Popular Woodworking 2007-06 № 162, страница 38
TWO-BASE Router Kits The Bosch wasn't the winner, but there weren't many complaints. It's a solid tool that performed well. Bit tightening and depth adjustments were good, and the fixed base can be adjusted from above in a router table. It has a solid, well-balanced feel in hand-held use, and the plunge action was smooth, but the spring is weaker than some of the routers tested. There is an adjustable nut on the stop rod for precise depth adjustments in plunge mode. The dust collection was among the best; the fitting was easy to attach, and it could exit on either side of the router. While this appears to be a clone of the Bosch, there are minor differences that don't offset the slight difference in price. They are nearly identical, and fit each other's bases. The Craftsman had the most motor vibration of any in the test, and it seemed that some corners were cut in the quality and inclusion of accessories. The Bosch included a template guide fitting for the base plate, as well as a bit-centering cone. The Craftsman base plate was made of a flexible plastic that allowed sawdust to pack between the base plate and the router base. Likes ■ Smooth plunge action ■ Excellent micro-adjustments ■ Easy bit and base changes ■ Good balance and control ■ Good dust collection Gripes ■ Wood knobs on fixed base ■ Soft spring on plunge base Likes ■ Plunge action and adjustments ■ Good bit tightening and wrenches Gripes ■ Above average motor vibration and noise ■ Lack of vacuum attachment and template guide DeWalt 800-433-9258 dewalt.com Freud 800-334-4107 freudtools.com The DeWalt had good ergonomics and a low center of gravity. The short motor housing helped with control when mounted in the fixed base, and didn't take much space when mounted in a table. The plunge action was smooth and the threaded nut on the end of the plunge rod depth stop made fine-tuning settings a breeze. The handles were nicely shaped and rubber coated, and the switch was in a great location and operated easily. The through-the-post vacuum dust collection worked well and kept the hose out of the way. There is no provision for adjusting the bit height from above the table. The above-the-table adjustment feature operated smoothly, and the motor ran with little vibration. The lever to release the plunge was in an odd position and difficult to get tight. Once released, the plunge action was sloppy. The depth-stop adjustment on the turret was decent, but required extra tools to make adjustments. This router also required depressing the spindle lock to change bases. There is no second nut or flat on the spindle, so two wrenches cannot be used instead of the lock. If style is important to you when choosing power tools, then this router has some appeal. If substance is more important than style, you might want to take a closer look. Of the features I looked at, the large base plate was the only item rated above average. Motor vibration, ergonomics, plunge operation and base changing were decent, but nothing to write home about. Changing bits was difficult, and the height adjustment in the fixed base had a lot of play. It also had the same switch placement issues as the Makita. Likes ■ Switch location and operation ■ Good balance and control ■ Plunge base micro-adjustment ■ Good ergonomics Gripes ■ Awkward spindle-lock system ■ Noticeable motor vibration ■ No above-table height adjustment Likes ■ Above-table height adjustment ■ Little motor vibration Gripes ■ Sloppy plunge action ■ Spindle lock interferes with base changes ■ Difficult to operate switch Likes ■ Template guides included ■ Extra-large clip on motor clamp Gripes ■ Coarse fit and adjustments of fixed base ■ Hard to find/reach switch 10 Popular Woodworking June 2007 |
