Popular Woodworking 2006-11 № 158, страница 16
Tool Test Firestorm Plunge Router a Great Value for Home Woodworkers During our shop tests we were pleased with the power provided by the Firestorm router. Again, this isn't a tool for a production shop, but in running rabbets and plunging 3/s" mortises in red oak, the router performed well, and without motor hesitation. The base will accept I'm going to surprise a few of you by recommending an $80 router in this column. Frequently, less expensive routers are lacking in features and performance to the point that I think your money is better saved until you can afford the tool you need. But in this case, the new Firestorm plunge router has performance and features that rival the more expensive routers. Don't get me wrong - this isn't a router I'd recommend for use in a production shop, but for the occasional home woodworker (or for those who think they could use an extra router) this tool is a great bargain. The general consensus in the Popular Woodworking shop is that the DeWalt DW621 is one of our favorite routers. The Firestorm is an economy version of the DeWalt and offers many of the same features, including through-the-column dust collection and a really solid and useful depth-control mechanism. No, this isn't as good a router as the DeWalt, and it's a little larger than we'd prefer for convenient handheld use, but for $80 it's hard to find much to pick on. Ryobi Drill Press Has Features Beyond the Bells and Whistles At first glance, the new "Digital Drill Press" from Ryobi seems like a run-of-the-mill machine tricked out with a laser alignment system and a digital readout. Under the top cover, however, is a great way to change speeds. I've always hated looking at the chart and fooling around with the pulleys to change drilling speeds. And if I don't guess right the first time, I have to go through it all again. By adjusting the lever on the left side of the drill press, one pulley gets smaller in diameter as the other one gets bigger. It's just that simple, and the digital readout lets you know exactly how fast the chuck is spinning. The downside to this system is that the slowest possible speed is just under 500 rpm. Our old-fashioned drill press goes down to 215 rpm, and for running a large Forstner bit or drum sander, that turtle mode is necessary. The cast iron table is made with a thin rim around the perimeter that makes clamping to the table much easier. The fit and finish on all parts of this machine is comparable to most equipment on the market today - not great, but certainly serviceable. The operating handles are a good length and angle to provide plenty of leverage without getting in the way. The lasers functioned well for locating the center of the bit, but this really isn't a difficult task to do manually. On the whole, this is a nice little machine; the controls make sense and function as they should. If it were possible to reduce the speed to 200 rpm, it would be more versatile. — Robert W. Lang For more information, circle #169 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Ryobi DP121L Street price: $180 Speed: Variable, with digital readout Motor: V3 hp, 110 volt Laser: Adjustable alignment system Performance: •••OO Price range: $$$ Ryobi: 800-525-2579 or ryobitools.com up to a 115/16"-diameter bit and that will get you through many a woodworking task. The plunge action on the router is a little tight and it's our hope that it will loosen up with some more time in the shop, which it is sure to get. Wobble in the plunge mechanism (leading to accuracy problems) was noticeable, but not unacceptable. The ergonomics of the router are decent, but again, it's larger than its DeWalt cousin. For the price and features, however, we're willing to work with that. — David Thiel For more information, circle #168 on Free Information Card. SPECIFICATIONS Firestorm FS1200RP Street price: $80 Motor: 12 amp Speed: Variable, 11,000 - 28,000 rpm Collets: V2" and V4" Performance: ••••O Price range: $ Black & Decker: 800-54-How-To or firestormtools.com 30 Popular Woodworking November 2006 |
