Hopeless height adjustment on OF1010

S

splinter

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Joined
Oct 30, 2007
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9
I'm feeling a little controversial today so thought I would give a airing to my views on the OF1010 router.

Is it just me or have others found the mechanism for setting the router depth hopelessly flimsy and inaccurate?

I also have ongoing problems with router bits jamming in the collets, something I have never experienced with my old DeWalt 621.

My final gripe is the restricted access for changing cutters. You need three hands to do it easily.

The only real benefits of the 1010 are the improved dust extraction, the little foot on the side to stop it wobbling about and the fact that it attaches to a guide rail otherwise it is just a really expensive toy.

Any thoughts?
 
I can relate to the restricted acces when changing cutters, though I think it's not really a problem, for when one uses the spindlelock well, I see no need for a third hand. The spindlelock could be a bit more accessible though.

I've never had any bit "jammed" in the collet - however, you may need to get accustomed to the way the bit is loosened - loosen the nut with the wrench, spin the nut  counterclockwise manually 'till you feel resistance ( this is the point that the nut wants to "lift" the collet out of the spindle ) and then reapply the wrench to finish the loosening. Actually, that's not a sign of jamming, but a sign of tight fit, and decent engineering. The nut not only forces the collet into the spindle, but out of it as well - with a little play between these two positions, that's an engineering necessity. Seeing this ensures straight axial movement, instead of the wiggling that some other design's need to loosen the collet from the spindle, this design is far superior - it just takes a little "getting used to".

I've used the depth adjustment a lot, and think it's great. Are you sure you're using it like it's supposed to ? It's a micro adjustable depth STOP, not a direct depth control.

Regards,

Job
 
splinter said:
I'm feeling a little controversial today so thought I would give a airing to my views on the OF1010 router.

Is it just me or have others found the mechanism for setting the router depth hopelessly flimsy and inaccurate?
Click to expand...

Just a quick  "?"  how do you use it to set your depth.  the reason I ask is i find it to be one of the "handiest" and is dead on  here is a lil vid of how I do it

Setting Depth stop on OF 1010

Craig
 
Splinter,

I've had the OF-1000 for many years now and never used the depth control correctly until I found Craig's video a few weeks ago.  Watch it.

I had a project last week for the router, and did it right, followed by about 5 minutes of Homer Simpson head slaps remembering all the times that I did it wrong.
 
Well, not quite the hornets nest I was expecting but I guess 'Read the freakin manual', comes close, thank you Jim Hart, I always welcome a polite exchange of views.

Unlike many people, I am an avid reader of manuals and while I enjoyed viewing Craig's video, it didn't tell me anything I didn't know already.
That is precisely the way I use the height adjustment.

My complaint related to the flimsy, wobbly construction and poor accuracy compared to my old DeWalt. The system on the 1400 is much more robust and not really comparable.

While I am in complaint mode, the lock knob on the left, is clunky and makes grinding noises and the springs in the guide columns are far too weak.
Left alone, it can take 30 seconds to re-establish its height.

I do wonder if I simply have a Friday afternoon machine.
 
splinter said:
While I am in complaint mode, the lock knob on the left, is clunky and makes grinding noises and the springs in the guide columns are far too weak.
Left alone, it can take 30 seconds to re-establish its height.

I do wonder if I simply have a Friday afternoon machine.
Click to expand...

Red may have the right idea, but regarding the slow return, that my friend is dirt.  Take the bolt that holds the base to the motor out.  Clean the bars vigorously with Flitz, SimiChrome, or AutoSol. Apply the tiniest possible drop of Teflon based lube to the sleeves and reassemble.  It will plunge and return effortlessly for months. When it won't, repeat the process.
 
splinter said:
Well, not quite the hornets nest I was expecting but I guess 'Read the freakin manual', comes close, thank you Jim Hart, I always welcome a polite exchange of views.

Unlike many people, I am an avid reader of manuals and while I enjoyed viewing Craig's video, it didn't tell me anything I didn't know already.
That is precisely the way I use the height adjustment.

My complaint related to the flimsy, wobbly construction and poor accuracy compared to my old DeWalt. The system on the 1400 is much more robust and not really comparable.

While I am in complaint mode, the lock knob on the left, is clunky and makes grinding noises and the springs in the guide columns are far too weak.
Left alone, it can take 30 seconds to re-establish its height.

I do wonder if I simply have a Friday afternoon machine.
Click to expand...

