Milwaukee-5615-24-1-Max-HP-Multi-Base-Router-Kit

[toolaholic]

122.99 shipped from amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Milwaukee-5615...SIN=B000QV35AK

[Knottscott]

That's a nice price on a great hand router and a very good plunge mechanism. The Body Grip is terrific, but note that the 5615 does not have variable speed so isn't a great choice for router table use if the speed needs to be slowed down. It is possible to add an outboard VS switch though....

[wd4lc]

That's a nice price on a great hand router and a very good plunge mechanism. The Body Grip is terrific, but note that the 5615 does not have variable speed so isn't a great choice for router table use if the speed needs to be slowed down. It is possible to add an outboard VS switch though....

I was thinking about buying this router instead of the Freud Avanti at Lowes. I've read in this forum that Milwaukee tends to make good routers.

I'm looking to get a router (to attach to my 3100), learn to use it and eventually try and integrate it into projects. I don't know much about them however. I'm glad you mentioned that this Milwaukee does not have variable speed. I checked and it looks like the Freud Avanti does have variable speed.

May I ask please what you meant by adding "an outboard VS switch though" and if it is feasible for a DIYer? Thank you.

[geeoh]

wd4lc, you can purchase a separate speed control for NON variable speed routers from several places including harbor freight:


http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...bCategoryName=

[SARGE..g-47]

A very good price but without variable speed as mentioned. With that said I would hold out until the 5616-24 2 1/4 HP Kit goes on sale. I run the Milwaukee 5625 3 1/2 HP under my table and sold a Bosch kit and a DW 621 to get the 2 1/4 HP Kit when it came out as I am very impressed with Milwaukee routers.

With the 5625 I purchased 7 years ago and the 5616-24 2 1/4 HP Kit.. it is likely I will never purchase another router and I have been through a few in 37years. The variable speed and extra HP is worth the extra money and if that means you go Freud for the price... get both the extra horse and variable in whatever you buy to avoid upgrades down the road IMO.

[wd4lc]

wd4lc, you can purchase a separate speed control for NON variable speed routers from several places including harbor freight:
[ATTACH]11961[/ATTACH]

http://www.harborfreightusa.com/usa/...bCategoryName=

Thanks geeoh. Looks like plug and play (easy enough) and less expensive than I would have thought. I had no idea such a thing existed.

[wd4lc]

A very good price but without variable speed as mentioned. With that said I would hold out until the 5616-24 2 1/4 HP Kit goes on sale. I run the Milwaukee 5625 3 1/2 HP under my table and sold a Bosch kit and a DW 621 to get the 2 1/4 HP Kit when it came out as I am very impressed with Milwaukee routers.

With the 5625 I purchased 7 years ago and the 5616-24 2 1/4 HP Kit.. it is likely I will never purchase another router and I have been through a few in 37years. The variable speed and extra HP is worth the extra money and if that means you go Freud for the price... get both the extra horse and variable in whatever you buy to avoid upgrades down the road IMO.

Thank you, Sarge. I will keep the horsepower and speed control in mind when shopping. It looks like the 5616 is the same HP as the Freud Avanti and both have speed control.

Do you think the Freud at $99 would hold up long enough for a beginner over time or is it worth waiting for a Milwaukee price drop on the 5616-2.25?

Also, would the 5615-1.75 accompanied with that exterior variable speed control be just as good (despite the lack of horsepower)...meaning does the exterior variable speed switch somehow negatively impact the router over time?

Thank you.

[SARGE..g-47]

Thank you, Sarge. I will keep the horsepower and speed control in mind when shopping. It looks like the 5616 is the same HP as the Freud Avanti and both have speed control.

Do you think the Freud at $99 would hold up long enough for a beginner over time or is it worth waiting for a Milwaukee price drop on the 5616-2.25?

Also, would the 5615-1.75 accompanied with that exterior variable speed control be just as good (despite the lack of horsepower)...meaning does the exterior variable speed switch somehow negatively impact the router over time?

Thank you.

Hold up over time for a beginner? If you have a budget as most that don't have a shop full of tools in place yet.. I think the Freud would be an excellent choice for not only a beginner but... intermediates and higher. It has enough HP to serve under a table and features that make table mounting easier to change bits and heights. Not the best choice to spin large bits at 2 1/4 HP but sufficient for over 90% of all task.

And it can be pulled out for hand held operations giving you versatility with one router. A plunge is just required in certain cases and hand held is necessary for those occasions eliminating the need for two separate routers from an economu view.

I personally would avoid the external speed control. It would probably be fine if you used the router table mounted permanently but... I prefer to keep a hand held operation as simple as possible considering I already have to find a way to get a dust hose to the router and avoid the hose catching corners of the work-bench... and the same with the electrical cord.

I do that by having eye hooks mounted in studs in various places around my work-bench... then double hooking a bungy strap to the closest one to the work. The 20 foot 2" hose from my Shop Vac portable 5.5 HP goes through the loop in the bungy to to the dust port in my router above table level. The air mount allows it to move entirely above table level and not get hung up. I eliminate electrical cord hang up by draping the cord over my shoulder with the excess hanging down my back.

And simply put... I don't feel 1.75 HP is a good choice for table mount as I don't want to be limited to certain size bits. The larger HP will spin a larger bit slowed down (slowed as you use larger bits) with less effort giving the motor more life in the long haul IMO.

So.... if I were in your shoes which I am not of course.... the Freud at $99 would look really good for both a table mount and hand held plunger. Then down the road when she says it's OK and your needs increase... I would buy a 3 HP plus for the table and you have a viable plunger that served two purposes now used as a dedicated hand held plunge.

So..... good luck and just use common sense in your decision after all factors have been weighed.

Regards...

[wd4lc]

Hold up over time for a beginner? If you have a budget as most that don't have a shop full of tools in place yet.. I think the Freud would be an excellent choice for not only a beginner but... intermediates and higher. It has enough HP to serve under a table and features that make table mounting easier to change bits and heights. Not the best choice to spin large bits at 2 1/4 HP but sufficient for over 90% of all task.

And it can be pulled out for hand held operations giving you versatility with one router. A plunge is just required in certain cases and hand held is necessary for those occasions eliminating the need for two separate routers from an economu view.

I personally would avoid the external speed control. It would probably be fine if you used the router table mounted permanently but... I prefer to keep a hand held operation as simple as possible considering I already have to find a way to get a dust hose to the router and avoid the hose catching corners of the work-bench... and the same with the electrical cord.

I do that by having eye hooks mounted in studs in various places around my work-bench... then double hooking a bungy strap to the closest one to the work. The 20 foot 2" hose from my Shop Vac portable 5.5 HP goes through the loop in the bungy to to the dust port in my router above table level. The air mount allows it to move entirely above table level and not get hung up. I eliminate electrical cord hang up by draping the cord over my shoulder with the excess hanging down my back.

And simply put... I don't feel 1.75 HP is a good choice for table mount as I don't want to be limited to certain size bits. The larger HP will spin a larger bit slowed down (slowed as you use larger bits) with less effort giving the motor more life in the long haul IMO.

So.... if I were in your shoes which I am not of course.... the Freud at $99 would look really good for both a table mount and hand held plunger. Then down the road when she says it's OK and your needs increase... I would buy a 3 HP plus for the table and you have a viable plunger that served two purposes now used as a dedicated hand held plunge.

So..... good luck and just use common sense in your decision after all factors have been weighed.

Regards...

Thank you very much, Sarge. That is excellent information and a great help. I really appreciate it.

Can't wait to get my new toy.