Tom the Remodeler
Member
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2007
- Messages
- 1,106
Greetings!!
Ok, so I have a few router questions: How many routers do you have, and what do you use them for?
Here's the reason for my question: I currently own a Bosch 1617EVSPK kit, which includes the plunge and fixed base. I also own the Bench Dog ProTop Contractor portable router table, with an extra Bosch fixed base permanently mounted inside. I don't have a shop (heck, I still live in an apartment!!!), so all of my projects need to be constructed on-site, which is partially what makes Festool equipment so desirable to me! I work full-time as a carpenter for a higher-end residential remodeling firm in the metropolitan area of Minnesota. I do a lot of work on weekends working on my girlfriend's parents' house, a big Victorian house a little over an hour away. Right now, my Bosch has worked reasonably well for my needs, which up until now have been mostly just simple edge-routing operations and dadoes, both on the router table and free-hand.
Well, I've been playing around with the OF1400 at my local store, and I'm very impressed!! I particularly like the plunge action. When using my Bosch, I often end up using the plunge base because I feel it is somewhat more safe, after each cut I retract the bit so as to not have an exposed bit spinning at high speed, and to avoid potentially marring my work. So, anyways, I'm impressed with the OF1400.
Here's another consideration. At my girlfriend's parents' Victorian house, approximately half of the original six panel, raised panel oak doors are no longer in the house, and I'll probably be making new doors in the next six or seven months. I've been looking around, and the Freud FT3000VCE seems ideally suited for table applications for a user (myself) who can't (or cringes at the thought of) spending $350 for a router lift plus the price of the router motor, and just wants a plunge-base router that will allow for above-table height adjustment AND bit changes.
So, really, I would love to hear what people use their routers for, and I'm looking for input as to how I can expand or improve my router usage? Do I get the OF1400 and use my Bosch 1617 as a dedicated router-table motor? Is the Bosch (2 1/4 hp) going to be too wimpy for making raised panel doors? If I do get a 3 hp-class router for table use, can I get by with the newest Freud? Do I need a router lift and PC motor? Would the OF2200 be well-suited to table use? Remember, for the time being we're talking about a portable router table... Heck, for that matter, can I accomplish making raised panel doors with a portable table? For OF1400 users (or OF1010 users, for that matter), do you solely use your Festool router for all of your free hand or edge routing operations, or are there applications where you still find a place for a traditional, fixed-base router (ie, a Bosch 1617).
I've never built a door before. I'm going to start a Woodcraft class next Monday that demonstrates how to construct a raised panel entry door, so I suppose some of my questions will be answered there, but I wanted to get input here as well!
I apologize for this wandering rant, I've just got all of these thoughts zinging around my head, and few of my coworkers do much with woodworking, most don't even own a router, and if they do they use it maybe twice a year to put a round-over edge on a cleat or something. So, anyways, I appreciate your patience and I look forward to hearing from you!!
Ok, so I have a few router questions: How many routers do you have, and what do you use them for?
Here's the reason for my question: I currently own a Bosch 1617EVSPK kit, which includes the plunge and fixed base. I also own the Bench Dog ProTop Contractor portable router table, with an extra Bosch fixed base permanently mounted inside. I don't have a shop (heck, I still live in an apartment!!!), so all of my projects need to be constructed on-site, which is partially what makes Festool equipment so desirable to me! I work full-time as a carpenter for a higher-end residential remodeling firm in the metropolitan area of Minnesota. I do a lot of work on weekends working on my girlfriend's parents' house, a big Victorian house a little over an hour away. Right now, my Bosch has worked reasonably well for my needs, which up until now have been mostly just simple edge-routing operations and dadoes, both on the router table and free-hand.
Well, I've been playing around with the OF1400 at my local store, and I'm very impressed!! I particularly like the plunge action. When using my Bosch, I often end up using the plunge base because I feel it is somewhat more safe, after each cut I retract the bit so as to not have an exposed bit spinning at high speed, and to avoid potentially marring my work. So, anyways, I'm impressed with the OF1400.
Here's another consideration. At my girlfriend's parents' Victorian house, approximately half of the original six panel, raised panel oak doors are no longer in the house, and I'll probably be making new doors in the next six or seven months. I've been looking around, and the Freud FT3000VCE seems ideally suited for table applications for a user (myself) who can't (or cringes at the thought of) spending $350 for a router lift plus the price of the router motor, and just wants a plunge-base router that will allow for above-table height adjustment AND bit changes.
So, really, I would love to hear what people use their routers for, and I'm looking for input as to how I can expand or improve my router usage? Do I get the OF1400 and use my Bosch 1617 as a dedicated router-table motor? Is the Bosch (2 1/4 hp) going to be too wimpy for making raised panel doors? If I do get a 3 hp-class router for table use, can I get by with the newest Freud? Do I need a router lift and PC motor? Would the OF2200 be well-suited to table use? Remember, for the time being we're talking about a portable router table... Heck, for that matter, can I accomplish making raised panel doors with a portable table? For OF1400 users (or OF1010 users, for that matter), do you solely use your Festool router for all of your free hand or edge routing operations, or are there applications where you still find a place for a traditional, fixed-base router (ie, a Bosch 1617).
I've never built a door before. I'm going to start a Woodcraft class next Monday that demonstrates how to construct a raised panel entry door, so I suppose some of my questions will be answered there, but I wanted to get input here as well!
I apologize for this wandering rant, I've just got all of these thoughts zinging around my head, and few of my coworkers do much with woodworking, most don't even own a router, and if they do they use it maybe twice a year to put a round-over edge on a cleat or something. So, anyways, I appreciate your patience and I look forward to hearing from you!!