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It runs great, is solid, well equipped. It was only my second bit change. When I tried to leave feedback in the hope of just getting someone's attention, I noticed that feedback was available for every item in my recent shopping history, but not for this item. When you loosen it, your bit may still not come out. Just something you ought to consider if you are interested in this item: first, ask if it is refurbished.
then I paid close to 100.00 to get it here. Such separation means the collet assembly needs to be replaced. My only alternative for recourse was to return the entire item, which to me is a real pain, since I am in Panama, and got free shipping to Miami. I bought this router to go on my router table. I had to remove it from the table- not always necessary for bit changes when all is in order- and was actually wondering if I had turned in the wrong direction, because the thing would simply not budge. I ended up removing the hex nut, simply becaue, instead of lifting the collet in order to release the bit, the hex nut and the collet parted ways. I would have ended up paying close to 50.00 to return it safely, and Amazon would not have covered my original shipping cost. Early on, I suspected the thing had been reconditioned, and this furthers my suspiciont.
But the collet has a problem. Not supposed to. Because one of those collets new costs about 20.00. I will be honest.
If I had realized it did not have a light, I would not have purchased it. A very well made and good router, but very difficult to see your work through the plastic sawdust cover. I can't understand why this router does not have a built in light. Oh well. It should be a "must have" on any router.
I looked at the usuals: Makita, Bosch, Porter Cable, Hitachi, Triton, DeWalt and Milwaukee. Lastly, the carrying case. The router I purchased was perfectly centered on the existing base, and I've had no problems using the plunge to cut mortises to exact tolerances. It slides and locks easily into both the fixed and plunge bases, and has a flat top, which makes changing bits that much easier. It may be that Bosch corrected the issues with bit wander mentioned previously, but I've had no such issue.
To date, I have had no issues in completing this task with this router combo. After the first few uses, it becomes second nature. It's casing is well machined, and while that has little bearing on it's overall performance, it is a sign that the unit is quality manufactured. That being said, I have to disagree with an earlier post. So, to begin:The motor is solid. The plunge base is sturdy, and has smooth and linear movement.
Other than that.I can say that I am 100% satisfied with this router. Ultimately, the choice ended between Makita and Bosch, which had very similar features. It's a bit on the large size.but hey, it holds everything but the edge guide. It also offers the benefit of fine depth adjustment. I've also routed several through and half-blind dovetails on my Rockler jig, again, with no issues with bit wander.
The location of the power switch takes some getting used to.so just be aware of that. I've logged about 50 hours (hand-held) with this router, in both soft and hardwoods (red oak, cherry, mahogany, maple, poplar), so my observations are based on that usage.First, I did a lot of research, trying to keep the cost around $250. Period. I just recently purchased this router kit to replace a 15 year old router that finally died on me.
The motor is also heavy, which when combined with either base, gives you excellent stability and control for even high tolerance cuts. There is not enough clearance above the fixed base to close the case cover. My only complaint is that you cannot leave the guide locking screws in the fixed base of the router when storing in the case. The fine-depth adjustment on the fixed base is excellent and easy to use, offering very precise adjustments.
The Bosch won on price, and so here we are. Since I lack a permanent table saw / dadoe combination, I typically cut my tenons using a straight-fluted bit, using a square palm sander to gently round-over the corners of the tenons. At 2 1/4 horsepower, it has plenty of power to chew through just about any type of hardwood you could use.A couple of other things that deserve mention:The Soft-start is superb, really superb. It may be that individual tolerances vary from router.so I guess take it for what it's worth.
My main issues are with the bases. Over time, the snap ring will deform, and eventually fly off or break, making height adjustment impossible. I've logged several hundred hours with this router, using both bases. Setting the bit height exactly is also an issue, as the bit will pivot slightly when the lever is tightened, changing the height by as much as 1/32".Also, be aware that if you intend to use the motor in a table with a router lift, the motor is not the same diameter as the standard porter cable that most router lifts are designed to fit. Then again, I've only used it on soft woods like fir and redwood, and only rarely used bits over 1.5". This means that when the release lever is open, the entire weight of the router is supported by a thin piece of metal, and when you raise and lower the router with the screw, a lot of force is placed on this thin ring. I've discovered that the fixed base is obviously not intended to be permanently mounted inverted in a table.
I like the motor, with it's variable speed and soft start, and have had no issues with it bogging down or bad switches. When it was new, it was easy to swap the motor from one to the other, but over time the grooves which hold the motor in place in the bases put deep scratches in the motor sides (the edges of the grooves are pretty sharp), and due to the increased friction, it has become a serious headache switching back and forth.I have the fixed base mounted in a router table, and do freehand work with the plunge base. Adaptors are available, but then that's one more hassle. When inverted, the only thing which holds the shaft of the fine adjustment screw in place is a tiny little snap ring.
If your looking for a router seriously consider this combo kit, it allows you to have 2 routers for the price of one. 1 month ago. I bought this combo kit approx. Sofar I've used the plunge base to make "butterflies" (with a template) on a A & C style sideboard/buffet, I've also used the fixed base in my shop built router table, and had to fine tune the depth with the above table adjustment(not possible with my old Craftsman. Paul Each time I use it I ask why I waited so long to get it.
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