Popular Woodworking 2006-06 № 155, страница 79
We tested all of the routers with the standard base attachment, but many of the trim routers are offered in kit form with multiple bases. The two most common accessory bases are an offset base (at left) and a tilting base. assertion was valid, we slipped a 3/4"-diameter dadoing bit into the trim routers and ran 4"-deep dados across a 12"-wide mahogany board in a single pass. Our third test was to gauge the ease of fine work with the routers. Their small size makes them ideal for this work, but if you can't see where your bit is cutting, it's not that helpful. We ran Vs"-deep hinge mortises in the Lyptus boards, again using the 3/4"-diam-eter dado bits. We also spent some time gauging the ergonomics of the tools. In particular, how the router felt in the hand, how it balanced and how easy it was to change bits and adjust the depth of cut. Features and Comments There were a number of features to help contrast the nine routers in the test. Two of the routers (Bosch and Ridgid) included variable-speed control, while all the others were single-speed models. While these routers are somewhat limited in capability by their motor sizes, they can use large-diameter bits (if the base allows enough clearance). When using a large bit, slowing the speed of the router will improve the cutting performance of the bit. That said, variable speed is a nice feature, but not a deal-breaker in this category. A soft-start motor is a side benefit of the variable speeds on the Bosch and Ridgid units, but the Makita also includes a soft-start feature. This is a handy feature because of the power packed into these pint-sized routers - there can be a significant jerk as the centrifugal motion kicks in. Soft start allows you to more easily control the router during delicate procedures (such as inlay work) and it makes the tools more pleasant to use in general. Related to the capability of each router is the base opening size. We've noted the range of opening sizes in the chart. Some of the router bases are designed to accept template guides, so the base opening is sized for that feature. Two of the routers (Makita and Grizzly) actually come with a template guide. While the motors do much of the work on these routers, the bases make them accurate and affect the ease of use. There are a variety of bases used in the test routers. The most common is a base that slips over the motor housing and clamps in place against the body. The depth of cut is adjusted by sliding the base up or down the motor body. Six of the nine routers use this design, though each of those six have differences. Some have bases that orient or align to the motor, and some offer gross or fine depth-of-cut adjustment (or both). Another difference is how easy it is to lock in that adjustment. The other three routers (DeWalt, Freud and Porter-Cable) use a base design that clamps the base to the motor housing and the depth of cut is controlled within the base itself, independent of the positioning on the motor body. Another interesting feature about the bases relates to visibility. Some of the bases (the base body, not the base plate) are a high-impact polycarbonate, while others are metallic. The polycarbonate bases are translucent or transparent, with differing results. More important than the type of material used is the way the base is cut away around the bit. A more enclosed base dramatically reduces visibility. The switches for these routers are all over the place. Some on top, some on the side - and when on the side, they can be either at the top or bottom of the router. Because trim routers are primarily one-handed power tools the switch position isn't as critical as on larger routers. But you may very well prefer one switch location over another. We'll leave that decision to personal choice. Conclusion We based our conclusions solely on the standard routers, not on the extra bases offered in the kit versions. Though we feel these extra bases offer significant benefits, not all the trim routers in the test included multiple bases, so we felt it inappropriate to consider them in forming our conclusions. While the power offered by each of these routers is important, we found that the ease of use (depth-of-cut adjustability and visibility) were much more important factors. In considering power, the routers range from 2.1 to 6.5 amps, with the Grizzly standing as the lowest router on the totem pole at a mere 2.1 amps. During our dado testing we pushed the routers beyond what would be appropriate use and found the power in the Bosch, DeWalt, Makita and Ridgid to be the best. All the other competitors fared well, but we noticed bogging in the Freud and Grizzly units. In depth-of-cut adjustment we found the Bosch the best of the bunch with easy to use gross and fine adjustments. The Makita and Ridgid models offered better-than-average depth-of-cut adjustment, while the rest of the group ranged from average to awkward. Visibility was another tricky one. While you might assume that the translucent bases would improve visibility, the plastic isn't clear enough to actually provide improved visibility. It does improve the light available at the cut, but the more important factors were the hole size and the way the base was cut/formed to allow actual visibility. Bosch won again in this department with a well-designed base cut nearly half away and a larger-than-average base opening for bits. Close behind was the Makita with a clear base, good cutaway and an added task light to help out visibility. Considering all these factors and more, we awarded the Bosch the Editor's Choice Award in the trim router category. The Makita offered good performance, though slightly less user-friendly depth-of-cut adjustment. Tipping the scale for the Makita is the built-in work light, earning it a second-place finish. While the Grizzly H7790 was significantly less expensive than the other routers in the test, we didn't feel that its performance and ease of use gave it enough of an advantage to call it out as a winner based on price. popularwoodworking.com I 77 |
