First Router 1400 or 2200?

[Alanbach]

I want to apologize as I definitely have derailed this thread. Thank you to all for the helpful information! I will stop it now!

 

[xedos]

[member=67935]xedos[/member] While we're de-railing this thread into obscurity, would you happen to have a good source for 8mm shank bits?

Of course, and a loooong one.

if you get the blessing of the peanut gallery I'll post it.  Wouldn't want to derail the thread anymore.  [tongue]

 

[Coen]

Dust collection on both is excellent, and I don't think you're losing anything in that area by going with the 1010 rather than the 1400.

In case you don't alraady know about it, a fantastic accessory that goes with both the 1010 and 1400, though is ideally suited to the former because of its smaller size, is the edging plate, which turns it into a horizontal router.


Just be aware that to make the plate functional you also need the angle arm, and for DC purposes, the chip guard.

1010 is an interesting option. How is the dust collection on it versus the 1400? My garage is a multi-purpose space and I try to be as dust conscious as possible.

That edge set used to be sold in a Systainer... like 15 years ago.

 

[schneems]

It does sound like the 1010 is better to start with if I want to start with a Festool (need good dust collection out of the box). I’m still trying to understand the limitations though. I’ve got a few slices that have been drying for a few years, about 2ft by 2ft. I want to flatten them and make some end/coffee tables. In the past I’ve used a power planer and my patience to do this but it blows out the edges. While I understand it’s not ideal, could you use a 1010 on a router sled? The limitation is that I would have to take lighter passes?

 

[Jeff Zanin]

In my limited experience it is better to think of routers in the plural rather than the singular, as seen in the family portrait below. 

I started with the PC690, added the DW625, then the Ridgid 24012.  The router is one of the most versatile tools but it was also the one that made the biggest mess BF (Before Festool), so I was glad to get the OF1400 and later the MFK 700, and finally the Milwaukee 5625 (in the Jessem table)

I am sure the 2200 and the 1010 are great routers, I have been very happy with the 1400 and the 700 for most of my (hobby) work.

And while it is a bit much to have all these routers I have actually had four of them set up and being used on different parts of a pretty simple project – the OF1400 for LR32 holes, the MFK700 for trimming edge banding, the PC690 for grooving and the Milwaukee 5626 for rounding over.  I was doing the work in fits and starts, so it was great to be able leave each of them set up for a specific task, avoiding setup time and possible inconsistencies.

Jeff
[attachimg=1]

 

[Jeff Zanin]

For flattening 2x2 slabs I would be inclined to get the 2200 first.

 

[online421]

my first router is a 1010. I later bought the 2200 to do larger cuts if I need to. anything bigger I do it on my spindle moulder.

good thing about 1010 is that you can operate it with one hand, not sure if you can do this with 1400.

 

[schneems]

Nice book collection Jeff. Do you have any standouts in the stack?

 

[MrToolJunkie]

The OF2200 is my favorite Festool router. An engineering marvel. If I were getting a first router, I would opt for the 1010 or 1400, though. Very versatile and capable machines and easier on the wallet and use when first getting into Festool routers. For handheld use and versatility I think that they both shine. If you need to do big work - hog out lots of material and work on bigger pieces, the 2200 is a great machine. If you are like me you will end up with all of them at some point (or more than one).

 

[jeffinsgf]

It does sound like the 1010 is better to start with if I want to start with a Festool (need good dust collection out of the box). I’m still trying to understand the limitations though. I’ve got a few slices that have been drying for a few years, about 2ft by 2ft. I want to flatten them and make some end/coffee tables. In the past I’ve used a power planer and my patience to do this but it blows out the edges. While I understand it’s not ideal, could you use a 1010 on a router sled? The limitation is that I would have to take lighter passes?

While I truly love my 1000 (predecessor to the 1010), I wouldn't want to tackle slab flattening with it. You really need a 1/2" collet to run any decent sized flattening cutter.

