Hi all hoping to get some good advice here I'm looking to buy my hubby a router on a small budget for xmas. He's just gotten into furniture making and is on a course and money is tight but I want to get the best I can for now. what would you knowledgable lot recommend? Second hand is fine too-anything I should look out for there? Thanks in advance!
How much is your budget out of interest? That will give people on the forum a bit more of an idea where to point you,and good advice will follow I'm sure.
Some of the earlier power tools, and these can be 20-30 years old are well made but hefty to use. Also they require specialist maintenance. The more available and lighter new models are good enough for a few years, depending on how you work them. Also your hubby, will find out what he does best and begin to specialise; at which point he will have a better idea what he needs next. But for now any of the 1/2 inch ones like de walt, makita, hitachi and so on will be good enough to make a start. But actually for something like furniture making, you need a workshop and several standard power tools, like mitre saw, morticer, table saw, bandsaw, sanders and so on........................
Thanks! I know its only the beginning.can't wait till he has a well kitted out workshop! but for now moneys elusive so want to make best use of it. What kind of budget should I have?if needed I could push it back to being a valentines pressie! Is 2nd hand a good idea or would he be best picking himself? Thanks
second hand on the old well made models, if you know what you are buying. which is the only way you can buy them. don't buy any of the cheap budget ranges. there is always something wrong or fiddly. so stick to the big boys like de walt, makita etc. £200 or more.
Don't buy second hand, they will be on their way out for sure. I used to think Trend where the router of choice because err well they make routers. In fact the trend t10 is just the dewalt in a different case and the dewalt is cheaper........ Anyway I had the trend t10 and t4, both of which broke down, the t10 was unrepairable, the cost of fixing it was nearly the same as buying the dewalt equivalent, the t4 switch broke, twice and then seized up completely a few months after that, and they weren't used a lot, mainly for a bit of edging, round overs and the like. I bought this recently http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-erb381rou-1100w-router-230-240v/30637 and it is a great router with some nifty little tweaks and it takes the abuse my lads give it no trouble.............
my comments are you need both 1/2" and 1/4" but i would start with a smallish 1/4" if he has never handled a router a 1/2 may scare the poo out off him and put him off for ever lol
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