I need a new router. The depth adjustment has gone bonkers on mine, and is slipping. I only use the router mounted under a router table, so I've been having to shim up under the thing at every depth to get a continuous depth through the whole cut. Yeah, I know... it sucks.

Anyway, I need a new router and wanted opinions on brands according to your own experience. I'm not interested in a plunge router, as this will only be mounted to the table.

Oh, and if it matters, I'd prefer 1/4" shank, as I don't want to replace all my bits.

Thanks, guys!!

~michael

My Porter Cable router has NEVER done me wrong... I've had it for 20 years. It doesn't get a ton of use.. but it's had some, and I've never even so much as had to replace the brushes.

Noted. Thanks!

I have a Milwalkee mounted on my table. Its a great tool but the switch went out of it just past the warantee period. $80 for a new switch OUCH!.Paid seems like $275 for it and it should have not broken down that soon. So thumbs down on that brand.

Michael, you might look for a router that takes 1/2" and 1/4" shanks. Mine takes both ,I use mostly 1/4" but its nice to have the option. Good luck

Michael, I love my Porter Cable 890 series. It works well in the table and has enough power to handle any jobs I will be doing. I have also heard good things about Triton routers - lots of power and less expensive. Bosch has earned high marks in the woodworking magazines also.

My Ridgid 29302 cost me around 200 bucks and has been fantastic. I enjoy that it can easily convert from a fixed router on the table to a plunge type.

I'll third porter cable, I have had no problems despite the abuse I give them. check pawn shops for used ones.
bob

I've got Porter Cable, Sears, Black and Decker, and Milwaukee (yes I know I'm a router glutton, and that doesn't count my plunge and laminate routers). All work find and hold up fine. I've used all of them on the router table at one time or another. What I can tell you is that you want a larger power motor on one you use on a table, and one you use for hand use. Tendency to push thing through it harder and faster than you probably should and it takes a toll on the motor. Porter Cable is probably my favorite one.

My Bosch works great. Ten years old and just got new bearings @ $80. Mine does 1/4 and 1/2" bits. Great for big cuts and very firm cutting with less noise.

Doc

Upon recommendations from many pros, I use a Porter Cable model 75182 in a Rockler router table, and it has never bogged down or "slipped".

Thanks for all the great suggestions! Sounds like Porter Cable is getting the most recommendations. I'll being going shopping next time I get paid.

Just for clarity, as my original post may have been ambiguous... It is the depth adjustment that is slipping, and not the bit in the collet. FWIW, it is a Craftsman. I also gave away another Craftsman one time that had a crappy depth adjuster, that was just too hard to use. It used to bind trying to rotate the adjuster. Pain in the butt, although it did make an even cut from end to end.

This one is easier to use, but it won't stay put. If you start off at 1/4", you'll probably be running 1/8" by the time you go a few inches. That's why I've had to shim under the router... between the top of the router (on the underside as mounted), and the bench that the router table is mounted to. This is the only way to keep the height of the bit from dropping during the cut... keep the whole router from moving.

My heavy duty Sears one has only lasted 45 years so far. It was their best.

Bob Sanders
Magic by Sander

Michael Porter Cable is just great. you may want to look at going to sears parts online they may have the part that is worn out on your router. I had to fix an old air compressor a while back and I did find the needed part. But its kinda of rough to get someone on the phone at craftsman parts who knows anything. So you will need to do the leg work yourself. But yours may only need a 15 dollar part and it will be good as new.

Unless you just want to upgrade then I would go to Porter Cable.

BTW Festool looks good but IMO PC is way better all around. Now the clamping table is okay for some thing but as a whole I would pass on Festool. Just thought I would throw that out there. You will be way happier with another brand than the pricey Festool.

Cheers

Don't have a router, but another vote for Porter Cable being a great brand.

Michael,

Porter Cable has my vote, too. I have a 3 1/4 H.P. router mounted in my table.


Nick

Another vote for Sears parts online. I've used them a few times for replacements for old Craftsman products--once for parts for a 20-25 year old garage door opener motor!

One of my buddies has a PC router which he recommended when I asked him the same question some time back.

Check to make sure your router table will work with whatever brand you get. Depending on the model, it may or may not be difficult to drill new holes in the cover plate. (For the record, I've got a Rigid as well, but only because it fit my price range. You'd probably be better served with a model like Porter Cable- they seem to be the go-to name for routers.)

My router table is made of wood, so I can fit pretty much anything to it.

Hi Michael,
I don't build any where close to the amount of magic that you do, but I do build cabinet's and furniture. I have a couple of sears routers, a bosch, a ryobi and a porter cable. For my router table I have the porter cable setup because it is the best. The others I use for away from home work.

Best
Chris

My recommendation is you buy a Porter-Cable, Bosch, Hitachi, or Milwaukee router. But before you do, go here and check out their precision router collet & nut replacement sets: http://www.precisebits.com/

Most consumer-grade routers - even the best quality ones - have an unacceptable amount of runout in the collet. The cause of this is typically NOT the in the motor arbor, but in the mass-produced collets and nuts that come with the router. If you spend a little extra and buy high-precision collets and nuts you'll greatly improve the quality of your finished cuts AND increase your tool life.

Now, if you decide to purchase a replacement collet/nut set, I recommend you buy from Jeff Birt at Soigeneris: http://www.soigeneris.com/

Just call him and tell him what you want - his service, prices and flexibility in shipping (he'll use US Mail if you request it - which I always do) are the best... even better than the parent company he represents.

TW