Budget Routers?

[monkeymark]

I know some of you are into wood working to some degree too so wondered if anyone had any thoughts on this.

I'm after a router, problem is I'm on a very tight budget (circa £50) so anything I get will be of the budget kind. I know you get what you pay for and would prefer something better but unfortunately circumstances do not permit.

Does anyone have experience of budget routers? Looked at Argos's offering of the challenge xtreme which looks well equipped for the money(£43 in Argos, £30 elsewhere). Also the Titan brand in screwfix (I get 20%).

I would prefer a 1/2" collet but most of them are more expensive. Ill upgrade later but for now just want something to start which later will be bolted to a router bench when I do upgrade.

Any thoughts?

 

[rtbcomp]

Keep an eye on Aldi, they have regular offers on power tools and offer upto 3 years warranty.

 

[Shox Dr]

1/2" routers, they are big and very angry. Finde if fitted in a bench, but a handful when held with or without a guide, to go by.

I've had a 1/4" Elu for yrs. Its done a lot of work, never found it to be under powered nor found the bits/collet too small for any job.

As RTB says Lidl/Aldi is a good place as they do 3yrs warranty

 

[GrahamGKD]

I've had a 1/4" Elu for yrs. Its done a lot of work, never found it to be under powered nor found the bits/collet too small for any job.

I've got the Elu as well - great little router - I think Elu was subsumed into DeWalt? In any case, I cant imagine you would get one for £50, unless second hand?

 

[tlovatt]

you need to tell us what you want to do with it, if you are looking at simple edging like rounding over etc then you are better off with a smaller 1/4 router as they are easier to handle, if you want to use some more substantial bits such as raised panel cutters you need a very big router fixed into a table. With routers you want the smallest one that can cope with what you want to do, larger units are awkward to use.

I have 5 routers ranging from very large units installed in a table through to small cheap lightweight ones, my favorite is a small 600w old B&D unit, fixed spped 1/4 as it is so easy to slide around and you can see / control what you are doing.

 

[Rocketman]

http://www.tooled-up.com/product/bl...&gclid=COm-9_bn9r4CFWkOwwodHV4AiA#prettyPhoto

cheap to get you going.

 

[monkeymark]

Hi and thanks for the great replies. You've got me thinking now

Originally wanted a 1/2" so I could have the option of using either. However, after having it pointed out here I may be better off with a 1/4".

I'll mostly be doing simple edging, rounding, rebating tasks with a little decorative play. I may cut the occasional worktop but rarely.

I sometimes use a 1/2" at work and I agree it probably would be cumbersome for what I'd be doing.

 

[julianf]

I have a hand unit that someone gave me, but was shocked at the price of tooling for it. I dont really know why i was shocked, as i pay around £25 for a 2.12mm dia carbide end mill for work, but i guess, for some reason, i thought wood bits would be cheap.

...so, what im trying to say is that, be careful if you are on a budget, that you are aware, and allow for, the tooling costing more than the device itself.

(the motor that drives my small expensive end mills only costs about £100, i think - ie only 4x the cost of the cutter!)

 

[marlinspike]

Hi all. I was in Aldi today on my weekly search for the aerosols of metal paint - not in stock as usual - but they did have routers for £25. They are on the website as a Thursday special. Can't do a link on my phone. They looked fairly substantial. Also had a box if router bits for a tenner iirc.

 

[monkeymark]

Hi all. I was in Aldi today on my weekly search for the aerosols of metal paint - not in stock as usual - but they did have routers for £25. They are on the website as a Thursday special. Can't do a link on my phone. They looked fairly substantial. Also had a box if router bits for a tenner iirc.

Just checked the Aldi website and I couldn't see it. Perhaps its a regional thing.

 

[Hitch]

Might be worth posting a wanted add, I seem to recall someone here buying a job lot or routers recently....

 

[Westfield-builder]

Just checked the Aldi website and I couldn't see it. Perhaps its a regional thing.

Hi Mark,
I noticed you are in Co. Durham. Well aldi in Newton Aycliffe had them in stock last night, also the router bits and router tables.

Regards
Jon

 

[fatfranky]

Ditto, Consett (that's the hub of the universe to you southerners) branch had them in today

Regards

 

[marlinspike]

Aldi stock is a bit hit and miss. Ours had the routers and bit sets, but not the router table. The multi tools (£30) and Dremmel type tools (£12?) are back in as well.

