Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm looking to buy a router.
Any recomendations?

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My Black & Decker is still going strong after 25 years....

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Well, then - buy an old one.
Or an old Porter Cable.

I like vintage guitars and old cars.
Why not vintage tools?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

OK. You know Sherman's number?

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"Act your age, not your shoe size" - Prince

Are you able to go look at some?

IMO, besides power, there's mainly a difference in ergonomics & what feels right to you.

Look at how to adjust the depth of cut, change bits and plunge (assuming you want a plunge router).

I have an old Porter Cable fixed base router that has been a real workhorse, very simple & reliable. I also have an Elu plunge router (same as DeWalt) that has also worked very well.

Kevin Looker

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I'm not a luthier.
I'm just a guy who builds guitars in his basement.
It's better than playing golf.

I prefer Porter cable myself . However I did get a small Rigid router at the big O that has been a good lil router.

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These 3 cover the needs for me.
I like the very old B and D in the center,
because it has the best height adjustment I've ever used.
The PC lam trimmer is the one that I use the most.
The big PC is good for cavities and such.
The medium one is the one I would have if I only had one router.
The big one on the right is a plunge router,
which can be a nice feature,
if you want to take the time to set it up!

The new Porter Cable routers are not that great, to be honest. My old 690 is a workhorse. I hear constant complaints about new ones eating up bearings and screaming from day one.

I have a Bosch 1617....not a bad router. That would probably be my choice if I was pinching pennies. You'll have to get an adapter or replace the base (I replaced the base) to use PC guide bushings. I just tossed a Jasper base on mine.

Other than that, Festool. I'm totally sold on Festool at this point. So many shops I know have been switching to Festool because they just can't afford to be buying new routers and sanders every 6 months.

I'll probably end up going to a tool store since I want to get a feel for what I'm buying.
Up until now I've been using my mentor's Bosch Pof 500 which is a delight, but since they stopped manufacturing it and Ebay sellers won't ship it to Israel I'm gonna have to find something different.

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I think it depends on what you intend to use it for. Since you posted in the electric guitar & bass section, I'm guessing you will use it with templates for routing cavities in solid body instruments, correct? I have a Milwaukee #5625-20 3 ½ Hp fixed base router that I use for heavy duty tasks like that, it also works great in my router table. For lighter work, I have a number of Bosch Colts in various jigs, set up for specific tasks. One advantage of this it that I can keep different bits in them, and just swap the router if I need a different bit, which is much faster than changing bits. My PC 310 is a great tool, unfortunately they don't make them any more. My Hitachi M6SB wore out after few years of light duty work, so I don't recommend it. Lots of folks seem to like the new generation Rigid laminate trimmers, which are about the same size as the Colts. I also have a couple of plunge base routers, but I don't find them particularly useful for guitar making (of course, I make mostly acoustics, so YMMV). Add a Dremel or two, and you should be all set for all your routing needs.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

No mention of Dewalt... well that's what I have and I love it

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Mike Hoenerhoff
Elderly Instruments

Have a Bosch 1617EVS, words great. Porter Cable 690 in a fixed base, also works great. Triton 3HP beast in the router table which is nice and huge and bit bulky for handheld use as well as a PC 310 lam trimmer for the binding jig. I use the Bosch most often for run of the mill electric guitar work not requiring/involving table routing, and the dual base kit is a heck of a deal.

First of all thanks a lot for all the suggestions.
I need a multi purpose router since I don't have a big shop, just work in my house and build as a hobby so no big $$$.
The Bosch 1617EVS looks good especially with the plunge router base.
My biggest problem is that tool stores don't seem to hold various models and I want to see the router before I buy it (that's why I'm looking for some input).
I checked out a couple of models today. all look about the same as this :
http://www.makita.com.hk/catalog/images ... /3612C.jpg
Which is too big and heavy for me.
The Bosch pof 500 is just what I'm looking for
http://gepberlet.hu/images/atsb00006.jpg
Easy to use for light to medium duty work.
It's light and the base is pretty small so I can get to most corners of the guitar.

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I got my dad the Bosch POF 500 for small odd jobs, since he's not a big woodworker. Not a fan, unless all you're doing is truss rod slots. If you want to pattern/template route electrics you want something that can take 1/2" shaft (or 12mm) router bits, and with significantly more power. It's adequate for acoustics work, but even then I'd chose the Bosch Colt over the POF 500 ten times over. The POF500 has a flimsy, rickety base, is not terribly easy to adjust, and underpowered motor, and all-round fairly louse ergonomics (it's tall and narrow and top-heavy and tends to want to tip. Not good. For the record: Green bosch = DIY, Blue bosch = 'pro' stuff.

Smaller and lighter is not always better; the 1617EVS or PC 690 are heavier beasts, but with the added power they provide a solid foundation for a smooth, stable, controllable cut. You don't want a motor that bogs down or slows, the speed is what's doing the work here. I also find that unless you really need to plunge (which is rare, exception tends to be certain control cavities/pickup cavities) a fixed base router balances/handles better and feels overall more solid. I sometimes even prefer 'tipping' a fixed base into a cavity to plunging, although I only do so if I've removed the bulk wood with Forstners, for example.

I got a Craftsman plunge router from Sears. The good thing about them is if it craps out for some reason you have like 90 days or more to take it back. I lucked out on that cause the one I got just happened to die a little more than a month after I got it and when I returned it they gave me the model up from it cause the last one was discontinued. Maybe cause they were crappin out. But I'll say this one's done me well so far and feels pretty sturdy.

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Thanks for all the input.
Got the Bosch router in the end.
Very satisfied !

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Interesting. As far as I know the POF series of routers aren't available in the US for whatever reason.

I have owned, and worn out, a couple of Bosch POF 1400 ACE 1400 W routers. These have what appears to be a nicely designed plunge base, soft start, built-in light etc. but as Mattia mentioned, its the DIY "green series", and its not that well built. So, its really no big loss if they're not available on your side; I'm sure you have enough 'budget' tools to chose from, anyways

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

If by "budget" you mean "crap", then yeah...we have plenty of crap. We have access to some nice tools too, though. That Bosch 1617 really isn't a bad router, and neither is the Colt if they would just fix the base so the motor locks in there square. We have the Festools, of course. Until recently, Porter Cable made wonderful routers. Their 7518 motor is still nice....the rest of it has gone down the tubes.

And if you really want to scrape the bottom of the barrel, we have Harbor Freight. If you like routers with switches that break (sometimes turn on by themselves...I have one like that...it came as part of binding system I bought), bearings that scream and collets that let bits fall out, Harbor Freight is for you

It's not green it's actually blue and truth is my mentor has about 4 routers of the pof series blue and green and they have all been used plenty and have endured lots of tough jobs with no problems.

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I have a Dewalt DW618K and it's done me well....Mike

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Another day, another dollar.