soft start so it really kicked when switched on, don't know if they have changed this yet.