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It has the three key features--hp, slow-start with variable-speed, and above-table micro adjustment. Finally, and this is the feature on the Milwaukee that separates the men from the boys, you need tabletop micro adjustment. A lot of frustration, and ruined maple. Every time I had to adjust the Bosch I'd be reaching for the whiskey.
The Milwaukee's system is, like every other Milwaukee product I use as a contractor, simple and heavy duty. It's a real production router--and no matter how much production you do, if you have a router dedicated to your table, then this should be it. Slow-start and variable speed are two more must-have's. Just know, it takes two hands to manage it. The Milwaukee's kept me sober.
I know; I've torn up enough maple and oak trying to get the job done with the usual 1.5 to 1.8hp in most routers. If I could stretch like that I'd be in Cirque du Soleil. And you don't have to support the motor while you're making micro adjustments above the table. If you're looking for a hand-held tool, this is heavy, but some might say, "The bigger and heavier, the more stable," and I agree. Hello.
Really, this is a table router, and it's the best I've seen. This is my 4th router, and the 3rd I've put in a table, so I've been around the block regarding desired features. Frame-and-panel doors, or raised-panel doors made with 2+ inch diameter bits, require at least 3hp. You don't run small bits at low speed, and you don't run 2-1/2-inch bits at high speed. The T-handle slips through a dust cover and fits over a full 3/8-inch adjustment nut to raise or lower the motor via a strong threaded shaft. One arm under the table to hold the motor, the other on top to adjust the height.
This isn't the router to trim the Formica with. If you do, something's going to burn. The T-handle was a tiny little hex key, but worst of all you still had to hold the motor while you made the fine adjustment. I had a Bosch and the micro adjustment was useless.
Well, this is a little quibble with a fantastic machine.Overall, worth every penny. But it's the little details that make it so perfect for the router table:- The handles are easy to remove if you need extra clearance.- The base plate is attached with four chunky 5/16" bolts, which is a good thing since the router hangs from them. Finding clearance for that is why it's nice to be able to easily get rid of the handles. There's the minor flaw I mentioned. There's nothing worse than having a router slip and wreck your work. Power is ample, speed control is great, it feels ultra-solid, it's vibration free, and it's surprisingly quiet. It's a pretty minor problem, but it might cause you to abandon the whole above-the-table approach entirely. The height adjustment knob is opposite the speed control.
Unlike some routers, securing the clamp doesn't change your carefully adjusted height setting.- The port for the t-handle wrench is protected with a little rubber dust gasket. Ha. And, again, easy to do by feel alone. I did, though, put a rubber mat on the ground below.- If you want (or need) to, it's also pretty easy to raise and lower the router by reaching under the table and twirling the height adjustment knob. Bolts that are too long just stick through harmlessly.- The t-handle height adjustment from above the table works fine, although you do have to reach underneath first and release the cam-lock level to enable the router body to slide up and down. I bought this router for use in a table (frankly, I can't imagine wanting to wrestle this heavy beast around freehand), and except for one very minor flaw, it's a great machine.
Some might not like this, but I find the rock solid clamping action worth the extra second it takes to reach under the table. Nice touch.- The speed control is a chunky dial that is easy to operate blind from under the table.- Being able to drop the router body out with a single button press is great for bit changes. If you mount the router with the height adjustment knob at the front, which is pretty much the only place where the hole won't be occluded by the fence, then the speed control will be awkwardly positioned at the back of the table. It takes just the right amount of force and has very little lash.But, you ask, why would you need to use the knob to adjust the height, when you have the above-the-table t-wrench method available. Even better, the holes that receive the bolts are drilled all the way through the base, so when you're installing it you don't have to worry about getting the bolt length exactly right. Sure, there are some that let you do it from above the table, but this is quick and easy and rock-solid simple.
You won't be sorry. One reviewer noted that you could easily drop the router this way, but since you have to release the locking lever first, that seems unlikely to me.
And keep the screw clean of sawdust, blow it out occasionally. I only use two speeds, fast and slow. However, a plus to the Milwaukee is that you don't have to twist it to raise it up and down. I believe that it could, but only if you are trying to raise the router in the table with that plastic screw. Just loosen the sleeve lock, push the release button and lift it up or down vertically without any twisting of the cord. In reality, who cares. I bought this over a year ago because I needed a high power router with variable speed to do some raised panels after I burned up my lesser power single speed router that I put a dimmer switch onto.
Although I don't recommend doing it, it will do it, just keep your wood securely pressed to the table so it won't jump around a little bit.I have mine mounted under a table, it's just too big to use by hand and I have a smaller one for hand use.The depth adjuster screw is made of plastic, and some here have complained about it breaking or stripping out. The way around it is to push the depth screw release button and lift the router through the base just a little higher than needed and then micro-adjust the depth of cut down, using gravity to your advantage. I am not disappointed with it in the least. If you can find the Milwaukee for the same price or less, go with the Milwaukee, I don't think you will regret it. This sucker will plow through a raised panel with a 3 1/2 inch raised panel bit at full depth with one pass and not even slow down due to its constant speed circuitry. It's not a big deal and you don't even need to be careful. Porter Cable is a great brand, but so is Milwaukee.
Just don't force it to do things that it probably won't do.I chose this model over the Porter cable because this model had more variable speed options.
Since I use all local hardwoods. I think it is a little big to use free hand.but it will work freehand on large areas very well. Thank you Milwaukee. I am a one man cabinet making shop. Like working solid tops.
I have gross revenues of 150,000.00 a year.I work long hours and enjoy my work.the Milwaukee 3 1/2 hp router is installed on a horizontal table.I use it to make moldings for my installs. It has plenty of power and runs very smooth. I also use it for making picture moldings. It is a great router and the price is right.
It was a minor challenge but I did get the plate modified to accept the tool. I bought it specificly to mount in a Bosch router station, unfortunately the hole pattern in the tool did not match any of the pre-existing holes in the mounting plate. My next project is refacing kitchen cabinets, with raised panel doors out of Red Oak. I am sure that it will be a very good tool for years to come. This router comes out of the box ready to do some serious work. That being said, the tool performs extremely well. I'll know for sure how well it performs after that. It seems to have an abundance of tourqe and power.
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