Routers Reviews

First, I am pleased with this router system. I researched 4 or 5 other routers and ended up with this one, based mainly on what I read in magazines and other reviews.

I've now owned it for a little over a year. I'm not a full time woodworker so the router doesn't have as much time on it has you may think after owning it a year. I've done, maybe, a dozen or so cabinet doors and the like in that time.

A couple weeks ago it broke. It had been in my router table for a long time so it was never dropped or abused. What happened was it would turn on and work fine. Then I would shut it off to readjust something, and it wouldn't turn back on. I'd check the connections, etc, and it would work again. After this went on for a time, it finnally stopped turning on at all and I was forced to take it in for repair.

I got it back yesterday. Luckily it was only a $28.00 repair to replace the on/off switch. See, it seems the seal (there actually isn't one) around the switch doesn't keep all the fine dust particles out of the switch. In time, the dust built up inside the switch and it clogged the contact (which is about the size of two pen heads, its very small). There was about a teaspoon of dust inside the switch.

I plan on putting the router back into my table but not before I run some duct tape around the seal in the attempt to slow the dust accumalation down a bit. The mechanic said there is no way to prevent the dust from getting in there again but the tape may help. That it is in a enclosed router table probably doesn't help much, as compared to being used outside the table where the dust has a chance to be blown away from the router motor.

Wow, switch failed at one year plus 19 days, so no warranty help. Why are they selling a product with a known switch problem? It took me about an hour to fix the problem. The little spring inside was bent and out of position so I had to modify it a bit. Now it works like new. In other words, I will have to fix it again, after it fills with dust again. How about a recall Bosch?

Like many of my fellow reviewers, I have enjoyed using the tool, until the power switch died. Of course, the tool is just outside of the one year warranty. Bosch is sending me the "redesigned" switch at no charge, but will not install. I would very much appreciate any simple procedures to change the switch.

The main problem I found with the router was the poorly fitting 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch collet. Both were too large to fit standard router bits when the compression nut was in place. I had grind the hardened steel collets on a lathe ( to avoid unbalancing the rapidly turning bits) to fit. The second problem I found was that the system that controls the depth of bits is sprung to high. This makes it difficult to extend the bits without using excessive force to compress the springs. The adjustment knob, usefull for fine adjustments, also requires excessive force to turn when the springs are near full compression. Because the knob compresses only one side it will jam pulling the router out of alignment. This makes it difficult to use in a table. The final major complaint is the collet doesnot extend far enough for some short router bits. In summary inexpesive but beware of its limitations.

This is the second Freud router I have purchased. The first one I overheated. Outside the warranty period, Freud replaced it for free with no questions asked. I attended a factory representative demonstration of the router and other Freud products. The technology Freud puts into all its products is superior and worth the price. This is the only plunge router that I tried that "plunged" up and down smoothly.

This router is simply amazing. I have owned a few routers, from fixed base to plunge type, and am very pleased with this router in peticular in comparison to the others I have owned in the past. I own two of these work horses, and they never let me down. Positive features include the soft start, multiple speed for different types of router bit aplications, and micro adjustment knob. When the router is plunged and attempting to adjust with knob even further, it is a little difficult, as there is a lot of tension under the springs. However that is no set back. It performs awsome in the table I have it mounted in. I do mostly custom car audio aplications with this router, but I own cabinetry bits such as a raised panel set that this router turns amazingly. This is not your average router, and for the price, I plan on owning one more to add to my collection. Very happy with it.

As another reviewer has experienced, there are some kits out there
with missing parts.
My kit also missed both collets, centering guide, wrench, and dust hose adapter!

Update: Got the kit replaced with another one that was OK.
The kit itself I have found to be very good, so it could be close to 5 stars really...

I have been using my router (cheep one) for a long time and been wating to invest in a better one for a while. This was the one I chose and Im glad I did. The three bases saved me money later. I liked that. I was amazed that no matter which base I chose to use I could still put it back in the case with the attached base. Someone was thinking as Dewalt usually does. Fine machine, speed controol, triger features, lots of things I would not have thought of untill after I started using it. Overall Dewalt is still my first choice on electrical wood working equipment.

