Popular Woodworking 2002-06 № 128, страница 45
that if you're going to buy a machine with this much flexibility and power, it should accept bits with a Vz" shank. Additionally, we didn't test the Craftsman's mid-size premium plunge router because it's being redesigned and will be significantly different from what's in stores now. We'll bring you information on this new router in a future issue. Seven Important Features Premium plunge routers have a lot of features, and what's important is how all these work together to make a router that is a pleasure to use or just a pain. The most important features are the motor performance, the ease of adjusting the tool, the ease of the plunging action, the feel of the tool in use, the switch, and the tool's ability to accept accessories such as template guides and vacuum hoses. Another feature is the self-releasing collet. Rather than have the bit drop out after applying the "break-loose" pressure, these collets have a secondary stopping point that requires minimal pressure to release the bit, making it easier to remove the bit without danger of damaging it. Many of these features are subjective, but the opinions in this article are from woodworkers who have decades of experience with routers and still use them on a daily basis. The motor performance and the plunging action were able to be more objectively tracked. How We Tested Each Tool For performance, we mounted a new ^"-diameter straight bit (carbide-tipped Viper bits from Oldham) in each router and mounted each in a router table. We cut multiple V4" x Vz" rabbets in red oak and monitored the rpm and amperage draw before the cuts (these results are listed as Collection hood to improve efficiency Dust collection is critical when using a hand-held router. The DeWalt has a unique collection system that pulls dust from within the base and then up through the plunge column.The Porter-Cable router also pulls dust through the base, but the vacuum port is on the base itself. The micro-adjust depth setting on the Porter-Cable adjusts to V128" and allows the router to be adjusted up and down when the plunge lock is engaged.The Bosch uses a similar "locking" adjustment, while the DeWalt and Makita use a set-and-repeat adjustment system, which is not as sophisticated. "no load" in the chart) and during the cuts (listed as "load"). The boards were fed by hand at a typical speed for this procedure. Because we weren't able to control the feed rate perfectly, the information in the chart on the following page is of a wider range than we would have preferred, but we've reported the averages from several cuts. As to how easy it was to plunge each tool, we rigged up some simple free weights in a sling under the router to allow us to determine the weight necessary to initiate the plunge action, and the weight necessary to completely compress the plunge spring. By adding this information to our personal opinions of the plunging action for each router, we then ranked each tool. Accessories Dust collection and the ability to accept template guides were two of the major accessories that we took into consideration. The DeWalt and Porter-Cable routers had built-in dust collection features, pulling dust through the base of the router. The Bosch router comes equipped with a dust hood that connects to the base and the Makita essentially offers no on-board dust collection. Another useful accessory are template guides. The DeWalt, Makita and Porter-Cable routers all accept a standard 13/l6"-di-ameter Porter-Cable guide. With the DeWalt and Porter-Cable you need to screw in a provided insert to use the template guides. On the Makita, the template guides attach right to the base. The Bosch router requires a proprietary guide set from Bosch. Conclusion: DeWalt We recommend the DeWalt DW6z1 as the best premium midsized plunge router. In close second is the Bosch 1613AEVS, which has the superior micro-adjust mechanism and is the best tool for use in a router table. We were less impressed with the Makita RP1101. While the motor performed well and plunged smoothly, it fell short in features and carries the heftiest price tag in the test. Also disappointing was the Porter-Cable 7529, which had a flawed micro-adjust mechanism, and it suffered from poor motor performance. BIT SPEED One of the features of all these routers is variable speed. Adjusting the revolutions per minute allows different diameter router bits to perform their best. In general, the larger the bit diameter, the slower the speed. This makes the motor labor less and increases the life of the router and the bit. Diameter 1/16" - 1/2" V2- -1/8" 11/8" - 21/2" 2V2" and up Speed (rpm) 14K-18K 12K-14K 8K - 12K 43 22K + |
