router recommendations? Screwfix Titan model?

[Fred]

Hello,

I am looking to buy my first router. At the moment I anticipate only using it for occasional DIY so I do not want to spend a fortune on it. I'm sure once I've got the hang of it, I'll be using it all the time and will want to upgrade to something better ;)

For now though I was looking for an entry level router to learn with. The cheapest at Screwfix is a Titan router, order code 31965. (Ok, they actually do a cheaper one by Direct Power, but this is a 1/4" collet and reading the DIY wiki faq it says 1/2" is stronger).

Has anyone got anything good or bad to say about this model?

Thanks.

[tony sayer]

In article , Fred scribeth thus

Dunno about that one but I bought a Trend some years ago, just the entry level one and its been excellent:--)

Theres not a lot that hasn't been able to do including nip the end off my middle finger!..

And just recently I've takes to milling bits of ally with it and thats a fine old edge it makes on that too:)

Far better then that PPro heap of cack I bought from B&Q...

[A.Lee]

Not that one, but I did buy the £22ish 1/4" one from Screwfix, and must say it has been totally reliable, and done whatever I ask of it.

I've found a great use for it is the routing of door hinge rebates - it now takes less then 5 minutes to get a really neat, identical pair. It is also good for the small rebate near the surface for mortice locks. I used it yesterday to run a channel down the back of a length of skirting board.

I'm not sure I would get a bigger one now, unless it was clamped into a table - they are more powerful, with the temptation to go deeper, and far more chance of a slip or jam of the cutter. I asked about one at a woodworkers shop,for doing the full rebate cutout for mortice locks, but was told off for even thinking about such a thing - they said to never attempt such a deep cut with an handheld router, as they are too unpredictable in use. When clamped up, with the workpiece also well secured, there is then no problem, but typical DIYers do not have such facilities, and think they can get away with it.

It all depends on what your intended use is for it. Alan.

[George]

How the hell did you manage to nip the tip of your finger? the only way I can see that happening if you stuck your finger in to stop the motor?

[TheOldFellow]

Titan did have a reputation for being robust, but I have no experience.

I bought an Elu 1/4" long ago (De Walt make it now, to lower standards)

- it's what got me hooked on woodwork, and moved me from DIY shelving, through fitted furniture, to cabinets.

On the way I bought other routers, but the one I use most often is one my dad gave me, a Black&Decker D4. It's made of plastic, has a 1/4 collet, and it's not a plunge router - about 1965 vintage I guess. For little jobs it just the ticket.

So whatever you buy today, you are likely to add to it, and not replace it. Like clamps, you can't have enough routers.

R.

[John Rumm]

Have a look at the notes here:

get a feel for the class of machine you need for the jobs you have in mind.

1/2" *is* stronger, but also much bigger and heavier. Which you need depends on the job you are doing (in reality you will probably need one of each eventually)

Its a tad low on power for a 1/2" router, and the minimum speed is too fast for use with the larger cutter sizes you may want to use in a router table.

Unless you have an urgent need to cut worktops, letterbox cutouts, or stair strings, then I have a feeling you might be better of with a 1/4" machine of similar power for general purpose work. It will be much smaller and lighter and generally easier for many jobs.

[tony sayer]

In article , George scribeth thus

Just put it down as it was slowing down and managed to trip over the bloody power cable and pulled it off the worktop and my big mitt was in the way..so it wasn't going at all fast but still had a nip;!..

[Fred]

Thanks. I had read the faq but I thought that since the Titan was able to use 8mm, 1/4", and 1/2" collets it was quite versatile and saved me buying one of each.

I think the 1/4" model weighs 3.6kg and this one weighs 5kg. Do you notice the extra weight? Surely it is resting on whatever you are working on?

What power would you expect for a 1/2" router and what minimum and maximum speeds would you want?

Thanks.

[Fred]

Sorry to add to my own post but for that matter what speeds would you want on a 1/4" router?

[Peter Lynch]

I'd suggest not getting s _first_ router that's too powerful. I've got a little 'un that I use handheld and a big 'un that stays in a router table. I've tried using the T9 handgeld[1], but it scares me - which is probably not a bad thing. I like the Trend range. They're more expensive but you can get lots of accessories for them and it's the accessories that make a router so useful.

BTW, you'll spend more on router bits than you will on the router.

Pete

[1] just noticed the typo, must've been thinking about the previous poster who nipped the end of his finger - and how it could've been much, much worse.

[John Rumm]

Most 1/2" machines will come with a collet adaptor to take 1/4" bits. The 8mm is of less use on a 1/2" machine than it is on a 1/4" since there are larger cutters than are available in 8mm shank but no 1/4".

