1400 router top heavy, no control (should I keep it?)

[paulhtremblay]

I had problems today when testing my brand new Festool 1400 router. It seems hard to control, top heavy, and prone to tipping.

When I cut a dado, the 1400 router seemed to wander from the rail. (I moved the router in the right direction.)

When I used a flush trim bit to trim the top of my MDF assembly table,  I had a hard time controlling the router. In one place, I gouged the table top.  Adding to the difficulty was that the dust collection piece did not allow me to see the trim bit.

In the past, I have used a fixed base Milwaukee router, and never had this difficulty. The Milwaukee seemed to guide itself.
Most of the work I will do may be better suited for a fixed base router: rabbets, dadoes, and trimming. I'm debating whether to return the 1400 and get something like the Dewalt DW616PK, a package that allows you to use it as a fixed base or plunge router, and with dust control.

Has any one else had this experience? Would some of the accessories (larger base plates) solve my problem?

 

[mdelrossi]

I can't speak to the trim bit problem, but how were you using the rail to guide the router?
Were you using the guide rail attachment?
I had a similar problem, until I clamped the board and rail down.

The dust extraction attachment obscuring the cut is a little bit of a problem, however once you have your technique down with the OF1400, you can pretty much trust it and not looks at the cut.

Good luck,
mdr

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Interesting post.  I have both the DW 616 and the OF 1400.  I really like both.

The 616 has great visibility with its light and plenty of open space around the bit.  I find it great for close work in tight quarters, e.g., inlay, small pieces, freeform handheld work.  It would find it seriously underpowered for dadoes, mortices, etc.  The depth control is a throwback to the old PC routers and I find it clumsy.

When your 1400 veered away from the rail, were you using the attachment that rides on the rail?  If so, you may not have the fit of the attachment to the rail sufficiently tight.  There should be no movement from the rail at all.  Something is wrong.

As for dust control, I agree that the 1400 dust control obscures view and is clumsy, limited the size and depth range of bits.  On the other hand, the 616 dust control seems like an afterthought and somewhat flaky.

The Festool guide bushings that snap onto the base are much, much better than the old pc style bushings that need to be fine tuned with the cone to insure centering.  I wouldn't reach for the 616 for a template type application.

I hope Festool is working on an upgrade for the venerable 1400, perhaps to include some of the innovations from the 2200.  Visibility needs to be better, we need a light, dust collection could be better, and how about the lever from the 2200 that drops down a couple of mm for that final finish pass.

Back to the OP's question, yes, the larger base would improve cornering.

Bottom line, the 616 does a good niche job at an attractive price, but the 1400 is a very solid router with great bells and whistles, but is overdue for modernization.

 

[paulhtremblay]

Clarification: when I say I used a rail for the dado, I meant a simple straight edge (a rocker tool I used to guide my Milwaukee).

This video

http://www.halfinchshy.com/2011/01/festool-of-1400-demo.html

Gives a good tip on how to use the rods to give you more stability when routing edges. When I trimmed, I had to much to hog in one pass. I realize now I should have clamped a straight edge to make a few passes before I tried trimming; that would have made controlling the router easier.

 

[Linbro]

The 1400 certainly feels different to use than the Makita's and Hitachi's that I used prior to getting the 1400 - but once you get used to it, I don't think there's any going back. Just the fact that the side handle set up is different is a bit hard to get used to. I'd stick with it, do a few practice routs on scrap.
I don't like not seeing the bit when then the dust shroud is fitted either - sometimes I attach the hose with a cable tie, to get a better view.

 

[Chrisem]

At about the 8 minute mark is a really good tip for keeping the OF1400 stable.

 

[shed9]

The 1400 is really no more top heavy than other similar routers in its class. The imbalance of weight is due to the offset of the grip in relation to the mass of the machine. As others have said, you will get used to it. That said I find myself using the method in Half inch shy's video most of the time myself.

 

[paulhtremblay]

At about the 8 minute mark is a really good tip for keeping the OF1400 stable.

You linked to the same guy I linked to above. Yes, that technique works great. I just edged routed a small piece perfectly, with great control.

From an Amazon review of the table widener:

"The OF 1400 is an incredible router, but it's pretty tall and heavy, and the stock base is a much too small for edge routing so it's very difficult to keep the router flying straight and level; even more so when going around a corner. This base makes the router much, much, more stable."

Though, I wonder if I even need the widener. The rods with the rail adjustment worked great.

I agree with others that the Festool is no more top heavy than other routers (based on other reviews). It was just so much more top heavy than my fixed base router, and a bit of disconcerting to see how little control I had. But I can use the rods and have great control, so I will be keeping this router.

 

[builderbob]

The table widener is nice but you have to remove screws from the base and put longer screws in to use it. I have it but it's proven to be a hassle to go through that process. I almost always use the "Marcel Method"!

 

[grbmds]

I'm confused. I don't understand what the problem actually was. I have not found the OF1400 top heavy and, other than trying to take too deep a cut with a 1/4" bit the first time I used it, have not had any problems with it. I have only used it so far with the guide stop on the track and I think that is one of the best features about it, especially for stopped dadoes and other tasks where you want a precise cut or stopping and ending point.

 

[paulhtremblay]

I'm confused. I don't understand what the problem actually was. I have not found the OF1400 top heavy and, other than trying to take too deep a cut with a 1/4" bit the first time I used it, have not had any problems with it. I have only used it so far with the guide stop on the track and I think that is one of the best features about it, especially for stopped dadoes and other tasks where you want a precise cut or stopping and ending point.

If you use it just with the guide rails, then you won't have the problem of it tipping. I was using it to trim a table top with a flush trim bit, so I couldn't use the rails. When you use a flush trim bit, generally you don't use any guides; the bearing on the router bit guides the router. However, because you run the router along the edge of your work, you can tip it easily, unless you have a way to increase the stability, which I did by using the rods and the guide stop.

 

[semenza]

I'm confused. I don't understand what the problem actually was. I have not found the OF1400 top heavy and, other than trying to take too deep a cut with a 1/4" bit the first time I used it, have not had any problems with it. I have only used it so far with the guide stop on the track and I think that is one of the best features about it, especially for stopped dadoes and other tasks where you want a precise cut or stopping and ending point.

If you use it just with the guide rails, then you won't have the problem of it tipping. I was using it to trim a table top with a flush trim bit, so I couldn't use the rails. When you use a flush trim bit, generally you don't use any guides; the bearing on the router bit guides the router. However, because you run the router along the edge of your work, you can tip it easily, unless you have a way to increase the stability, which I did by using the rods and the guide stop.

  When running the 1400 with a bearing guided bit I make sure that the knob handle is fully inboard and apply a little more down force on that than the long handle out board. I mostly use the long handle for rotational and cornering control. I also start cuts like this pre-plunged so that it is being used as a fixed base in effect. That prevents any tipping on the edge of the work piece during plunging. I find that the router corners very well by keeping the hold down force on the knob when approaching the corner. When within about 2" of the corner you can just start pivoting the long handle around the corner keeping the knob handle almost in place.

Seth

 

[Chrisem]

[/quote]

You linked to the same guy I linked to above.
[/quote]

I did too, I must have just skimmed your post.    [big grin]

 

[paulhtremblay]

You linked to the same guy I linked to above.
[/quote]

I did too, I must have just skimmed your post.    [big grin]
[/quote]

Funny! What kind of woofer is that?

 

[Chrisem]

That's Baxter, the Bullmastiff.