How important is router fine depth adjustment?
I'm trying to decide between these two, and it basically comes down to fine depth adjustment:
- Bosch POF 1200
- Bosch POF 1400
The price difference is about £25. Worth it?
Alex
Essential. There are others here with much more router experience than me though
NT
Depends on your application...
For handheld use, a micro adjustment on the side fence is probably more useful. One time fine depth adjustment comes into its own is for use with dovetail jigs, where the cutter height adjustment is critical (it adjusts the joint tightness). Also having a knob for height adjustment is particularly useful when the router is inverted in a table - but that is of more relevance to larger 1/2" routers.
Have a look at the lists of features here:
Mostly rounding over edges and some morticing at the moment. Hardwood and softwood.
Perhaps what I should really ask is what router would you guys get with a budget of £60-£80 and an absolute limit of £100?
Alex
For rounding over, precise depth adjust is vital.
?Maybe take a look in the local game exchange shops first, they often trade in used tools, mostly well used good brands, some at good prices.
NT
?
I was told always go for a 1/2 router. And the smaller routers will not be able to do worktop joints.
I just got a SIP 01478:
Its actually gone back due to a missing tap for one of the parallel fence g uides and I got a refund since the other one they had in the store had the same fault. These are made in China. It came with quite a few routing bits. I had used it briefly. Kind of interesting and I'm not sure what I would ge t instead.
I later realised this unit seems the same as a Silverline router for less m oney and apparently the SIP spares fit the silverline router.
Anyway, the SIP router observations may be similar to other cheapish router s.
It is 1/2 inch, rather than the smaller 1/4 inch models. A bit of play in the slide mechanism but the thing sticks unless it is reas onably centered as you push it down, so it seems to go back down in the sam e place. The springs were very strong, but apparently these can be changed. You need a 30mm guide bush to use with worktop jigs. This comes with 33mm f or some reason, but SIP supply a 30mm version as a spare. Bushes from trend or whoever do not fit. This had a two stage depth guide with a precision threaded pin mechanism th at I found very useful. Seemed reasonably powerful to me. Baseplace was a reasonable size which is useful when stabilising it around your cuts.
There seems a bit of a gap in price between sub 100 quid routers and the pr o ones that seem to be towards 300 quid.
Anyway I got to use a router and it did the job, took it back with a worn t ool (!) and I will eventually need to get another one ...
Simon.
money > and apparently the SIP spares fit the silverline router.
I noticed something similar with a telescope I bought once. It was much cheaper but seemed identical to a 'badged' well-known make (both made in china).
I guess either (1) these unbadged ones are QA rejects or (2) they are selling the same product into two markets or (3) the manufacturer in china is using the designs to make his own edition without the permission of the design owner.
Robert
most likely #3.
ss money > and apparently the SIP spares fit the silverline router.
cheaper but seemed identical to a 'badged' well-known make (both made in ch ina).
ling the same product into two markets or (3) the manufacturer in china is using the designs to make his own edition without the permission of the des ign owner.
The SIP / silverline design appears to be available in various forms, all w ith a non-standard sized guide bush. It is 30mm internal, 33mm external so I wondered if the chinese misread the spec, since the "standard" size is 30 mm external. You always see the note "not suitable for worktop jigs" agains t the router. However the basic spec and power of the machine seems reasonable for the pr ice. SIP seem to be the only reseller that have all the spares available, so you can get the 30mm bush from them (about 12 quid), and fit it to any of the other versions. Not may seem to have realised this and have bought some typ e of universal baseplate to enable trend bushed to be fitted.
However, I wonder like you about the cheaper ones being rejects in some way , and you can never be sure. I couple of reviewers on amazon said the beari ngs seized after doing things involving a bit more sideways pressure.
But the 300 odd quid for a "proper" router is a bit too much really for occ asional use.
Simon.
ok
A 1/4" medium sized one is the normal "jack of all trades" starting point. You won't get a very nice one in your budget, but there is plenty around at the price that will at the very least be competent and give you some experience with them - even if ultimately you upgrade / augment later.
The 1200W Bosch you looked at would do what you need for now, and you could spend the difference on some cutters.
I am not normally a Ryobi fan, but something like:
also looks reasonable.
That's true - but its the sort of depth adjustment that is not to difficult to do without a fine adjuster (i.e. simply plunging until the wing of the cutter is flush with the baseplate or touches the edge of the work will do the trick).
Price looks good. Review on Amazon doesn't:
Yeh. Stuff like that is why I was looking at the Bosch - a brand with a decent reputation. I'd considered the SIP but not now that Simon points out it is the _budget_ version of Silverline. I didnt know it was possible to be crapper than Silverline!
Alex
Not sure I quite said that. I think its the same router, so they are probably at the same level. SIP seem to have the spares more easily available. The review of the larger 2050W silverline on amazon is reasonable. Of course the question is durability since they cost must be cut somewhere. I've still no idea what I would get next time. Simon.
This is a mid priced router. Anyone know if hitachi are any good ? It comes with a 30mm bush, which is always a good sign.
Hitachi used to specialise in tools aimed mainly at trade customers, and as such seem to be fairly good.
Not defending it (as I said - not usually a ryobi fan, and have never used it), but its worth keeping in mind that router ergonomics can be a rather personal thing.
For example I really rate the handling of my Trend T5 (basically a copy of a classic design), while I know there are other woodworkers of greater standing than I in this group, who will slate it for the very same reason (Mrs D's assessment was "the handling of a whelk" IIRC). So often its a case of you need to pick it up and handle it and better still try one to be sure what will work for you.
(although at the budget price point, you may not get much of a choice)
A number of years ago I had the very cheapest 1/4" Screwfix-supplied router. Crap in lots of ways - and eventually died when its bearings broke up. But I found it so easy to use - would actually like a replacement! :-)
Was it either of these chappies?
Alex
What is a 1/2" collet actually needed for ? Or is it simply the sign of a bigger machine. I don't think I've seen router bits being used without one of the reducers. Simon.
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