I have a full size 2 1/4 HP router....DeWalt DW618PK with 3 bases (fixed, plunge, and D handle). I would like to buy a compact router and I'm leaning toward the DeWalt DW611. My question is whether I need the plunge base. I don't do inlay work so I'm wondering if the DW618 plunge would be sufficient to handle my plunge cutting needs e.g. mortising.
Compact Router Question
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Ditto X 1000.
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I'm a Colt fan as well, with a collection of bases. A pleasure to use. I do like the look of the 611, and many folks here like it. To my thinking, the 611's additional half horsepower lets you cut a little deeper per pass. But both take only the smaller shank bits so there's a limit to how big a bit you can use. But man, the small routers are really nice for so many tasks. I doubt you can go wrong with either one. That said, Barb has cussed out her 611 just recently, maybe just a fluke.
I realize it's a personal preference thing but the majority of reviews I have seen favor the DeWalt 611 over the Bosch Colt. One comment concerning the DeWalt is that the base can be a little difficult to hold comfortably if you don't have large hands.
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31,264 Posts
no on the large hands..
I wear size 3XL gloves...
and the Colt lasts longer and is quieter than the DW.. VOE...
CS/TS is leagues up on DW...
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8,956 Posts
Ridgid has a good one too. I have an old style PC,Mikita,Rocky, I keep bits in all of them ready to go on a moments notice,and I use them a lot. I had a Ridgid and loved it, lost it in the fire. The ridgid had the smallest base and was great on small work. Also use my dremel router for really small work.
Herb
Herb
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31,264 Posts
Speaking of Dremel, I have one of the original RotoZips. Bought it when the original developer was doing infomercials. Like everybody says, great for drywall but not much else. I did get to use it for a couple of other things....enlarged a hole in a tile wall with a diamond bit and also cut some masonry with that bit. Even used it to cut plywood sheathing......before the oscillating multi tool could be had for reasonable $. Anyway, I saw a youtube piece on making a router base for it so I made one. Takes a few minutes to adjust the depth, but I used it with a 1/8" roundover bit and the thing actually worked.
But, I've been assured that I'm not going to be taking any $ with me so may as well spend it on tools and stop wasting time.
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I have the 611 kit and I use the plunge base about as much as the fixed. Regardless of the Colt fans comments, the 611 has a lot of fans here too. Pat Warner felt the Ridgid was severely under rated. He hinted a few times that he thought it might be the best of the bunch.
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It's easy to forget about Rigid tools, but they make some very competitive, quality tools. I remember comparing their jointer to others, and it came off very well by comparison with others in its price range.
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49 Posts
I have the 611 with both bases and love it.Recently I bought the dcw600b 20 volt . I am impressed with it and as a plus the 611 plunge base fits it
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2,310 Posts
I use two of my DW618 three base kits for dovetailing using my Leigh D4R jig and one of them for mortising using my FMT Pro jig, but I also have the DWP611 with both bases and the vacuum accessories for both. I find this little router great for doing many lighter routing chores like rounding edges or cutting speaker holes. I also have a DeWalt DW670 laminate trimmer with the 4 bases to use whenever doing the very light and laminate work. The small bases can get in close where even the 611 can't. I don't have a Roto Zip. I use Roto Zip bits with an adapter in one of my 1/4" collet routers. I'm not locked into any brand and have other brands of routers, but for the last 15 years or so all of my router purchases seem to be yellow. Every time I'm about to make a purchase I check and compare all of the better brands for the tool that I want, and I pick the one that suits me and my needs best. Each has good and not so good features, but lately the yellow tools have been coming home with me.
Charley
Charley
I don't have a Colt, a 30+ year old Ryobi and a couple of Rockys from MLCS, but I don't see much difference between the Colt and other brands out there as they all have a pretty substantial opening on the side. Now, everybody's different but I don't hold the router "up top" as you see in the photos, my right hand is about in the middle, with the body of the router in my palm - and the opening is on the other side, where it belongs. The Ryobi is actually a little less "safe" than the Colt in that it has a round base, with a relatively small area to place your LH thumb and index finger as shown for the Colt. I do use my left hand to help guide the router, but the heel of my left hand is on the surface of the part and the tip of my thumb and index finger is on the rim of the router base. In 30+ years, I probably trimmed miles of laminate, plus lots of roundovers, etc.
In reading the post that stated the Colt is unsafe, I came away with the picture that the OP held the router in his LEFT hand and had his RIGHT hand on the pads on the base, so that the opening was facing his hand and the smaller area of the base was on the part. He apparently started the router with the bit touching the part and the router kicked away from it, pushing the router opening (and spinning bit) towards him - this would not have happened if he didn't make those two mistakes; having the small area of the base on the part and not starting the router before he touched it to the part, I'm thinking that he may have been compensating for the reduced bearing area from having the router turned around.
As I said, everybody has a different thought and method, but this is what I got from the OP's description of the accident. Sure, it would be great if Bosh had a guard over the opening and maybe prevent this happening, regardless of what the operator did wrong. And, BTW, I use the same trimmer bit with just enough projecting to trim the laminate, and never had a problem.
I like the solution of adding the modified peanut butter jar as a guard, but another is to add an oversize homemade base similar to this - resting the tips of your LH fingers on the edge of the base give additional control to the operation but still keeps them well away from the opening..
In reading the post that stated the Colt is unsafe, I came away with the picture that the OP held the router in his LEFT hand and had his RIGHT hand on the pads on the base, so that the opening was facing his hand and the smaller area of the base was on the part. He apparently started the router with the bit touching the part and the router kicked away from it, pushing the router opening (and spinning bit) towards him - this would not have happened if he didn't make those two mistakes; having the small area of the base on the part and not starting the router before he touched it to the part, I'm thinking that he may have been compensating for the reduced bearing area from having the router turned around.
As I said, everybody has a different thought and method, but this is what I got from the OP's description of the accident. Sure, it would be great if Bosh had a guard over the opening and maybe prevent this happening, regardless of what the operator did wrong. And, BTW, I use the same trimmer bit with just enough projecting to trim the laminate, and never had a problem.
I like the solution of adding the modified peanut butter jar as a guard, but another is to add an oversize homemade base similar to this - resting the tips of your LH fingers on the edge of the base give additional control to the operation but still keeps them well away from the opening..
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We've had a bunch of Colts and Dewalts in our shop, and now prefer the Makita.
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-RT070...keywords=RT0701CX7&qid=1558361032&s=hi&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Makita-RT070...keywords=RT0701CX7&qid=1558361032&s=hi&sr=1-1
That was the second opinion."But, I've been assured that I'm not going to be taking any $ with me so may as well spend it on tools and stop wasting time."
-Jim
I suspect whoever told you that has an ulterior motive. You should get a second opinion...
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