Trim router recommendations?

[brooks]

Yesterday, I had to work on a cabinet project with a full size Porter-Cable 690 router to trim the face frame and some other parts. I sure didn't like it. It tilted easily and the whole thing felt unstable. That's too much horsepower to hold sideways by one knob (my other hand was hovering over the On-Off switch). I turned the cabinet round and round, trying to find a more comfortable way to do it so I could turn the router right side up.

I think I want a trim router. The reviews are mostly oriented toward laminate work. I want a hand-holdable small router, preferably with soft start and the lowest noise possible. If it has dust control, all the better.

Does any model come to mind?

[Ken Weaver]

I've got the Ryobi TR45K ($80 at BORG). It is called a laminate trimmer and doesn't have a soft start or DC, but I use it a lot more than I thought I would for a variety of things, round-overs, small dadoes, etc. Its very handy to use and one-handed is doable (although I don't use it that way much).

[jAngiel]

I just tried the Ryobi and was not impressed. It worked for the most part but the depth set thingy failed and it slipped on down and ruined one of my faceframes. Pissed me off. There may have been a way to tighten it up but I didn't want to mess with it. Since Ken likes his, I may have just gotten a lemon but there was another one there that someone else brought back so I just returned it and got my money back.

I have been reading the reviews and they all seem the same, some good reviews and some bad. I'm still looking but I have looked into the Bosch Colt, the Dewalts DW673 & DW670, and the Ridgid. A lot of the latest reviews that I have seen (2006 ones) for the Bosch complain about the bit and the plate not being perpendicular so that scares me. Maybe they have some QA problems although I have no problems what so ever with my 1617 kit. I am currently leaning toward one of the Dewalts or Ridgid.

[bmyers]

I have the HF for $20 and a PC for $120 (used). The PC came with 3 bases and the are all handy. I've been happy with it so far. The HF is ok for $20 but the raise/lowering part is cheesie.

A laminate trimmer a great addition to your router collection.


Bill

[ryan.s]

I have the ridgid laminate trimmer which sells for $99 at HD. It has the soft start, variable speed, long cord, edge guide and the PC guide bushings fit. I made a bigger base for it using 3/8 inch acrylic for more stability. I used it quite a bit and overall I'm very impressed by it. The only thing I would change is how you lock and base to the motor. It's a really small knob which can be a pain to lock and unlock.

[RayintheUK]

Because the main job of a laminate trimmer is to trim laminate (wow - do I know my stuff, or what?!) and runs mainly with a bearing-guided bit, this type of router tends not to have much in the way of depth adjustment when compared to, for example, a medium-powered plunge router.

If you've got sufficient work for a dedicated trimmer, go ahead. If not, have a look at other machines with proper depth-setting and other facilities that you will really make use of in the future with, for example, dovetail jigs. Having a one-off tool is great if you can justify it, but I'd look for a few more features to make it a more flexible purchase.

I've added the Triton MOF001 to my setup and it's the mutt's nuts of hand-held routers. It works great as a laminate trimmer too!

Ray.

[bigsteel15]

I've added the Triton MOF001 to my setup and it's the mutt's nuts of hand-held routers.
Ray.

Hey Ray, this is a family forum What the heck does that mean anyways? I love it!! (cat's meow, dog's balls...doesn't seem to fit)

Anywho, I have the Bosch Colt and HAVE NOT checked the issue about the perpendicularity (nice word, eh?) of the base and bit.
I know when I was discussing bases for it with Pat Warner he mentioned something about the base center and the body being off-center if the unit was more than 6 months old.

I bought this one because of the fine adjustment being IMHO superior to all the other ones.

[vaking]

I am with Ray about dedicated tools. They are nice but costly and take space. My trimmer is a rotozip spiral saw. It works great for drywall projects and that is the reason I have it. I did not think of it as router until I found a plunge base for it (dremel advantage base). The depth setting is somewhat crude but it does most of what I want from laminate trimmer. Offset base is also usefull for laminate work with regular router (mid size).

[Whaler]

I have a DW670 and am very happy with it. For small jobs it much easier to use than one of my full size PCs. As with all laminate trimmers the base is to small for use as a small router but with most it is a simple matter to make a larger one.

[RickT]

I did a lot of research and ended up with the Bosch palm router. It works great! Tom did a review of it here: http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/bpr20evskrvu.html
Rick

[Holbren]

What about the Milwaukee body grip routers? Wouldn't that be a good compromise? I never used one but assume one handed operation isn't too bad.

[mater]

I have 2 of the PC trim routers and use them all the time on small projects. They are very handy.

[Tarheel]

Definitely try out the Bosch Colt (VS), if you get a chance. Just bought one about a month ago and I was really impressed with the power and feel of this little booger!!!!

I have a Dewalt DW618 (3Base) and sometimes it is just way too heavy to do things like chamfers and round overs. The Colt is just the ticket!!! I think that I paid around $120 at Lowes and received a $25 gift card when I bought it. Still have to check out the additional offset bases offered by Pat Warner!

Highly recommended!

Wayne

[RHunter]

I gotta go with Brian and Wayne here... I bought a used PC 7301 Trim Router and loved it at first, but height adjusting was a pain. Almost made using my 4215 Mini Template DT Jig very painful.

I bought a remanufactured PR-10 Colt from CPO-Bosch, and love it. Good power, a little torquey on startup, but not as bad as the PC.

OK, so I had to buy a new base to use PC Templates, but the new base plate is wider, so I think the Colt is more stable...

Am looking at picking up another one and selling the PC...

As for Ray's comments, I agree- kind of... I have a $20 HF Trim Router that I use for Laminate Trimming. I don't care about bit height, and if I got a little heavy handed with the glue and it gets all over the bit and sub-base- so what. $20 - 20% makes these disposable.

[JimD]

I just grab my PC690 around the motor with one hand when I need to. My hands are not small and I find it easy to control this way. I think about a laminate trimmer but so far it has not made it to the top of my tool list.

Jim