non welding tool question

[breezer]

I'm fancying getting a router for general woodworking / hobby jobs.

It won't get an awful lot of use, so I'm looking for one at the distinctly cheaper end of the scale.

Has anyone got any experience of using them and or able to advise what I should be looking for or any particular bargains?

Thanks in advance

Jim

 

[brightspark]

have a look in screwfix catalogue the machine depends on what size cutters u use. and make . obviously the larger the wattage the better but its down to price. sumthing decent starts at 79 quid ryobi and erbouer are a reasonable starting price. one has a 2 year guarantee

 

[tigler]

check out you Aldi store ,in the past I've seen good little routers at an unbeatable price.

 

[Hitch]

As tempting as it will be to buy a big one with 1/2" collet, you may be better off with a 1/4" one if you plan on using it for decorative stuff, and with attacments. However, if you intend on using it to do worktops, or lots of trimming to templates, a bigger unit is what you wiull need.



Steer clear of the very cheap ones, plunge is usually far from smooth, and bearings and build quality are junk, allowing the armature to move up and down, reulting in an inconsistent cutting depth. Barely noticeable, but does show up if you look for it.

Imo, the fixed ones (like trend t5) are far better than the ones with removeable motor (like trend t3). They seem to be a bit underpowered to give any stick.

Variable speed is a very usefull adition too. Smaller straight cutters run faster than a big round over bit. Too fast and it burn the edges of the wood.

Trend base configuration is a good route to go down, things like guide bushes and jigs will be more widely available. Trend being one of the big names in router cutters and jigs.

 

[chunkolini]

I agree with avoiding cheaper ones, I had a cheapo Erbauer model, twer crap, the depth stop slipped, the spindle lock was made of chocolate, it blew up, the thingy that holds in the Bit broke (forgot the name of it for a second). It was ony about £40.00 but it was crap. It was a shame, the motor was fine, plenty of power but everything else was crap.

I ended up buying a Hitachi router form Fleabay, nice piece of kit.

Trend seem to be the base models for value and function.


Chunko'.

 

[hotrodder]

^ Likewise, bought a cheap Erbauer from screwfix for occasional use (then discovered they'll happily machine ally). The soft start motor on better quality machines alone makes them worth it- that erbauer thing didn't half kick when started. Add vibration related self dismantling tendancies to Chunkos' list, collet (Chunko) that either refused to grip or release the bit and i was well happy when i bent the spindle after it kicked back while routing some ally

 

[Hitch]

I have a Trend T5 copy, had it 8 years+ used for some heavy stuff, that it shouldnt be used for. Its seen through 1 set of brushes happily.

I also have a big Hitachi, M12V, depth stop setup isnt marvelous, but it does work. Motor is a monster, got soft start, but you can still feel a kick initially, and probably takes a second or so to get upto speed. Brilliant for table use or heavy trimming, to templates.

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

I'm fancying getting a router for general woodworking / hobby jobs.

It won't get an awful lot of use, so I'm looking for one at the distinctly cheaper end of the scale.

Has anyone got any experience of using them and or able to advise what I should be looking for or any particular bargains?

Thanks in advance

Jim

I play with wood and aluminium far more than metal so I'd suggest you get the heaviest meatiest highest vari speed soft start one you can possibly afford . Bosch and Makita are good

Like welders , having an underpowered one sees you up grade several times where as buying a decent one will see you OK for years.
I have had two top of the range BOSCH ones , first one lasted three years but I was doing kitchen fitting work at the time . This last one is nearly 20 years old and has had many many metres of wood , MDF , ply aluminium and worktop under it . It takes 1/2 inch and 1/4 cutters .. by changing collets

I tend to use lots of MDF hinged jigs for making several items the same .

In the home I have a set of three heavy 2 inch thick pine wood book cases measuring 42 inches wide by 13 inches deep by 2 mtrs high and have made a bespoke built in wardrobe with mortice and tennon frame joints and a set of six intigrated heavy duty drawers on heavy duty runners , all corners are dovetails ( it's in Munchkins bedroom and she can stand up on the bottom of any of the drawers with out it doing any damage 0 .

I've also used it recently to do the worktops in the office and to cut ally sheet of 5 mm thickness . Having the meatier router means it is less prone to kick out and easier to do plunge routing as the mechanism is much sturdier and controllable /settableto depth .

 

[breezer]

Thanks for your help folks!