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I need help picking a router for my Dad. He is a weekender and would not use the router every day. He would like to be able to put it in a table and use it that way also . How many HP? Good brands, and fixed or plunge?
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Difficult topic to get a concensus; but, IMHO, if you're only going to get one router and it has to be ready for just about anything, then you'll be wanting a plunge router. I'm very fond of my older Ryobi routers; I'm not nearly as impressed by the newer ones (just opinion). Makita (3612C)is now the popular local brand as far as I can tell, and it looks like a fine router. Porter-Cable seem to have more attachments, but would be difficult to cost-justify unless you're a heavy/daily user.
*Have to agree with Phil about buying the plunge. You can leave a plunge stationary as is , but a stationary needs an added base to plunge, extra cost an hassle for a occasional user. I recommend the Bosch 2 hp 1613EVS. It is the finest router I own and I have five. Good overall power without being to heavy to be awkward to handle, soft start, 3/4 roud base with 1/4 straight,variable speed. Try it ,you'll love it.
*One router can't manage all router encounters.If routing is to be your dad's "thing" he shoud probably have a plunger and a fixed base. Books have been written about all this. Better to start out conservative and scale up with demand. PC has a full range of routers, might be a good place to start.For appraisal of 13 of the best tools see routers.
*Sounds like a job for the Porter Cable fixed/plunge kit. Think it runs about $250. Jeff
*I have the Makita 3612c - very nice. Unless most of your work is laminate trimmer work, I would go with a nice 2-3 hp with plunge capability - plunge adds little weight for good gain in function. In a table, you're really going to want the extra power.
*The Porter Cable fixed/plunge/table combo is tough to beat; on sale everywhere for less than $300. Get Fine Homebuilding and check the ads. I've got the set and it goes to most general carpentry jobs with me; need some shoe? some ogee base, some quarterround? Gimme a minute...beats the hell outta sending your helper out for an hour to get 30' of moulding. And I can pretty up normally bland utilitarian stuff, to the invariable delight of my client, in minutes. Need to break an edge? Machine it with a quarter-inch roundover...looks nice, customer likes, you smile every time you look at it, thinking,"Yeah, that's sweet"...Joel K.Diggin' pointless complexity and random acts of art..Ay! carumba! thus we declare the revolution!
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I need help picking a router for my Dad. He is a weekender and would not use the router every day. He would like to be able to put it in a table and use it that way also . How many HP? Good brands, and fixed or plunge?