Which Festool Router - OF 1010 or OF 1400?

[Rutabagared]

Hello,
Looking for advice on choosing.  To me the 1400 seems a bit more refined, but the small size of the 1010 appeals.  So I'm really on the fence.  Any advice from owners would be appreciated.

Like many, I don't really need another router (Bosch Colt with plunge base, which I love, PC 890 dedicated to a table, and Makita RF 1100 (plunge, D-Handle and fixed bases), but the ability to use the Festool routers on the guide rail, the quality of the accessories, the overall system approach, and dust collection are drawing me towards one or the other.  Also, collectively my current routers all lack in areas - Bosch deluxe edge guide is great but limited to the Colt, Makita D-handle is great freehand, but lacks a user friendly edge guide and the plunge base leaves somehting to be desired, etc.

Shank size is not that important.  My approach lately has been to buy most almost all of my bits in 1/4 shank sizes so I can use them with the Colt and I rarely take a heavy cuts.

If you're someone fortunate enough to own both, which to you reach for most often when you have a choice?

Thanks, all.

 

[tsmi243]

If you were stuck on a desert island, with only ONE router, you'd want the 1400 to cover all your bases.

Since you have other routers, you should really get the 1010.  It's more impressive for what it is than the 1400 is, and it's not as small as you may be thinking. 

 

[dltflt]

Another vote for the 1400. It will take a ½” shank bit and the 1010 will not.

 

[contendernut]

I prefer the 1010. But the 700 and 1400 have better edge guides than the 1010.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

I'll agree with previous comments...best overall for the two is the OF1400. If you want an additional, smaller, nore nimble router for .25" and 8mm shank tooling, the OF1010 is a great machine. I have both. I honestly pull out the OF1400 more, but that's largely because of the tasks I happen to tend to do with a hand-held router and the tooling required. Everyone works differently.

 

[Peter_C]

You can use the Festool rail with your current routers. Turn the rail around, clamp it down, and run the routers down the backside. For my bigger router I find it more solid.

If you want to spend some money on Festool is there anything else you want? Sanders? Domino?

 

[Michael Kellough]

I have a lot of routers of all sizes and several brands except the Festool 1400.
Like many ww’ers I initially invested in big strong bits and routers but now I use the Festool 1100 (actually OF 1000 in my case) 90% of the time.

 

[AlexThePalex]

I have a small DeWalt router that accepts 8 mm bits, and a bigger Bosch that can take 12 mm. I hardly ever use the Bosch, I use the DW 95% of the time.

 

[Bugsysiegals]

I’ve both OF1400 and OF1010 which are like new meaning I’ve not used either of them much. That said, I was drilling shelf pin holes for drawer slides with my OF1010 when the base broke. I sent it in for repair and decided to use the OF1400 to finish the job but it was so much bulkier I decided to put the project on hold for a week and wait for the OF1010 to come back. I will never use the LR32 with anything but the OF1010 unless I have to ... something to consider if you’re headed in this direction ...

 

[afish]

"IF" I could only have one and no other routers were made I would take the 1010.  The fact the 1010 does not accept a 1/2" shank is disappointing. However, you can always make smaller shallower passes but the fact you cannot center a bushing in the 1400 is even more disappointing especially when we are talking a router with such a premium price tag.  I would understand if it was a $49 dollar chinese special from HF but at +$600 dollar range for a router it should have every possible nuance factored and dialed in.  At least the 1010 works well with the LR32 but I am far from sold on festool routers other than the MFK 700 for doing edgebanding but even that was tough to swallow.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

You can use the Festool rail with your current routers. Turn the rail around, clamp it down, and run the routers down the backside. For my bigger router I find it more solid.

If you want to spend some money on Festool is there anything else you want? Sanders? Domino?

That's not even close to the same thing. Any straight object could do that. The point of the rail and the connectors is that it cannot drift away from the rail. Plus if you need to make a second pass to widen the groove, the micro adjust can do that without moving the rail over.

That said, I own all three 700, 1010, and 1400. I use the 700 almost exclusively for wood edging. I got the 1400 quite some time after that. The job I was working on at the time required SOSS hinges and it worked great for that. I didn't want to take the Triton out of the table and the little Makita didn't have enough vertical travel. I bought the 1010 after that to use on a rail where I had to cut some grooves in a vertical surface. The Geckos worked great for that too.
I have since used both 1010 and 1400 for many other projects, but keep in mind that this is in a commercial setting. I work in the custom department of a cabinet shop, so speed is important and I never know what is coming next, versatility is king. I have multiple routers basically dedicated to one thing, even the 700 falls into that. The other Festool routers are the ones I reach for to do pretty much everything else and because of the dust collection abilities, I use them both more and more.
My advice would probably be useless to a hobbyist woodworker because the goals are quite different.
To a home gamer who essentially chooses what he builds and speed not necessarily a factor either, it would be a tough choice. I think I would say the same as the others. Stick with the 1400 and don't worry too much about the guide bushing thing. In many situations, it would never be a factor. Even if it is off slightly, it will repeat to be off the same every time. So the only time that would really come into play is with a dovetail jig and I wouldn't use a plunge base router for that anyway. Maybe with an inlay.
The 1400 is the allrounder and as with most allrounders, it's not the best at anything, except for dust collection. The others many be "better" in a few specific tasks, but it's not worth the expense to most people. Having more than a single full size router and a compact or trimmer is excessive for them.

 

[tjskinny]

For me the choice would be the 1010.  I did start out with the 1010 before I got the 1400.  But the 1400 was purchased with the CMS and stays there.

As a hobbyist / home DYIer I haven’t come across anything that has required me to pull out the 1400.

I find the 1010 rides on the Leigh Dovetail jig better and is easier to maneuver.  I do use 8mm bits and collets most of the time as well, I feel I get less chatter When making  deeper cuts.  The only thing I would like better is if the 1010 had the ratchet collet.

 

[flair woodworks]

I own both a 1010 and 1400. I usually reach for the 1010 if it is suitable for the job. However, if I need to change the centre ring (to the dust collection cup, for example), I will often reach for the 1400 because the changeover is faster and easier.

Read my blog:https://flairwoodworks.com/welcome/blog/