Fixed vs Plunge Routers which is best?

[morpheus83uk]

Hello,

I am looking at getting a good router now I have done some research into this but everyone says different things and has different opinions.

Basically I will be using the router for rounding edges, making holes wood for tea light holders, cutting edges on specific angles with chamfer bits, and routing out window frames in wood.

These are the things currently I am looking at doing with it but in the future would possibly be more. I have read that both would be ideal as some stuff would be better done in a fixed base and others in a plunge.

I know you can get ones which have interchangeable bases but I have found these are quite expensive. I have also read that plunge routers can be fixed to a Base and used as a fixed router. Is this true?

Am I correct in what I have read and if so what do people think the best approach for my router should be? plunge or fixed?

What routers would people recommend? and is it worth having both sizes of collet available on the router for the greater array of bits?

Thanks

James

 

[vinn]

For nothing, I'd suggest that you go on one of these one or two day courses for Router newcomers.
I dont know what they do but you would surely be given advice for buying a machine plus the all important safety basics.
Trend used to advertise their courses - but maybe that was only for work tops etc. but why not inquire anyway.

 

[big-all]

ideally you would have a 1/4" and a half inch router that will spend most time under a table for use with the larger cutters used for doors and windows
candle holders[tea lights] fostner bit finished with a router

 

[Diver Fred]

Well I have both types. But only recently aquired a plunge router so please bear that in mind when reading my comments
The 'Plunge' base is easier to control the final depth of cut and is probaly safer as when the pressue is taken off the handles the cutter is pulled back through the base. You will have to apply a fair amount of downwards pressure to the handles just to keep the depth of cut consistant. That means you need to work on a firm (strong & solid) base/bench. But many have a locking mecanism to maintain a consistant depth of cut but it can be very hard to replicate the setting. When you put the machine down typically the cutter will be retracted so you won't have to wait.
The 'Fixed' base is much easier to set the depth of cut and remain consistant - particularly when you are chamerfing cutting profiles. Unfortunately when the downwards pressure is removed the cutter does not retract so you have wait for the cutter to stop rotating before lifting the router away from the workpeice. You will not be able to put the router down on it's base. It's probably easier to use this type in a router table.

Which do I find the most useful? It's very much 'Horses for Courses'... For general use probably the plunge, for specific purposes (cutting the rebate for LapHaving joint, housing joints, rabbitting) then the fixed base is easier if only for setting up purposes.
As for collet sizes, to my knowledge their are 4 in day-to-day use 1/4inch, 1/2inch and 8mm, you may also find 6 & 12mm. I'd recommend with buying today you want 1/4inch and 8mm in the one machine. 1/2inch means the machine is very powerful, far in excess of what you want as a newcomer to the tool. (mainly used for or by Kitchen fitters.)

Go to a good, probably independant, tool supplier and take advice and try one out as much as possible before you buy.

HTH's

W

 

[morpheus83uk]

Brilliant thank you for your comments. I will have a look for some of the courses suggested if any are near me.

As for the router it sounds like a 1/4 with 1/4 bits and 8mm bits. They sounds like the best for what I am going to be doing. Or would it be best to get a half inch collet router to cover everything?

Can I mount a plunge router and use it like a fixed?

Also does anyone have any recommendations for a router and bits?

Thanks

James

 

[big-all]

ok iff we put window and door making along with worktop cutting and a table to one side for later
most router tasks can be acheived with a smallish around 600-900w router
small routers equal one hand or two operation with ease and relative safety in a possibly dangerous situation
iff you dont sh1t yourself the first time you pick up and turn on a 1750w+ router without a cutter installed you may be lacking enough off the self preservation gene required to allow you to use and respect a large router like any other large often noisy machine that needs understanding and respect

 

[morpheus83uk]

Don't get me wrong I respect any power tool regardless of the power it has. it will still do damage if caught in its path or used incorrectly.

I am just thinking of what I want to do now and what would be best overall. I am not after the biggest baddest thing out there to look the part I am after something which will work well and meet my needs.

If just a 1/4 inch collet router will do everything I need that's fine its just with what I have read and people have said some stuff like rounding off edges is best with fixed base and are generally 1/2 collet routers. That's why I was asking if a plunge router would do what I need and can be fixed and it's alright and safe to do.

I am gathering information and doing my own research as well. don't get me wrong I am not trying to upset or ignore anyone I agree with everyone's views I am looking for some guidance on good bits routers and given my situation what is best? Fixed / Plunge or Combi?

Thanks

James

 

[big-all]

1/4 inch and 1/2 inch are different beasts really
i have several routers the most used are the ryobi p600 18v trimmer/light router with bits perminantly set up for rebating 2 roundover and one as an ovlo[a roundover with a 1mm step at each off the curve ends]
i also have a dewalt 26204 duel base that has a plunge and a fixed one hand base and the fixed base gets used virtually all the time
i also have a ryobi 1150w router that takes 1/2" cutters but is not powerful enough to be a full 1/2" machine so allows you to use 1/2 inch cutters to do the heavier 1/4 inch tasks or lighter 1/2" tasks where you can only get a 1/2" cutter where you only want to cut with a part off the cutter profile
my large 1/2" is a little used hitachi m12v virtually perminently under a router table for the larger cutters
cant remember the last time i used plunge action as 95% off cutting uses bearings just to follow an edge

with a 1/2" router weighing around 5.5kg or 12 lb you really need a small and large router minimum
keep in mind the router is the cheaper part off the kit cutters table and other accessories will cost more