I have to agree somewhat. I too think the height adjustment is flimsy. Not really what I would call accurate, at least on mine-the scale reads -2.25mm no matter what I try to adjust it to it always falls past 0. Just falls down the slider no matter what I do-seems there is NO adjustment available here to fix it. I know about zero-ing the router and all that, but really the scale setting device is poorly made. Seems I can never get any accurate measurement readings so am forced to try, check adjust try again till its set. Next the main lock knob too is a little off putting when you tighten it and here the spring grinding. I dont like the feel or noise of that, but maybe thats just me, at least it locks in place. Thirdly the springs I think are too weak on the columns and the router only slowly returns to full height. Yes I have cleaned and checked it. And since I am on the horse here now, I would have liked the router base to have a "clip-in" dust collector or alternative clip-in bases rather than having to keep a torx screwdriver just for this purpose- and having the damn screws disappear onto the floor. I would have thought tool-less changing is the way to go nowadays so am a little disappointed here. And one final thing is the adjustments for the turrets is annoying in that rather than simply turning them like a micro adjuster, you have to get out another screwdriver and adjust them to whatever height you need using that. Fiddly and time consuming. [mad]
 
I have the 1400 for three years and love it. I bought the 1010 yesterday to use on the LR32. The reason was the spring on the 1400 are strong and after 600 plunges my arm is a little tired. The 1010 has a very soft springs and double the speed at which I can make holes with the LR32. The plunge is easier secondary to the "weak" spring  and I find myself pulling the router up to speed the return.

The depth gage is for me quite acurate. It needed a little initial calibration and I have been checking all of my setting with my woodpecker set up block and it has been reliable.

The 1010 is a light weight router for small easy jobs and the 1400 comes out when one needs more power. It's like the CXS versus the T15.

Festool tailors it's tools to make a certain range of work very easy and fast. Once you start to use a tool outside of it's range of design, performance drops signicantly and one 's frustration increases.

 
Yes but that doesn't address the basic flaws in the design of the router in the first place, as outlined above. With any tool its designed for specific tasks but it surely must do those tasks in a way that it is "easier faster.." as per Festools own slogan? If the device takes ages to calibrate then how is that faster and easier? I have a triton router ages old and it has micro adjusters and can be changed above the table easily with one spanner too. I'd say the 1010 would be very difficult in a table compared to the triton. As to the 1010's setting being 2.25mm out on its scale, that is simply poor in my opinion for a top line router. I am quite happy with the rest of Festools I have, just as this article states things could have been designed better on the 1010 in my opinion.
 
splinter said:
I also have ongoing problems with router bits jamming in the collets, something I have never experienced with my old DeWalt 621.

Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

Are you fully seating/ bottoming the bit shank in the collet?  If you are, this can cause the jamming in the collet. 
 
Including my OF-1010 I have 5 routers, and I think of the 1010 as a little jewel; light and easy to use.

I've had no problems with cutters stuck in the collet.

From new it was a bit slow springing back to full height, but the smallest amount of dry lubricant on the pillars fixed that.

I love it and it is my "go to" router whenever I don't need the capacity or power of the OF-1400.

As for the height adjust I've had no problems and find it absolutely reproducible.

Andrew
 
i usually just eyeball the debth make a test cut and adj. It the most accurate way to set debth IMO.

I do use the 1010s debt stop as a starting point.

But my little 1010 is my go to router for everything that I dont use my table mounted router for.
 
Easiest way to set depth (using hinge leaf as an example);

I check the micro adjustment is centered in its range. Make sure you use a turret screw that allows the necessary final travel.

With the depth rod "unlocked".

On a flat surface plunge until the bit just touches the surface.

Lock motor.

Lift depth rod, insert leaf between turret screw and rod, allow rod to drop on leaf, tighten the depth rod gib.  

Remove leaf.

This allows the router to plunge an additional depth equal to whatever was used as the "gauge" between the depth rod and turret screw.

My 1010 has no problems with depth accuracy.

Tom
 
I mostly use my of1010 for morticing hinges with a template. (also cups for multipoint locks into doorjambs).

I use the method described by Tom for the depthsetting, with one exception... instead of having the micro adjustment in the central position, I make sure it's firmly bottomed out in one direction; if not, the micro adjust on my router will slowly turn by itself caused by vibration and mess up my depth setting.

The light weight, handle configuration and the fact that the bit comes to a stop quickly (only for the 220v ebq models) makes it ideal for vertical template work.
 
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