Which router for a newbie?

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You should pick a middle size router that comes with at least a fixed and a plunge base. A middle size router (here they are 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 horsepower). The two common sizes of collets would be good too. Here the collet size is 1/4 and 1/2". Over there I believe that the most common sizes are 8 and 12 mm. Just make certain that the collets for the router that you buy will fit the commonly available bits that you can buy. Get one of the better brands of routers. Bosch, Makita, Proter Cable, and DeWalt are all good reliable brands here that I believe are also available in your Country and any one of them should give you many years of reliable service. Options like router bushings and edge guides are often needed and it would be good to get them too.

Buy carbide tipped router bits as you need them for what you want to do. This avoids spending a lot of money on router bit sets, because you will likely never use half of the ones that come in the sets.

Come back here and ask questions as you find that you need answers. I'm sure others will come along soon and send you many pdf files with information about getting started using routers. Reading them should get you off to a good start too. Our member "Stick486" probably will flood you with reading material.

Charley

A router table is the safest way to do a lot of routing tasks. You can buy one pre made or simply make one of your own. It can be as simple as a sheet of ply with an opening and the router mounted beneath. Suspend across two saw horses and you have a table. You can use a very straight 2x piece as a fence. The Bosch allows you to use the fixed base in a table and with an accessory key, you can adjust height from above the table. If you search for router tables here, you'll find a lot of different types, from very simple to quite compex.

My personal preference if I only had one router, it would be the Bosch 1617 kit, which may have a different name and setup for UK power. Here's a picture. The other picture is of the Bosch mounted under a table showing the adjustment key.

The Bosch table setup does not give you a full range of adulstment. You do a coarse adjustment by flipping the mounting lock off and pushing the motor up or down. Then you use the key for the fine adjustment. There are other good brands, but I haven't used them.

Visit a retailer that has routers on display so you can grab them by the handle and see how they feel; you need to be comfortable holding the router handles. I do not like the round handles on the Bosch routers so I have never bought one; I may be missing a router that is perfect in other regards but it first needs to feel comfortable. Next, consider dust collection. Can you easily connect the router to some kind of dust collector? I make a lot of mortises with a plunge router and I used a PC891 (120V, 12A); dust collection is not very good when you use guide bushings. An improvement in the dust collection department is the DW621 (120V, 10A). Another feature is convenience of the on/off switch. The DW621 has the on/off switch on one of the handles while the PC891 requires moving your hand from the handle to the top of the router motor. While my PC891 is more powerful, I prefer using the DW621. Are you in an area that has a local woodworking club? This can be a great resource. Good luck on your selection.

bfblack said:

Visit a retailer that has routers on display so you can grab them by the handle and see how they feel; you need to be comfortable holding the router handles. I do not like the round handles on the Bosch routers so I have never bought one; I may be missing a router that is perfect in other regards but it first needs to feel comfortable. Next, consider dust collection. Can you easily connect the router to some kind of dust collector? I make a lot of mortises with a plunge router and I used a PC891 (120V, 12A); dust collection is not very good when you use guide bushings. An improvement in the dust collection department is the DW621 (120V, 10A). Another feature is convenience of the on/off switch. The DW621 has the on/off switch on one of the handles while the PC891 requires moving your hand from the handle to the top of the router motor. While my PC891 is more powerful, I prefer using the DW621. Are you in an area that has a local woodworking club? This can be a great resource. Good luck on your selection.

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@bfblack, IMHO you are spot on. I had tried to say essentially the same thing.

I agree with your comment about the Bosch routers. I still do not understand why Bosch also sells the MRC23ESSK which has an immeasurably small (in the real world) more power than the 1617 to which you refer. I chose the MRC23 because the handles seem much better for me.