The better 1/4" one are usually 3kg or less. Sometimes it is resting on what you are working on, and hence not a problem - however the size and the balance of it can make it harder going for decorative work, or when using it on vertical edges in situ when you are carrying the full weight.

If you were looking at high end machines then 1500W would be ok (ish) but something nearer 2kW would be more versatile. Often the budget machines tend to dissipate more power in their gearboxes and bearings etc, so the available mechanical power is less than the numbers suggest. Having said that, this will only be an issue on work with big cutters (e.g. panel rasing, or large moulding cutters etc), or on heavy cuts in things like worktops.

For the largest cutters, the maximum speed can be as low as 9000 rpm. So a range of 8000 - 20K+ is quite handy.

(Something like the Freud FT2000E is often considered a good general purpose "big" router, that adapts well for use in a table. The nice big fine height adjuster being easy to grab etc. - I notice however that not as many places are stocking that now)

[John Rumm]

You don't have the clearance for the larger cutters with these, so the lower speed limit is less critical. Most cuts would be done at 15K or more. Something like a Trend T5 does 9000 - 27,000 rpm which is quite impressive. (these have dropped in price quite a bit lately).

[The Medway Handyman]

Oh aint that the truth :-)

[Fred]

[snip]

I had a quick look at Screwfix, I know other stores exist but it was handy to look at their web site; it seems that the £30 model is rated

11,000 to 26,000 rpm but the £70 Bosch version is only 10,000 to 26,000 rpm, so I think you have to spend over £100 before you get the ideal range of speeds.

The Ryobi is £109 and does 8,000 to 23,000 rpm and the Trend (£119) is "variable to 27,000 rpm", so does this mean it does any speed between

0 and 27,000?

These cost four times as much, and once I use one regularly might be a sound investment but at the moment, I'm not sure I could justify that price for the occasional job.

It seems the speed is controlled by a dial numbered one to six on most of these, so how do you relate the number on the dial to the speed? Do you just set it to one when using something big and six when using something small?

Thanks.

[George]

Go by the wattage and speed factor,if you look at the trend £119 its ony

850w this is only suitable for light work hence it variable 27,000rpm You want the maximium wattage and variable speed for a variety of woods and working time.

[John Rumm]

10K rpm is probably good enough for all but the very largest cutters - also unless it is a constant speed feedback controller machine then the rpm will fall a little under load as well.

If it is the T5 then it does 8000 - 27,000 (read the spec lower down the page). Note however the T5 is a 1/4" machine (that will do 8mm as well), you are unlikely to need the lowest speeds anyway since these typically only apply to large panel profiling cutters, that are not usually available in 1/4" shank, and may not even fit through the hole in the base plate.

The T5, I would say is a very good first machine (especially at that price - IIRC mine cost more like £250). It is versatile, very smooth and accurate, and delivers more power to the cutting edge than some so called 1300W machines I have tried. It also has soft start, and a micro adjustment on the side fence. It works well handheld (assuming you like the traditional Elu style layout), and will do medium weight work in a table.

There is often a little bar graph on the side of the router that translates the numbers to speed ranges. Failing that it will be in the book.

In practice this is usually the case. Having said that I don't usually try to run the largest cutters in my T5, so rarely use the slowest speeds on it.

[John Rumm]

Not sure I agree with that really. Working time will be more a factor of the grade of motor and gearbox. The Trend is rated for industrial use and hence continuous operation - many of the budget machines will require a use/rest duty cycle to prevent overheating. Delivered power seems adequate for a 1/4" machine. You may want more if you plan on making frequent use of larger 8mm shank cutters.

[The Medway Handyman]

Ditto my Makita 3620 860w router, more welly than some 1200w 'shed' jobbies. No frills, it just routs really well. 20 years old + still works a treat.

[George]

The Trend T5EB is not an industrial use router its for light duty and will not stand 1/2 hour continuous use, ie without stopping for cooling down period, I don't care what you say any power tool that is 850watts 240v is not made for industrial use.

Trend is a name badge and grossly overpriced and overrated.

[John Rumm]

Since I have had one of the original T5s for many years, I can confirm from experience that this is not the case.

You may want to check Axminster's rating of it here:

(that's the EK - which I believe is the same, but with a carry case and fine height adjuster included)

The T3 (or now T4) is their light duty router, and that one is badge engineered and available from a number of brands.

Not sure I follow the logic - the power input is not related to the duty cycle. That is a function of the quality of the machine, and how effective its cooling is. The power output needs to be appropriate for the sizes of cutters that you might expect to use. The T5 seems to perform very well in this respect for a mid sized machine.

My experience is different, but each to his own.

Dewalt do a similar machine if you prefer at a similar price. It lacks the fine adjuster on the side fence though, and does not get such good reviews.