This is a great product, and you can get it, along with any other products on Amazon up to $500 Free! Participate in a special promotion and get a free $500 Amazon Gift Card at this web site: nocost2u.biz/amazon

I'm the typical doityourselfer and I certainly think I do not use the Rotozip for more than it was intended, but recently it started sounding like something was loose and scraping inside of it while in use (a very unpleasant and alarming sound). Like other reviewers, I opened up my Rotozip to discover the cooling fan rubbing up against the housing. Years ago, I paid over $200 for my Rotozip and am pretty angry that such a potentially dangerous flaw would find its way into such a widely sold product. Aside from attempting the Loctite fix, I'll probably replace this tool with a Craftsman brand rotorary cutting tool simply because it would seem that brand would make a difference in this case - especially if you plan to use a product for more than a few years. I will never endorse Rotozip tools should anyone ever ask me.

Myself, I'm a lowly home owner. I bought this tool, because of it's maneuverability and speed with which it cuts. For roughing in flooring in my attic, it performed better than any tool I have ever owned. The power, cable and phonewires in my attic were easily managed by cutting a quarter inch deep trench in the 2x4's, such that the plywood wouldn't crush them. I then was able to freehand cut the plywood around the roofing supports. All said and done, I had my attic completely floored in about 3 hours. It would have taken several weekends of my time using conventional jigsaws, or hauling stuff up and down the ladder.

I cannot dispute the issues of the fan blade; I do not doubt that this happens with commercial use. However, for the home user it has not been a problem for me. I gave it 4 stars, instead of 5 stars for the simple reason that I agree with the commercial users. The fan should be able to withstand the temperatures the tool will generate in continuous use.

One of those tools you thought you might not need but are now darn glad you have. You'll wonder if this tool will help with pretty much every challenging cutting angle or clearance issue. Used the accessories almost from day 1, so the combo makes sense. No regrets.

I own a small home improvement/remodeling company. About a week ago I decided that I wanted another router station in my shop to simplify things. I saw this on sale at the local woodworking store so I bought it without hesitation, first mistake, second was thinking I would save a few bucks and get it over the aluminum plates they sell for $49. This plate is JUNK. The 1/32" crown that they "manufacture" into it makes any edge forming work (i.e. lock miter joints) impossible to achieve accurately, the plastic insert rings are extremely tight and would require you to file off most of the "molded burr" to make removal without a pry bar possible. I highly recommend that you save yourself the time and money I lost and invest a little more for an aluminum plate that is FLAT!

I like the base. I have a hitachi m12v mounted to it. No flex whatsoever in the plate. It is very rigid and does not bow. The included hardware is good, but I did not care much for the nylon raisers. I bought #10 24-thread , machine screws to replace these. Just a preference, not mandatory. Comes with a start pin for table routing smaller piece with no fence.

The snap in rings are strong and rigid. They snap in real tight. I found that if you use your router bit wrench you can pop them out real easy without maring them by just sliding the blunt rounded tip of the end of the wrench in and using the opposite side of the ring to snap it out. Works really smooth.

You can not fab one for cheaper using the same materials...its a
no brainer to get it-

Jason

I have a construction company in New Orleans, specializing in historic renovation. We have been using Rousseau base plates on our Porter Cable 7538 Routers for five or six years. We build our own router tables using an old Fine Woodworking up-plunge router table design. We have 6 tables that stay on the job sites and are undoubtedly the most heavily used job site tool. The major reason we started using this combination is we job build most of our doors. Using an up-plunge router table I can mortise 3 inch deep pockets in my door stiles, easily creating some very solid doors. The key to all this working is the toughness and the versatility of the Rousseau base plates.
My carpenters can keep their favorite routers with them, and quickly set them up up in the router table they're using. Up-plunging these routers on a table with an up-plunge pulley system, puts a lot of stress on the base plate because the base plate has to be fastened to the tabletop with corner screws. These plates take an amazing amount of abuse and the first one I ever put on a router is still in use today. Buy this base plate with confidence, you will not be disappointed.

I bought the 1618EVS at the Chantilly VA tool show in March of 2003, and had problems with the router motor sticking in the base from the very first usage. Even with the clamp completely loose, the grey/white oxidation on the motor casing causes so much friction that installing/raising/lowering the router is a painful experience. Nothing I've tried so far removes the oxidation. I will be trying to return this, soon. Too, bad, because I love my other Bosch tools. (1619 router is awesome, as is 1587 jigsaw)

In addition to this router, I also own a Porter Cable 890 router so in my evaluation of this Bosch 1618EVS I compare the Bosch router against the PC.

There's much to like with this router. It's powerful and the soft start and variable speed works very well. I like the control the D-handle gives me. I feel much safer starting a router with both hands on the handles than having to let go of one handle to click a toggle switch on the top of the motor.

