Do you need a 800W cheap wood router?

[coopec43]

I need to do a bit more wood routing to finish off the yacht but one of my routers has carked it. I checked out eBay yesterday and found I can buy one for around $28.

The router is being sold as "unbranded" but they look awfully much like the Makita 3707f. What do you think? (Maybe the Makita is slightly taller?.......Maybe not)

They won't last long at this price!






http://pdfstream.manualsonline.com/0...cb8eab79fb.pdf

https://www.banggood.com/110V-or-220...e=CN&ID=523698

https://www.stonetools.ie/wood-trimm...t-makita-3707f

https://www.ebay.com/c/1204467607

[jamhass]

I had a cheap Chinese router upchuck its armature at 25000 rpm. No injuries, but I do NOT want to go through that again!

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by jamhass

I had a cheap Chinese router upchuck its armature at 25000 rpm. No injuries, but I do NOT want to go through that again!

What makes you think it is Chinese made? Possibly it may be a Chinese copy of a Makita (if they still do that).

"Makita Corporation (TYO: 6586) is a Japanese manufacturer of power tools. Founded on March 21, 1915, it is based in Anjō, Japan and operates factories in Brazil, China, Japan, Mexico, Romania, the United Kingdom, Germany, Dubai, Thailand and the United States."

[AKA-None]

No matter who makes it I don’t want something rotating that fast to fail

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by AKA-None

No matter who makes it I don’t want something rotating that fast to fail

I use my routers all the time and I don't think about them failing either mechanically or electronically. (The same goes for other workshop tools but I am very careful to keep them well maintained)

[Spot]

I would go a step or two up to get a metal base and variable speed. My clone of the Makita RT0701C (110V) also has soft start and LED lighting.

Edit to add pic.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Spot

I would go a step or two up to get a metal base and variable speed. My clone of the Makita RT0701C (110V) also has soft start and LED lighting.

I'd be interested to know what your clone costs these days?

Well the Makita RT0701C is a plunge router so I'd think it would be a fair bit more expensive. If you look at the cost of a genuine Makita RT0701C they are a lot more expensive. (I think it's like comparing apples with oranges)

I only want a router for my router table so a plunge router is not necessary.

[Spot]

Originally Posted by coopec43

I'd be interested to know what your clone costs these days?

Well the Makita RT0701C is a plunge router so I'd think it would be a fair bit more expensive. If you look at the cost of a genuine Makita RT0701C they are a lot more expensive. (I think it's like comparing apples with oranges)

I want to say I got mine on a sale 50 or 60 $US but that is almost half as much as the nearest Bosch or Makita or Porter Cable which are normally just over 100$. The bigger kit on the Makita adds the plunge base and other accessories and $$$ to the price.

Edit: for my table I use the oldest full sized router (1/4" not 1/2") in the stable, it's going on 30 years. The newer ones with soft start and lights are hand-helds. My CNC uses an old Rotozip.

[Paul L]

In my area Craig's List always has name brand, used routers offerred.

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Spot

I want to say I got mine on a sale 50 or 60 $US but that is almost half as much as the nearest Bosch or Makita or Porter Cable which are normally just over 100$. The bigger kit on the Makita adds the plunge base and other accessories and $$$ to the price.

I just did a search on eBay and the Makita RT0701C is currently $US149(?) or close on $A200 in Australia.

I haven't got a lot more work to do so I was going to make do with just one router (plunge) but at just $A28 ($US21) I decided to grab one for my router table. (I hope it is not Chinese manufactured because I loathe their practice of cloning other products on the market)

I know it is not powerful router but I always take small cuts so it won't be a problem.

[Chotu]

I just bought and have been using the same trim router for my formica laminate edges. So far so good, and here are some ratings on it in the link below the picture.


https://www.harborfreight.com/14-in-...ter-62659.html

It’s a little rough sounding as it starts up but is working great for trimming the laminate edges flush.

For the entire project, all these years, on routing off fiberglass edges, I had been using this beast without any problems at all:


https://www.amazon.com/Metabo-HPT-KM...WX8?th=1&psc=1

But at 10lbs (4.5kg), it was way too heavy to use as a laminate trim router. That’s why I grabbed the smaller one you are considering.

The one you are looking at is in regular use on my project now, as I use it to cut all the Formica edges.


Also: all the cheap crap tools I’ve bought over the years to replace broken expensive ones have lasted and lasted. Nobody really puts these tools (or any tools) to the test. No one does enough running them to approach their end of life. I’ve had the worst, cheapest drills and tablesaws with hundreds, if not thousands of hours on them. Especially the drills which we used with nylon abrasive brushes to abrade all shiny epoxy on the entire boat for secondary bonding. They amaze me. It was someone’s full time job for YEARS running these drills in the locked on position. Still going too.

So take your chances. You can always buy a new one again if you get unlucky and get a dud. But in my experience all those semi-expensive midrange tools died first anyway. Makita? Dewalt? All died from heavy use and dust.

Note: all my truly professional Hitachi tools have lasted for thousands of hours too. The router pictured above and these variable speed buffer/polishers below too. I’ve found the cheapest tools OR the most heavy duty tools last longest. The mid range ones like makita and Dewalt are shortest lived in something as demanding as full time boat building.


https://www.allprep.com.au/product/h...e-speed-sp18va

[coopec43]

Originally Posted by Chotu

I just bought and have been using the same trim router for my formica laminate edges. So far so good, and here are some ratings on it:


But at 10lbs (4.5kg), it was way too heavy to use as a laminate trim router. That’s why I grabbed the smaller one you are considering.

The one that I had that carked it was around 1500W and too heavy to use as a trimmer. The one that I have bought is only 800W but as I only do multiple shallow cuts it will be fine.

Thanks for the feedback (That gives me confidence that I have done the right thing)

[n5ama]

IMHO, a router is a tool that operates at high RPM and I feel the extra cost of a quality tool is worth every penny (within reason - Festool excepted). The high operating speed means greater wear potential and a quality tool is probably made using quality bearings and other components.

The greater cost is pretty small over the life (measured in years) of the tool not to mention the potential safety issue.

:<}

[Spot]

I go back and forth on tool cost and tool performance.

I have some 30 year old Makita stuff that is still going and have had low-end stuff break second or third time using it. I also have couple low-end tools that have turned out to be winners. Since I work a desk job I do not have weeks and years of on-the-job with these tools. The exception would be the Rotozip on the CNC, that one I have 1000's of hours of use and only changed brushes once, maybe bearings at the same time too. Plastic body and all, nothing magical, but it works and works. Maybe it's a matter of sum of parts: good design and good components and good technician assembling and testing the tool=good tool.

I could see the 800W performing well in a table as described by Coopec43.

[jewt]

After this past year i have totally stopped buying any cheap Chinese crap!

Newton Collyar
Major USMC Ret