This is partly just to vent, partly a request for information/advice.
I have two routers I use hand-held, a Bosch 1617 and a DeWalt 621. I have some of the accessory dust collection attachments for the Bosch, and the DeWalt comes with dust collection above the cutter built in. I have a Fein Turbo III that I use with both. I am not very satisfied with the results.
I just finished routing out the opening for the mounting plate in my router table top. It is MDF, with HP laminate on both surfaces. I was unable to use the DeWalt because the template bit I used to cut the "ledge" is quite short (as it had to be, the cut is only 3/8-inch deep), and the "reach" of the DeWalt router is limited because the hole in the top of the dust collection shroud won't pass the collet nut. So I used the Bosch, with the above the cutter shroud attachment. For that part of the job, the dust collection was just OK.
Then I roughed out the through-opening with a jigsaw, and used the Bosch router to clean up the cut. THAT was a mistake. I couldn't use the dust collection shroud for edge forming operations inside the small cutout, and the above the cutter shroud didn't really work well at all. I spent a long time cleaning up the MDF dust that was spread ALL OVER my shop. It was quite a mess. Fortunately I was using a respirator.
Previously, I'd used the Bosch to cut dados and do some edge forming on a large piece of Wenge, for my fireplace mantel. I had similar problems then, but the Wenge produced far less fine dust than the MDF did. The Wenge, however, is a bit oily, and the fine dust that was generated did stick pretty well to just about every surface in my shop.
This experience makes me rather leary of using the router hand-held, except for the smallest operations (e.g., mortices). It seems to me, there must be a solution to this problem.
What do YOU do for dust collection when using a router hand-held? Are you happy with the results?
Thanks.