Boy is someone making a profit on you. We pay $0.08 per kilowatt hour. Québec sells power onto the US grid at $0.02 to $0.04 per kilowatt hour. That's one h_ll of a markup. So, the next time you see a limousine or fancy car, figure you paid for it. How it is that he's driving it and not you?

BTW, you forgot to include building, light, heat, air conditioning, and all of the other stuff that goes into a shop.

 

SofaSurfer:

I believe you will find that the 12 Amps is peak current, not average running current. You would only use 12 Amps when "pushing" the router hard -- high spin rate with high feed rate through hardwood.

Anyways, to calculate the peak cost, using the 12 Amp peak current and 8 cents per kWh:

12 A x 120 V x 1 h x (1 kW/1000 W) x ($0.08/kWh) = 11.5 cents per hour

Now, as we know, the average current would be much lower (not pushing as hard plus not running the router continuously for the hour.) As a result the cost per hour should be much lower -- I would expect less than a nickel per hour.

I won't get into the issues of real power and reactive power, which would only confuse the isse.

Cassandra

 

Are they expensive to operate?

Well, first you need another bit that you don't have, thats $18, then you put the dado in the wrong place on that 'perfect' piece of walnut,.... Then the love of your life wants another special project...

Expensive, yep. But worth it!

 

Doug, that was my first thought when I read the question....wood is expensive.....but, as you say, it is worth it.....

 

They are not expensive to operate. It could get expensive to outfit with all the add-ons, & accessories available for them.

 

Is getting married expensive? Nah. $25.00 for the licence; another $25.00 for the clerk to declare you man and wife. That's $50.00 total. Not bad.

I think the router is similarly priced.

 

Hey, like the initial router purchase, that $50 is just the STARTUP cost!! :lol:

 

The original reason I posted the question was that I found out it drew 1440 watts. That was quite a shock when you consider that a light bulb is 60 watt and we try to not use them when we don't have to.

 

If your electric rate is 8 to 12 cents per kwh, running a 60 watt bulb continuously will cost you between 12 and 18 cents per day; between $3.60 and $5.40/month.

Here in Alaska, in the winter, most people leave "security lights" on full time. Over the course of the winter you'd save enough to buy a timer system, but not if you had to hire an electrician to install it. Many still do so, in an effort to be "earth friendly", but it's no great economic savings.

Also, you can do a lot of routing in 1 hour of "router running" time.

 

I guess the key then is don't use your router when you don't have to. Seriously, for most of us this is a hobby, even more than a hobby and we are in it for the chance to be creative and the value of that is priceless.

 

In answer to your question Routers can be expensive to operate not so much the power consumed but the cot of the cutters required to achieve your next project.

Tom
(Template Tom)

 

+1 :lol::lol::lol:

 

WAWWWW ! It is a wonderful purchase !
Congratulations
I spoke for price of bits in normal stores

Santé

 

Hi

Thanks
One should not buy bits from a normal store that's not using ones head why pay 4 times the price...for just a router bit..

=====

 

Yes, that's right, but I'm too old, I'm old school, I don't like buying what I can not touch

Santé

 

Hi

That's true but most of the time you can't touch them, just look at them behind the glass door or in a plastic box now days..that they don't want you to open in the store until you have put the money down for them...so that's why one must do his home work and look at them on the NET almost the same thing..


=======

 

Yes, i will look on the Net in future

 

Hi,

Routers now days are relatively cheap. The accessories is what gets expensive, tables, jigs, bits, etc. Every hobby known to man-kind IS expensive if you think about it. The power itself, the amps is rated for peak loads, ie., heavy loads and initial start-up, for no loads or free spin, the draw drops considerably.

 

Hi,

Routers now days are relatively cheap. The accessories is what gets expensive, tables, jigs, bits, etc. Every hobby known to man-kind IS expensive if you think about it.

That's true, I mentioned to a guy at work that wood isn't cheap (not MDF, but real wood) and then he told me how much his Traxxas radio controlled cars cost. He then told me about the upgraded controller, titanium parts, motor upgrade, etc and it turns out his hobby cost more than all the tools I have.

 

Boy o boy. I expected this thread to be about 3 or 4 posts long. And my question wasn't really appreciated that much. You guys can end this thread if you want. I won't feel bad:agree:

 

Yes you can find cheap cutters if you look for them and they are cheap they will not last the pace of a good quality cutter and if they are 4 times cheaper than a good cutter they certainly will not last.

Tom
(Template Tom)

 

I don't plan on taking them with me when I pass on ,most will not use them more than a time or two unless they are making a buck or two with the tools in the home shop..and most don't , it's hobby for most I think. they make a thing or two and move on to new type of project...that will take some new bits I'm sure, so why put out the big bucks for just some router bits..


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You started it, sodasurfer..

+1 on "Don't ask the wife"...

 

If you really want to know what they cost to operate you can invest in one of these:
Kill A Watt™ P4400 Energy Meter - Lee Valley Tools