Minimal router body

[dent]

Hi all,

I'm a big fan of Woodgears.ca, and lots of the machines on there make use of a minimal router which isn't much more than a motor with a collet (e.g.,

I can't find where to buy one of these though. I'm probably using the wrong search term, and I've not found anything by browsing through online catalogues either. Or perhaps its just a normal router which has been stripped of all the extra bits? Any recommendations for something suitable - 1/2", with variable speed, but without a base, depth adjustment, and so on.

thanks,

dan.

[Adam Aglionby]

Try `spindle` Kress are big name in ones.

Cheers Adam

[robgraham]

Try this website

[fred]

The American market favours the fixed base router over the European penchan= t for plunge routers. Most of these fixed base routers can have the body of= the router removed from the fixed base. DeWalt in particular do a small ro= uter that comes with both a fixed and a plunge base.

now also have one on the market

of these or one of their bigger brothers may be what you are looking fo= r.

[Andy Dingley]

Kress. Mail order from German on-line shops, as it seems hard to UK source them these days.

Some US people like the 1/4" blue Bosch router with the semi-fixed base. I've got a box of dead ones and shoddy warranty service from Bosch 8-( (It seems that if blue Bosch isn't coming from the Scintilla factory in Switzerland, it's a bit crappy these days)

[John Rumm]

Looks like a Porter Cable fixed base router...

Fixed base machines are less common here than in the US but there are a few about.

The smallest is probably the Bosch:

also do a bigger version supplied with both plunge and fixed bases:

do a similar one:

you want a 1/2" how about:

[John Rumm]

I really like my small Bosch (GOF 600)... but then again, mine has not broken yet ;-)

[The Other Mike]

the German on line stores cheaper, I can't find any.

[fred]

Don't really like my GOF 600. Depth setting is ridiculously hit and miss and the rigmarole of using a bushing is very tedious also. I could not imagine it being used as a trim router unless one had lots of patience.

Having said all that I find blue Bosch to be very reliable and the only run in I ever had with a prick in their service department was quickly resolve with an email to Germany

[John Rumm]

In fact correction - mine is a GKF 600 (same as the version called the Colt in the US) The GOF series are bigger.

This one:

Don't really like my GOF 600. Depth setting is ridiculously hit and

using for trimming is where it excels IME. Especially if you stick the wide translucent baseplate on it with the side knob and the dust cowl.

Height adjustment seems easy enough - open the clip, twist the body to disengage from the work gear and set the height approximately. Rotate it back to the geared position and then tweak with the fine height adjustment. Finally snap the locking clip back when done.

This shows the process nicely:

Having said all that I find blue Bosch to be very reliable and the

Its the only bit of blue Bosch I have at the mo, so can't really compare.