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Basically I will be using the router for rounding edges, making holes wood for tea light holders, cutting edges on specific angles with chamfer bits, and routing out window frames in wood

Any type of router could do most of thoise things, however, "making holes wood for tea light holders" is a plunging job and can only ever be done safely using a plunge router.Try it with a fixed base router by tilting the bae and you risk a dig in or damaging your jig

There is nothing a fixed base router can do that a plunge base cannot do as well or even better. Choose the right plunge router and you can turn it, in effect, into a micro-adjustable fixed base router by simply substituting a fine depth adjuster for the depth indicator flag/ You can't make a fixed base router plunge

What routers would people recommend? and is it worth having both sizes of collet available on the router for the greater array of bits?

The size of router depends very much on the relative sizes of work you are doing. Both sizes of collet? In fact in the UK there are generally 3 sizes 1/4in (6.35mm), 8mm and 1/2in (12.7mm). 6mm and 8mm are continental sizes rarely seen here - you will struggle to get cutters in those shank sizes and even the range in 8mm is limited. As a rule use the largest shank size you can - it's a strength issue: an 8mm shank has about 1.6 times the cross section of a 1/4in shank, so it will be a lot stronger, whilst a 1/2in shank is almost four times the cross section of a 1/2in shank and about 2.5 times the cross section of an 8mm shank

Can I mount a plunge router and use it like a fixed?

Yes, but get a fine adjuster as mentioned above

Also does anyone have any recommendations for a router and bits?

Full size 1/2in routers are big and heavy, especially for a beginner (my heavy rouer is a Festool OF2200e - not something for tyros). If your budget allows yake a look at the deWalt DW622 - this is about the same size as many 8mm routers but it has 1400 watts on tap and a 1/2in collet. It is an update (more power, 1/2in max. collet as against 8mm) to the long established 8mm DW621 router (reviewed here). These two routers also feature dust extraction through one of the columns which is well-up to the standards of the much vaunted Festools and they have a switch lock (useful for use in a router table). BTW that review is warts and all and you should note that the author regards the DW621 as one of the best routers around - despite the pithy comments in places (Note that the USA version of the DW621 has 1/2in collets - in Europe they have 8mm - otherwise the US and UK models are identical)

Cutters? Take a look a Wealden Tool - next day service, reasonable prices, good (trade) quality

 

[big-all]

with a tea light you need from memory a 1 1/2"/40mm hole so a simply plunge in one spot is not an option hence the 2 stage fostner and router option
you could off course use a template a guide bush and a say 16mm cutter but would require much more work and the need to secure the template to the work piece and to secure the work piece to the work area
where as a fostner bit and roundover bit need no more than a router mat and a bit off care

 

[morpheus83uk]

Thabks for all the replies. if I understand correctly the 1/2 inch collet plunge router is the way to go and would be ideal since it was be fixed with a fine adjuster.

I will check out the router and bits mentioned above as well thank you for the recommendations.

Forgive me for being a bit dense here but once the Forstner bit has been used and the hole made how would the roundover bit be used? I presume this would get rid of the small hole in the middle but looking at images on Google I am unsure how this would happen.

It also sounds like a Combi router is not recommended. is there any reason why? I am just curious since I know they are out there and just want to cover all options really.

Thanks

James

 

[big-all]

you only shape the top 6 or so mm dependent on cutter radius with the guide bearing following the wall off the hole you have just cut
what have you seen to suggest a duel base router is not a good idea ??

 

[morpheus83uk]

So if I understand you correctly it's just to round off the hole at the top not to get rid of the small hole generated from the forster bit or am I completely off?

I haven't seen anything it's just no one mentioned them so I wasn't sure if it was intentional. I presume they take 1/2 inch collet as well?

Thanks

James

 

[big-all]

no duel base are only 1/4" as far as i know
yes shaping the top

 

[morpheus83uk]

Ok - I am thinking maybe I should get either a good plunge router which can be mounted and made into a fixed router or a dual base router.

Would a 1/4 inch be OK for use in oak? I am looking at using primarily pine and oak as the woods of choice currently so anything which will be OK for these would be good.

Looking back through the thread specifically at

I'd recommend with buying today you want 1/4inch and 8mm in the one machine. 1/2inch means the machine is very powerful, far in excess of what you want as a newcomer to the tool. (mainly used for or by Kitchen fitters.)
W

I am thinking maybe for making the few things I am going to be doing a 1/4 inch would be fine as I wouldn't be tackling anything that big unless the oak is going to present the problem.

Does anyone have suggestions on the plunge routers which can be table mounted or a good dual base router which would tackle my tasks? I am going to be making some octagonal tunnels, chamfering edges, rounding edges, creating tea light holders and routing out little windows in pine which is what I can think of at the moment.

With the Combi routers can the fixed base be mounted to a router table? just looking at some currently and they look small and unable to be mounted but I could be wrong...

Thank you all for your help I really appreciate it. As a newcomer to this tool I am trying to gather as much information as I can and when I get a spare hour or so will be speaking to people in a good tool supplier near me to see what I can gather from them too.

Thanks

James