Lightweight routers dedicated to roundovers

JonathanJung

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I've had my eye on the Bosch 12v router, but am wondering if I wouldn't rather have several basic corded routers dedicated to various bits. I'm thinking potentially old, small, stubby routers like those I've seen in cabinet shops. But I can't seem to find them. Any ideas?

The Festool trim router would be fine but the price is far more than this application calls for. And I'd love a little collection of them.

 

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That’s the venerable old Porter-Cable 310 laminate trimmer. Been around for about 50 years and it is worth searching for.
 
Michael Kellough said:
That’s the venerable old Porter-Cable 310 laminate trimmer. Been around for about 50 years and it is worth searching for.

Excellent, just the type of info I'm looking for. Thank you!
 
Not sure they are still made. It’s the opposite of the kind of tools that wear the PC badge now that B&D owns the company. I think the golden age was back when Rockwell owned PC, when Rockwell built stuff for NASA.

At this point, eBay. The Bosch laminate trimmer 1608 (pre-Colt) is good enough, but looks like they are obsolete too. Don’t know much about Dewalt stuff.
 
JonathanJung said:
The next logical question is, where does one get them?
Ebay is full of them. The question is, what does old PC have over a modern trimmer from professional brands.
 
Svar said:
JonathanJung said:
The next logical question is, where does one get them?
Ebay is full of them. The question is, what does old PC have over a modern trimmer from professional brands.

From the looks of it, all aluminum build, simpler design, better height adjustment, lower profile, easy to grab from any spot. However, the ergonomics of the 12v Bosch look really really good...
 
Think about dust collection.  If you want it, you'll have to homebrew something for the Bosch.

I can vouch for the ergonomics, though.  It's perfect in that regard.

 
I keep an 18 year old Milwaukee 2 1/4 HP BodyGrip® router with a 1/16" radius bit in it for just softening edges. No bulky plunge mechanism to work around. Just grab it around the router body where it wears a factory soft rubber pad. The 1/16" radius bit also means dust collection really isn't needed because you're removing so little material.
 
I own a pair of the Bosch 12v routers and the ergonomics can't be beat. Right now they're both set up with 1/8" radius bits, one with a standard bearing for general work, the other with a brass pilot for inside corners. At ~$100/ea, they're eminently affordable, and I'm strongly considering picking up another that would be set up with a chamfer bit.

One thing to note on the 12v Bosch is the rpm. The 12v Bosch spins at ~15,000rpm, roughly half of what you'd expect out of a corded tool. In my experience, this means that you need to slow your feed rate a bit. So, if I anticipate a task that will require a lot of trim router work at production speeds I'll usually reach for my MFK700 or my router table, whereas the Bosch 12V routers are great for on-site adjustments/tweaks....
 
Under $40.00 and weighing in at around 5 ounces, the Veritas round-over tool wins the light-weight crown.  No power cord or batteries required.

https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/sho...MI2sqV18Wt8AIVpQaICR067w96EAQYAiABEgIZF_D_BwE

05K5030-cornering-tool-set-f-02.jpg
 
I've had the same issues as Tom with those Veritas items. I finally got tired of glueing the wood splinters back into place and then breaking the edge with a hand block and sand paper.
 
Look at the MLCS Rocky Trim Router, currently being sold by Penn State Industries for $70. I watched a video where having several "small" routers already set up with various bits (flush trim, round-over, chamfer, etc.) was recommended and bought three of them and have been pretty happy so far. Adjustable speed and pretty good dust pick-up. Probably not going to last as long under high use as some of the "name brands" but should be fine for what I'm using them - and the price is certainly right. I see where the Bosch 12V "bare tool" is selling for $150 so I probably paid less for the three I have than I would have for one Bosch. I made an oversize base for one of them (the one that has the round-over bit), and will probably make an oversize base with the c'bore for the PC guide bushings.

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The only problem I had initially was that I didn't check the adjustment of the latch and the router moved down in the base while I was cutting. A couple minutes for adjustment and it's been fine since then.
 

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Tom Gensmer said:
I own a pair of the Bosch 12v routers and the ergonomics can't be beat. Right now they're both set up with 1/8" radius bits, one with a standard bearing for general work, the other with a brass pilot for inside corners. At ~$100/ea, they're eminently affordable, and I'm strongly considering picking up another that would be set up with a chamfer bit.

One thing to note on the 12v Bosch is the rpm. The 12v Bosch spins at ~15,000rpm, roughly half of what you'd expect out of a corded tool. In my experience, this means that you need to slow your feed rate a bit. So, if I anticipate a task that will require a lot of trim router work at production speeds I'll usually reach for my MFK700 or my router table, whereas the Bosch 12V routers are great for on-site adjustments/tweaks....

That's very helpful, esp. the note about the RPM. Looks like 13,000 actually. I'll try running one of my routers at that speed and see how it handles production work, or if it's annoyingly slow.

I'm wanting to use these routers for batch building cabinetry, charcuterie boards, etc.
 
Tom Gensmer said:
I own a pair of the Bosch 12v routers and the ergonomics can't be beat.

You mean this guy?
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I'm surprised people like the ergonomics on it.  I can't stand it personally, I have never figured out a comfortable way to hold it and have come close to putting my finger on the bit a few times because of it.  Really wish it was just the traditional design.

To the op though, I almost always have a 1/4" round over in it and love having it setup like that for quick tasks.  I'm considering getting another to leave setup with an 1/8" bit too.
 
usernumber1 said:
for these little routers doing roundover, once you go cordless it's hard to go back

I agree. I find myself doing more with my cordless router all the time. I have a PC 450 which I got as a bonus when I bought my Unisaw. It's basically the same as the DeWalt version but fixed speed. I recently got the DeWalt cordless router and it is the same size body as the PC so can use the PC plunge base and all the accessories I have for the PC 450. Using a 1/8" roundover bit in a cordless is great not having to drag a cord around. This is a nice setup for easing edges and makes so little dust you can get away without a dust extractor is you want to.
 
I just looked up DeWalt's 20V Max XR Brushless router.  They are claiming  Speed 16,000 - 25,500 rpm.  Is that accurate?  It seems rather high for a battery-powered router.

For their DWP611PK that are claiming 16,000 - 27,000 no-load rpm.  (110 volt)

It there a greater difference in the units under load?
 
I've got a Porter Cable 7310 in embarrassingly good condition. Read the reviews and if you're interested, let me know. I owe the FOG a solid or six. I liked the PC, but predominantly used a Makita offset-base trimmer before getting the cordless model. Then I got a deal on another corded Mak. Anyway, I could stand to thin the quiver.   
 
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