136 Re: Wanted: Router Recommendation
Description
This article is from the Woodworking FAQ Collection 4, by multiple authors.
136 Re: Wanted: Router Recommendation
From: betz@dtg.nsc.com (Gary Betz)
Date: 6 Dec 90 00:22:15 GMT
In article <20360003@hprpcd.HP.COM> you write:
>My father has just completed a cabinet making class at a local junior
>college. He is excited about getting started on some of his own
>projects. He has expressed how thrilled he would be if a hand held router
>appeared under the Christmas tree for him. I have appointed myself
>as Santa on this one and am looking for some help in choosing something
>for him. Price is of no real concern (less than about $150). I would
>like one that is very solid and will last the rest of his life (within
>reason). Could someone make some recommendations on a good make/model,
>appropriate horsepower (general purpose), plunge vs ? (don't know what
>plunge refers to), etc, etc.
>
What ever you do, don't get him a Sears Unit. I made that mistake when I
first started in woodworking and I have since retired it for a Bosch
router. There are other brands such as Makita, Bosch, Porter Cable,
etc., that are industrial units and will give much better service.
Picking out a router is tough if you don't have any general knowledge
about the application for which it will be used. For example, a plunge
router (as it's name implies) allows the operator to lower the router
bit into the wood in contrast to tilting the router to start an interior
cut. Certain applications call for this feature while some don't.
I would pick a unit that has at least 1 1/2 HP if your father intends to
work with hardwoods. If he intends to do panel raising with a router, he
will need a router with a 1/2 inch collet capacity (vs. 1/4 for most
other lower cost units), and 3 hp.
If he plans to do mostly general cabinet work and projects like "stuff
for mom" a 1 1/2 to 2 hp unit without a plunge feature would do fine.
Check out Price Club (I think theres one in Sacto) or Home Depot. They
sell Makita. I think Home Club sells Makita, too.
A final note. As a rule of thumb, the most you should spend on a router
is $250 for a 3 hp plunge router which is considered somewhat the top of
the line in routers. Most other units should be less than that price.
You should be able to find most routers discounted as much as
40% of their list price.
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