The two major things I don't like about this router are:

1. It's difficult to take the motor out of the base and to put it back in again. When I received the router, it was obvious that something about the base just doesn't work well. And if you're like me and take the motor out to change bits, this gets to be a hassle. If you loosen the clamp bolt sufficiently to allow the motor to come out/go in easily, the base doesn't clamp tightly enough and the depth of your cut changes as you're cutting.

After fiddling with the motor and base a while, I found that a small amount of lubrication between the motor and base works wonders - the motor becomes easy to put in and take out. I need to see if this lubrication becomes a dust magnet and whether it holds up (how often I have to re-lubricate)

2. The other thing I'm not happy about (but this isn't as serious as the first) is the way the fine adjustment works. On my PC, the fine adjustment is continuous. That is, I can crank the router completely up or down using the fine adjustment. The PC has a lever for coarse adjustments, but using it is up to you. The Bosch has only a limited amount of fine adjustment. Once you use up the fine adjustment, you have to go back to the coarse adjustment and make a major adjustment up or down, then run the fine adjustment to the other end of the adjustment screw. You don't hit this all the time, but, when you do, it's a pain in the butt.

So why did I buy this router? The PC 890 series does not come with a D-handle with a power switch. The PC switch can be activated either on the top of the motor or lower down on the motor so you can switch it on and off without letting go of the handles - but I just wanted a D-handle router for non-router table use.

Would I buy it again? I can't say yet - I need some more time with the router to see if the motor/base problem comes back.

I also want to add a SAFETY pitch. Soft start routers cost a bit more than fixed speed routers but the startup is significantly safer. If you buy a fixed speed router (non-soft start), you'll be fighting the startup torque every time you use it. It only takes one time - one little bit of inattention on your part - and the router will jerk out of your hands on startup. It WILL happen to most woodworkers at least once in their careers. And for what you spend at the emergency room, you could have bought several soft start routers.

I purchased this router on a recommendation of a fellow woodworker. Overall I am really satisfied with the router. Do plan on adding a tiny bit of lube between the base and motor for smoother adjustments (thus only 4 stars). Other than that, the soft start is great. Power is smooth and delivered. And the D-Handle is a must have for safety reasons. Even with one hand the router feels much safer than the knob versions out there. The weight of the unit isn't too bad, so this one can be held for durations without issues...
This router is has a variable speed knob on the top making it yet even more useful.
I own several Bosch tools and I haven't had any problems with them. They continue to work, job after job.

I am a remodeling contractor and do a lot of cabinet and finish work.
First things first. This router fence is nice! I like the fact that I can micro adjust both sides of the fence independently. This allows for adjustment to obtain full contact of the routed work to be in solid contact with the out feed fence. The dust collection port works wonderfully. All in all, this fence is very very nice.
Secondly, I was torn between rating this product a 3 or a 5. Like many, I purchased the SH-5 prior to Freud including the adapter plates, which are needed on most router tables. Now that the plates ARE included, this is no longer an issue. I did find it quite frustrating when I first received the unit. Also, the quality control department overlooked the fact that the 1/4 -20 machine screw holes in the in feed bracket were only tapped � way thru. I found it frustrating that I had to finish the tapping of the threaded holes myself. After my anger passed, the assembly was very straightforward. Instructions are not included, but really people, they are not needed. With the above mentioned the product would qualify for a 3 star rating.... Please read on.
I routed 12" x �" x 3/8" deep slots in my table so that I could mount mini-T-tracks perpendicular to the router fence. This allows for much improved positioning of the fence to bit situation over the limited threaded screw inserts supplied. The total assembly of the t-tracks, re-tapping and assembly of the adapter plates was an hour and a half. All well worth the time spent.
I have this setup installed on my Rousseau table saw wing using a Porter Cable 890 router and a Rockler on/off switch plugged into a Craftsman Auto switch that activates my Shop Vac when I turn on the router. I made accurate and smooth passes on the Freud fence. I played a little with the out feed table and even used it to joint �" edges on finish work. The whole wing of course is removable with all the hardware attached for easy storage.
Would I buy this router fence again? Yes. Would I use it in my home workshop? Yes, IF my budget was limited and I wanted a quality manufactured router fence. This is a good solid product and I look forward to using it more.

Received fence and was very happy with craftsmanship. Took almost a month to get here but I assume that was because it was on back order. The only problem is that it did not come with Brass/SS inserts that are screwed into the table to fasten the device to the table. When I emailed Amazon.com they told me I needed to contact Freud. When I emailed Freud they never responded so I'm back to square one. I'll buy the things myself just tell me what they are called and I'll buy them.

