62 Re: routers
Description
This article is from the Woodworking FAQ Collection 4, by multiple authors.
62 Re: routers
From: dennis@elrond.CalComp.COM (John R. Dennis)
Date: 22 Jul 88 13:57:54 GMT
>> o How much horsepower?
>> o Plunge capability
>> o What about bits? 1/4 inch vs. 1/2 inch? Any standard bits that
>> you should have, what about sets?
I would like to second the obsevations that Robert made in a previous
article. I also purchased a Sears 1 1/2 horse power router and have in
the last year replaced it with a Ryobi 3 hp plunge router. The primary
reason for replacing the Sears was to gain the plunge capability. If
you plan to do cabinet work you will find the plunge capability
essential. It wonderful for doing mortises and blind dados. But its
real virtue is the ease and speed with which you can go from one depth
setting to another. To properly use a router one should make several
passes at increasing levels of depth. A conventional router requires
time consuming adjustments. With my plunge router I can make three
different depth passes without ever turning the router off or making
any adjustments to the router. Additional power helps but is not
essential. A bigger advantage of the 1/2" routers is that they chatter
much less and make a smoother cut. You also can get 1/2" bits that will
give you shaper capability to do coped rails and stiles and raised
panels. A 1/4" router is too small to attempt such operations. Robert
is right though the cost of the bits is the primary expense. But don't
skimp and buy steel bits. Carbide bits are worth every penny. A steel
bit will dull to an unusable edge within one or two uses. I make these
recomendations based on my own experience. I have bought a router twice
and bits twice because on my first purchase I tried to save some $$ and
ended up spending more in the long run by replacing my original
purchases.
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