Routers Buying Guide

Routers are probably the most versatile tool in any woodworking shop. They can be used to cut grooves, mortises, joints, or trim edges.

What makes the router so versatile? The key is the router bit. The bit is a long piece of metal with a shaped cutting blade on the end. The router motor makes the bit spin, cutting the material, usually wood, to follow the shape of the bit. The more different bits you have, the more different kinds of shapes you can cut.

Some bits are fairly straight. Using an edge guide or a fence, you can make straight cuts with the router. Using a template, you can use a straight bit to make edge joints. Other bits have curves, allowing you to create decorative moldings, rounded edges, or chamfers.

Routers are typically used in one of three ways. The first is to move the router horizontally through the wood. This can be used for edging and grooves. A fixed-base router is excellent for this type of use.

A second method is to use the router for plunge cuts, where the bit plunges down into the material vertically. This allows you to cut shapes, including square mortises into the wood without starting from an edge. A plunge router is needed for this type of cutting.

The third method is to mount the router on a router table. In this method, the router is held in a fixed position, and the wood is brought toward the bit, instead of the other way around.

Fixed-Base Router The first type of router ever invented was the fixed base router. This router consists of a spindle motor fixed above a round metal baseplate. The router bit is affixed to a collet, which holds it in place at the center of the shoe. The height of the bit can be raised or lowered when the motor is off. The effect is that you can use the bit to cut wood at a uniform depth with the router, but you cannot change the depth during the cut. One advantage that fixed-base routers have is that the motor can be easily removed from the base, making it easier to change the bit.

Plunge Router A plunge router allows the height of the bit to be adjusted while the bit is spinning, thus allowing you to cut down into the wood. This is the machine you want if you need to cut mortises, the square holes that are used to make mortise and tenon joints.

Combination Router If you can only buy one router, your best bet is going to be a combination router. These machines consist of a removable motor and two or three bases, one for plunge cuts, one with a fixed base, and sometimes one with a D-handle fixed base. This gives you the maximum in flexibility.

Trim Router A trim router (sometimes called a laminate router) is a smaller, lighter router. It can hold smaller bits and is useful for delicate edge work. It is limited, however, to bits with a 1/4" shank.

Cordless Router Cordless routers have the advantages of lightness and mobility. They are limited to the power of their batteries, but that disadvantage is offset by having no cord to get tangled up or in the way of your work.

Size

In addition to the small trim machines, routers are often broken down into mid-size and large.
A mid-size router will have a motor up to about 2-1/4 horsepower. Unlike the smaller trim routers, it can handle bits with 1/2" shanks. Still, it is small and light enough to be used as a hand tool.

A large router has an engine with 3 or more horsepower. It is more powerful than the smaller machine, but heavy and awkward to use. Some people will prefer to use a larger router mounted to a table.

D-handles

Some fixed base routers have a D-handle base. It can be easier to use, as you can switch the motor on and off without taking one hand off the machine. Combination routers will often include a D-handle base as an option.

Variable Speed

If you can get a router with variable speed, you'll find that it makes the cuts smoother and easier. Also, it's much safer when you're using a larger bit to run the router at a slower speed.

Some routers have a "soft start," which means that the motor spins more slowly as you switch it on, taking a few seconds to get up to speed. This is safer and more pleasant.

Collet Size

The collet is the small round vise that attaches the bit to the motor. You need different sizes for different sizes of bits, the most common being 1/4" and 1/2". A mid-size router should be able to accommodate both sizes, but check and make sure that your router does, otherwise you'll be cutting the usefulness of your router in half.

Also, check to see if the router comes with both collets. If it only has a 1/2" collet, you'll have to purchase the 1/4" separately, which can add another $30 to the price.

Dust Collection

How you handle dust collection is an issue for any woodworking machine. Some routers use a basket to collect dust, some include dust portals that attach the machine to a dust collection system. It's usually more effective to use an adapter, but you have to make sure that it fits your system, or you'll need to purchase an adapter that does. You'll also want to make sure that the portal is wide enough not to clog with dust as you work.

Bit Changing

It's never easy to change a router bit, but some machines are easier than others. In general, it's easier to change the bit on a fixed-base router, because you can remove the motor.

Older routers required using two wrenches when you changed the bit. This is changing, as manufacturers design easier and better systems. But no one has come up with the ideal method yet.

Routers come with a myriad of accessories. Some of the more important ones are shown here.

Router Bits It's the bits that make routers the great tools that they are. There are hundreds of different kinds of router bits available, in various shapes and sizes. The more bits you can collect, the more variety you'll have in terms of edging, grooving, and finishing pieces. There are carbide-tipped bits available, as well as steel. The carbide-tipped bits are stronger and maintain their edge longer. They are also more expensive. Some bits come with small nylon or metal wheels at their very end. These make it easier to do edging, as the wheel can run along the edge of the material. Always check the shank size before you purchase the bit to make sure it will fit your machine. It's u seless to have the bit if you can't use it.

Collet The collet is the small metal collar that holds the bit on the router motor shaft. Hopefully, your router will come with the most common size collets, but if it doesn't, they can be purchased separately. The important thing to remember is that it's possible to go down in shank size, if you have the proper collet. So, if your router only comes with a 1/2" collet, you can buy the 1/4" one. But if your router will only handle 1/4" shanks, then you can't go any larger in diameter.

Router Tables A router table allows you to mount your router motor upside down. This gives you a stable, flat surface when you are creating moldings, edge joints, or working on small pieces. One trick that makes life easier is to purchase an extra base for your router and mount it permanently in the table. Then you can easily move the router from table to base to table without using any other tools.

Edge Guide An edge guide is one of the more important guides you can get. It allows you to cut a straight line relative to the edge of the wood. There are also other guides available, such as miter guides, which allow you to cut specific angles.

Dovetail Jig One of the more common uses of a router is to cut dovetail joints. A dovetail template will help you cut the interlocking squares precisely. The jig is necessary to hold the template and wood together.

Template Guides Template guides, also called bushings, are small round collars that are threaded around the shank of a router bit. These small collars allow the bit to cut the wood along a template. They are invaluable for any kind of pattern cutting.

Mid-size routers sell from about $200-$400, with the fixed-base routers running a bit more than the plunging routers.

The good news is that mid-sized combination routers are only a bit more expensive than buying a plunging router alone. A combination router can be purchased for about $300. Since a combination router comes with both plunging and fixed-bases, that makes it a true bargain.

Large routers, interestingly, are not that much more expensive than mid-sized routers. They are more powerful, but also more awkward to use, so price may not be the only appeal in the smaller machines.

Variable speed (EVS) routers tend to be slightly more expensive than single-speed machines, about $25-$30 more. The cordless routers are around $300, about the same cost as a corded router. However, unless the manufacturer includes an extra battery with your kit (or you have compatible batteries from other cordless tool kits), you'll have to shell out the money to get a second battery--or wait one to two hours to recharge the one you have.

Bosch
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DeWALT
Festool
Makita
Porter-Cable
Skil