I looked at and studied many different ad's on router fences for a router table that I made to my specs. This ajustable Freud fence is difinitely number #1. It micro ajusts to the smallest measurements so easy. I love it, and can't really say how much right here. Thanks Freud for making it. And thank you Amazon.com again for marketing it.


Gary Audet
Brandon, Vermont

I purchased this tool for use as a high speed spindle on a cnc mill. It has performed very well and has no detectable play in the work that I am doing with it, milling PCBs

This is a smooth powerful and rugged tool. I have used mine to cut drywall, plaster, wood, plastic and even old window putty (glazing compound). I have used it overhead to 'chase' cracks in plaster so I could repair them with Durabond. Even in this very dusty application, the tool has given me zero problems. The 'bump off' switch is a great feature as you can turn the tool off and lay it down with one hand. The handle and guides in the kit just add to the ease of use in specific applications. If you're looking for a rotary saw, you will be happy with this fine tool.

This is a wonderful cut-out tool. It cuts through drywall with ease and makes a very smooth cut. You need to use both hands as it is very powerful but I haven't had any trouble keeping a straight line so far.

Like any rotary cut-out tool, it breaks bits! Keep a good supply handy and happy cutting.

I bought this Router and it worked just fine, until I had to do some real work. It lasted about 3 weeks.

I was routing a 1/2 inch wide by 3/4 deep rabit on a piece of red oak, using the router in a table. I had four bords to rout. I was almost done with the second board when the router started to make rude noises. A few seconds later, it just quit, leaving large amounts of ozone tainted air and a very frustrated user.

It turned out that both brushes were gone, totally burned away. One of the brush contacts on the spindle was entirely fused off. The router is now scrap.

I would buy, and am now, a router with more horsepower if you intend anythin else but occasional weekend work. Do not expect this router to last under anything other than ossasional use.

I have had this product for about 5 years now. I had a craftsman router of the same class I got as a gift 1 year prior to this purchase that crapped out on me after 6 small uses. I am very pleased with this product. It is user friendly although I can't seem to become good at the plunge base. It has plenty of power smooth start up as well as what I feel will be a long life. Ignore the price tag on this one it is irrelevant. I'd pay more for this quality. This is my favorite tool in the shop.

I just purchased this router and have been greatly impressed. Sure, there may be better routers out there in terms of more HP or finer plunge adjustments and so forth, but they are alot more expensive. I've learned to be realistic with my tool buys. I'm not a contractor, carpenter or professional woodworker. That being said, I try to spend my money wisely on tools the fit my hobby - weekends spent in my little home shop building funiture (tables, bedframes, picture frames, etc.) for myself and friends.

That being said, this is really a great router. The double base is wonderful in that I know I won't have to purchase another router for a long time. I don't find swapping the bases to be that big a deal at all. Bits are easy to change in and out. The only thing that concerned me was that it was only 1 1/2 horsepower. I thought I should get a beefier router at 2 or 3 HP. But after using this router for several projects now, I have learned that 1 1/2 HP is clearly enough power for nearly any job out there. I've not had a single hiccup or hesitation. The motor moves through the wood like a knife through butter.

I've used this router for detail work, like cutting details into picture frames, and for grunt work, like etching out mortises for a bed frame, and it handled both with ease.

For all my fellow weekend warriors, I'd highly suggest this router.

I bought this from amazon for $225 two years ago. It is a good router, but the Milwaukee or Bosch are just as good (I have all three) for a lot less money.

Turn it on, run it for hours on the router table and shut it down at the end of the day. This is a serious production-quality machine. Go ahead, just TRY to bog it down, nothing phases this brute. Depth djustments are simple and repeatable. The Fein is quiet and powerful, it doesn't scream at deafening pitch like most of the other 3+HP routers out there (a HUGE plus if you have to listen to it all day). Available accessories are pricey, I would have liked to see them included with the standard kit so I have to give this router 4 stars, otherwise it's a dream to use and holds up to the test of time.

I've owned several routers over the years. The Fein is probably at the top of the heap of 3-1/4 HP routers. It is quiet, well-balanced, and fairly light. I love it's on-off switch--by far the best, and considerably easier to turn on and off than that of DeWalt. So far, I've had no breakdowns (my DeWalt had a cord failure and an on-off switch screw-up). Don't get too carried away by "whisper-quiet"--once the bit hits the wood, all routers are about the same! It's not really 6 speeds; it has a continual speed adjustment, labelled 1-6. Height adjustment is easy and accurate. This router just has a great "feel" to it in terms of low vibration and balance that makes me think it's going to be humming along for a long, long time. My only regret is that I got this router last rather than first.