 

[printcom]

I do a fair bit with wood and changing router bits can be a faff, so over the years I have collected quite a few of them. I have had a Mac Allister one from B&Q for the past 5 years and is still going well - its 1/4" and 1/2" and its not too unwieldy. No, its not as good as a Trend or a Freud but its a third of the price. I have also got a 1/2" Axminster one which is built like a tank and you need the arms of Popeye to use it for any length of time. That's has put up with a fair amount of abuse over the years - and it didn't cost a lot either. My advice is to leave the Performance Pro stuff alone, there is a reason why its silly cheap
Remember that lump of metal you stick in the end is spinning up to 30,000 rpm - makes a mess when it all goes wrong.

 

[KemppiFrog]

I use them quite a bit, have a B&D 1/4", Elu 1/4" and a Ryobi 1/2". Some of the bits I need are 1/2" and are best used in a table, like biscuit cutters and panel edgers. The Ryobi is a bit noisy and basic, but does a good job. Cost around £60 back then. Came with collets for 1/2" 8mm & 1/4". Good buy was a box of 8mm carbide bits with assorted profiles for £25. Cheap, but work well.
Axminster seem to have gone upmarket, dropped their cheap ranges of stuff. Be interesting to know why.

 

[tlovatt]

I would not buy a second hand router, a new router with cheap bearings is better than an old one with work bearings, but to try and provide some guidance my routers and their uses are:

1) Makita laminate trimmer - about 400w very nice small fixed base router used for light edging, it is very portable and very easy in use for longer periods of time without becoming tiring but only used with smaller 1/4" bits - If I can get away with using this router I will as my second choice
2) Trend T4 - a good all round router (1/4") that is nice to use for general rounding over and other medium sized 1/4" bits
3) B&D (back in the day when they were not absolute crap) 1/4 700w router with the same form as the T4 but fixed speed. This is a good compromise of power whilst remaining agile and easy to use for extended periods of time, my favourite router of all (and the cheapest as old boxed stock for £22 on Ebay)
4) A cheap Homebase router that I purchased when the T4 had a meltdown and went back for repairs, this is more powerful at 1.1kW but also more awkward to use due to the bigger body. I tend to use the larger 1/4" bits in this, but the times when I use larger 1/4" bits is few and far (due to 5 and 6)
5) A Triton 1.1kW 1/2 router - nice smooth soft start and quite nimble for a 1/2" router, also has a fine height adjustment which can come in useful. This one is used mostly for rebating and larger diameter rounding over bits
6) (yes I got it wrong about I have 6 of them!) is a Triton 1/2 2.2kW that is only used in a router table - if you want to use a router table these are the ones to go for as they have a rack and pinion height adjustment and fine height adjustment as standard. Great for use in a table which is basically used as a small scale substitute for a spindle moulder. I would never really care to use this router hand held.

If I were to buy only 1 router (which would sadden me) I would go for the Trend T4 (as the B&D is not longer made) - you can use the bigger bits at a lower speed but take two or 3 cuts if needed but is easy to use for extended periods and can be held in 1 hand which is sometimes useful.

Blasphemy as it probably is on here, I prefer my routers to my welders! I have made my own furniture and the router has been an integral part of all of the pieces produced.

 

[T0rnado69]

Might be worth posting a wanted add, I seem to recall someone here buying a job lot or routers recently....

that was me..


havent cleaned them all up yet. but im working on it.

i have 2 dewalt 625's great routers but heavy and for doing small stuff its way OTT
and two little 500/600w B&D ones. though i cant find of of the bases for one of them.
i have one of these in a little table for doing smallish stuff.

havent decided what ones i want to keep from the job lot i got yet.

ideally i wanted an extra two routers for putting dovetail cutters in and leave them set up permantly
to use with the 600mm dovetail jig.

and thinking about putting a lrg one in a heavy duty table for large stuff.

 

[monkeymark]

Just a Quick update.

Bought one from Aldi. Obviously not to the same standards as other makes but value for money it's fantastic.

It will certainly get me started. Thanks for all the advice.

 

[Robotstar5]

Should have a 3 year guarantee, just don't lose the receipt!