Electric Brake on Router

[bigsteel15]

I went and took a Router Basics course at Lee Valley last night. Having been using my router for a couple months already on basic trim and daoe jobs I figured I had the basics down, but for $25 I knew I would learn something worth the admission.

Safety was of course the main topic of discussion and the biggest surprise to me was that some of the big routers have electric brake the same as good circular saws.
I have read a lot of magazine reviews and discussions here about selection of routers and don't remember ever seeing this mentioned as something to look for.
I know my Triton doesn't have it but this will eventually be table mounted so I'm not that concerned.

What is the consensus here regarding this as a requirement for selecting a router?
I will eventually be looking to replace my cheap $80 Canadian Tire special plunge router with a mid-range (2 HP) 1/2" plunge. Probably the PC or Bosch or possibly the new Triton if I can find it.

[drumpriest]

I dunno, I've never owned a router with a brake system. Of course, my TS doesn't have a brake either (bt3100). My SCMS has one, and it's honestly not really made a big difference to me.

For a plunge router, you can always release the plunge mechanism and place the router down safely. For a fixed base router, I could see stopping the bit quicker being a win for safety.

BTW, I have the bosch kit and love it.

[bigsteel15]

I dunno, I've never owned a router with a brake system. Of course, my TS doesn't have a brake either (bt3100). My SCMS has one, and it's honestly not really made a big difference to me.

For a plunge router, you can always release the plunge mechanism and place the router down safely. For a fixed base router, I could see stopping the bit quicker being a win for safety.

BTW, I have the bosch kit and love it.

The units the class had were Makitas and I'm thinking maybe they are the only one that have it.

[mpc]

One of the features I really like about my Freud FT2000E is the soft-start, especially when I'm not using it in plunge mode. It's so much easier to hold it and not have it jerk/jump into the workpiece like regular-start routers. I'd be worried a brake system would do the same thing - cause a big torque reaction that might damage a slot cut or similar cut that ends inside the workpiece.

mpc

[scorrpio]

Not owning a router with a brake (Dewalt 618), I can't say how useful it is. My router seems to take 2 seconds tops to come to complete stop, and I really don't see any benefit in having it stop faster. With a plunge base, the bit retracts to a save position once you release. With a fixed base, it is generally not considered a good practice to place the router bit down on anything - running or not.

[vaking]

Out of 4 routers I have one definitely has a brake - surprisingly enough it is the dinky Rotozip saw, which I use as trim router. When you turn it off - the bit stops instantly. On all other routers - bit does not stop instantly. However, I am thinking on a router like M12V with the big router bit like panel raiser spinning at 15000 or more rpm - if that bit was to come to a full stop completely on its own - you would have to get a cup of tea before it stops. I suspect that many of the routers we use have some kind of electrical braking - it slows the bit down without wearing out any pads.

[wassaw998]

I guess the idea is you shut the router off, the bit is still spinning, you forget it is, (w/ear protection that is easy to do) and you clip the bit on something, including on you. An electric brake would thus be a nice feature. I've clipped a template once under the above scenerio. (My routers take much longer then 2 secs to spin down).

I'm not sure what routers have an electric brake - since they mentioned it in your class, and to me it sounds like a nice feature, I'd certainly at least look at what routers have the feature when you make your next router purchase as something to look for. I'm not sure I'd exclude a router that did not have the feature, however, and would definitely not toss out all routers that I owned that did not have the feature. It is one of those things that you have to just remember and be careful about..