Given that machining those pieces is the first project you've mentioned...I would lean toward the 1400. I have a fairly new 1400...haven't used it much yet, but when I have used it I've been very impressed. We have a 2200 at work and I can attest to its capability flattening slabs. It does an amazing job, but for everyday normal routing jobs it is a lot to lug around. If you had said you had a couple 2' x 10' slabs, I'd have said 2200. But, for a couple 2x2's, a 1400 will do fine and you'll have a very versatile router for your next project.

 

[nvalinski]

Food for thought on flattening 2x2 slabs... dust collection on any of the Festool routers won't help. You may want to just pick up a cheaper Porter Cable/Dewalt/whatever if this is what you are looking to do. I'm sure you can incorporate brushes and a dust port into your flattening sled to pull the dust. If you want to use it for grooving/edging later, Oneida makes a universal dust hood that you could tack onto it to get similar dust collection for 1/3 of the price all in. With that kind of pricing, you could feasibly purchase both a 1010 and cheaper but more powerful router for roughly the same price as a 1400. Maybe the slightly more powerful one becomes a router table occasionally as well.

 

[Jeff Zanin]

Nice book collection Jeff. Do you have any standouts in the stack?

The Nick Engler ones are the best for my level (intermediate / hobbiest), he describes tools, setup, bit selection but also includes jigs and some projects with plans a drawings.  They are part of a series on woodworking tools and techniques.

The Hylton/Matlack one is also quite good.

 

[jcrowe1950]

The 1400 is the best general / all purpose router in the line up.  Plenty of power and still easy to handle. Unless you are doing something specific on a regular basis that requires a really big router, my bet is that you will only need the 2200 about 1% of the time. And the other 99% of the time you will wish you had a lighter better handling router.

Though the 2200 handles well for a router of it's size, but it  is  a beast in size and weight.

In either case get the D36 hose. The DC is much improved on the routers with the larger hose.

Seth

Everything Seth has said here matches my experience. I have used routers for a long time and before I I attended a Festool router class, I was extremely skeptical that I could justify the $600 pricetag for an OF1400. However, the first time I did a routed mortise with an edge guide in that class, I was sold. No jig was used or needed. This is an operation that I have done many times in the past but it was so simple and straightforward and mostly dust free that I was sold. That said, this is just one application of that tool. The OF1010 is nice in the LR32 system but it is limited to only 1/4" and 8mm collets and if one can only have one router for some duration, that is too limiting to me. Another wonderful aspect of Festool's OF1400 is how versatile using it on a guide rail makes it. Dados, rabbets, shiplaps and sliding dovetails are easy and precise (also on the MFT). I have only gotten to use the OF2200 in a couple of classes as we do not have a demo model at the store. That said, with its base kit I did not find it at all intimidating to use (and I'm a pretty small guy). The challenging aspect of all these tools, and Festool tools in general is to discover all the little engineering features that are available but not always obvious. All of this is my long winded way of saying for me the OF1400 was a no-brainer. It is a perfect compromise of power, features, size and versatility for me. Oh, and it rocks in the CMS-OF VL.

 

[dragoneggs]

Lots of good advice from experienced folk here.  I have owned more than a handful of routers over the years.  As a first router (and you have the money to invest) sticking to Festool, I think the 1400 makes sense.  I appreciate mine.  An excellent all around router that will handle all of your bits and the dust collection is wonderful.

Eventually you will end up with a higher hp unit for dedicated use in a table, and a smaller lighter unit for easing edges, etc.  For that I really like my battery yellow brand as I am already well committed to their 20V tools.  A 2200 is too big to be using handheld being your first... the pistol grip of the 1400 makes it very maneuverable for a powerful router but can take 1/2in bits and handle dadoing and other jobs associated with cabinet builds.

 

[petar73]

I have of2200 and of1010, both excellent. 0f1400 looks top heavy and I don’t like the handle style for that size router. 2200 is pleasure to use for anything 1010 is too small and I have midsize bosch router for site work. For first router I would suggest midsize router but not festool, there are plenty good routers out there.