OF1400 vs OF2200

[bsdunbar1]

New Festool owner here but I am wondering if I bought the right tool.
So I am looking for some guidance on which router might actually suit my needs best

I have been using your basic Bosch 1617EV Plunge Router for years.
My use for this is cutting 3/4" sheets of plywood for making poker tables  - 99% of all the wood cutting on these tables is done with a router and several different circle jigs.
My main reason for change is dust collection.

I picked up an OF2200 and it is an absolute tank. 17lbs, compared to the Bosch which is only 10lbs, but it looks like the dust collection is top of the line.

My question is for my hand held use, which I don't need any precision cuts, is there any advantage to use the 2200 over the 1400?
Is the dust collection superior enough to warrant the extra cumbersome weight?

Are there any other Pros or Cons for either of these routers being used in hand held operations?

Thanks

 

[jeh]

For starters you will need the accessory kit so that you can have a base that is more suitable for edge work. As you stated this beast is heavy and has a tendency to lean when rounding corners. In my opinion the OF 1400 would be a better choice if you have one router. Much more manageable and more than sufficient for all but the most extreme tasks. I have both and prefer the OF 2200 whenever I can use it, the reality is the OF 1400 is the go to.

 

[Toolpig]

I had that Bosch router for years. Amazon sells a clear plastic dust collection accessory kit that works very well on that router with the plunge base installed.

New Festool owner here but I am wondering if I bought the right tool.
So I am looking for some guidance on which router might actually suit my needs best

I have been using your basic Bosch 1617EV Plunge Router for years.
My use for this is cutting 3/4" sheets of plywood for making poker tables  - 99% of all the wood cutting on these tables is done with a router and several different circle jigs.
My main reason for change is dust collection.

I picked up an OF2200 and it is an absolute tank. 17lbs, compared to the Bosch which is only 10lbs, but it looks like the dust collection is top of the line.

My question is for my hand held use, which I don't need any precision cuts, is there any advantage to use the 2200 over the 1400?
Is the dust collection superior enough to warrant the extra cumbersome weight?

Are there any other Pros or Cons for either of these routers being used in hand held operations?

Thanks

 

[woodbutcherbower]

I have two OF2200's in both 230v and 110v. It's a big, heavy machine for sure, but that size and weight only really becomes an issue when you're trying to balance it on a relatively narrow material edge, cutting deep mortises, making tenons, rabbet cuts and so on. For sheet goods where the whole base is on a flat surface - it's a walk in the park. As others have said - the OF1400 is a fine machine. But to me - having seemingly limitless power on tap with state-of-the-art dust control and virtually no restrictions as to what you can do with the machine is a no-brainer, and well worth the extra purchase cost. The optional accessory kit comes with a bunch of different baseplates and additional different-sized guide bushes, which might make a real positive impact on your jig/template method of working, along with a parallel guide and additional dust collection attachments for edging work and so on. I've spent 40 years on the tools as a professional joiner, and it's the best router I've ever used - by an absolute country mile. Once you get used to the sheer size and mass of the thing, the ergonomics and ease of use are off-the-scale clever, and it's an absolute joy to use. It quite literally defines the state of the art in handheld routing today IMHO.

It's like having a 300 horsepower car. 95% of the time, you don't need it and you don't use it. But then, in a moment of crisis when a truck comes hurtling toward you on the wrong side of the road on a blind curve, and you need that huge surge of power to get you past the vehicle in front and out of that hole - you'll be glad you had it sitting under your right foot.

Your money, of course, and your choice. Hope you get fixed up.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

If the Bosch did the job you needed it for, the OF1400 definitely will too, with far better dust collection.
That said, I have nothing against to monster OF2200, it just seems like over-kill for your current application.
My biggest router (3hp Triton) is mounted in a table and very rarely comes out. My OF1400 does the higher end of the hand-held work for me, meaning 1/2 shank bits.
There is a bit of a "familiarity/feeling" curve to get past with the OF1400 (and OF1010) because of the form-factor. The horizontal handle and locking knob are unique in the router world, so they take some getting used to. Were as the OF2200, other than a slightly different locking knob, feels pretty normal, much more like a typical plunge router. I don't own a 2200, but I have tested one a couple of times. It's a great machine, just not what fits my needs, and since I have gotten better sources for 8mm shank bits, I use the OF1010 a lot more than I did at first.

I don't think you could go wrong with either, especially since you don't seem to be price sensitive about it. You're already in at the big end, with a tool that will do the job and leave room for more in the future.

If you're in the US, you can take it back within 30 days and switch it for a OF1400 if the weight gets to be too much.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I view the OF1400 (my favorite router) as the "same space" Festool for the Bosch product you mention for both power and hand-held usability. The OF2200 is truly a "beast" and wouldn't be my choice for anything hand-held that didn't absolutely require it's extra power to execute.

 

[Birdhunter]

I have all the Festool routers. The 1400 is the most used. The 2200 is great for hogging out massive quantities of wood or doing in one pass what would need 2 or 3 passes of the 1400. I think the 2200 accessories are better engineered than any of the other routers. It’s a beautifully made machine.

 

[Cypren]

I have both the 1400 and 2200 as well and use both. I would say the main pros for the 2200 are:

• One of the most powerful handheld routers on the market, combined with the ergonomics and accessories to safely use that power outside of a table
• Vastly superior dust collection, thanks to the pop-down shield which fully encloses the routing chamber: I have done a half-inch deep dado with a 7/8” wide spiral bit in a single pass and left almost nothing behind
• More accessory options, and the convenience of being able to buy them as a single package rather than piecemeal
• Better depth adjustment because you can lock the depth rod in place before micro adjusting
• The unique “finishing pass” feature on the last turret stop: I use this constantly and it’s brilliant; I have no idea why their other routers don’t have this feature

The cons are simply the size, weight and cost. The 2200 is an incredible router for trenching and rail-guided work, but the 1400 makes a far better edge and template router in most cases because it’s easier to control when only half its weight is supported by the workpiece. If I were only going to own one, though, it would be the 2200. The ergonomic downsides don’t outweigh its other benefits in my view.