I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get some
advice on buying a router for £100.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

Cheer

Matt

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get some
advice on buying a router for £100.


How much are you expecting to use it and for what?

To be useful at all, a router has to have plunge mechanisms that
operate smoothly and generally be free of play.

The collet must hold the bits securely and without scoring them or
excessive vibration. It is dangerous if not.

The motor in a 1/2" router especially must be powerful enough (not
just the number on the box but the genuine power delivered) or it
won't deal with larger bits.

The speed control must be functional because larger bits must be
turned more slowly. It is dangerous to rotate larger bits above the
specified speed.


It is very difficult to meet those requirements in a sub £100 router.

Depending on where the shortcomings are, the results will be
disappointing or the machine will be difficult to use resulting in
regular divotting of materials. In the worst case it can be
downright dangerous.

This is not a tool where going to a really cheap one is prudent at
all. You would be better off trimming your budget on other things
or doing without and look at 1/2" routers in the £150-200 range as the
minimum

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

I would not look at unknown brands on Ebay because there is little
comeback or availability of spares.

Depending on what you want to achieve, a 1/4" decent router like a
Trend T5 could also be a good option.



What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

Has been discussed here a few times. Crap.


Cheer

Matt


..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get some
advice on buying a router for £100.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

I've just bought a Ryobi, 1/4" with table for £105 from DIPT. Pretty
good, haven't used it yet but it'll do for most jobs. I found the 1/2"
too big and bulky for most jobs, the 1/4" will cope just fine with the
occasional kitchen fitting and other tasks.
FWIW the 1/2" Ryobi in the same range as the one above is about £250.
In a couple of classes above the wickes and B&Q!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:54:44 +0000, Andy Hall
wrote:

It is very difficult to meet those requirements in a sub £100 router.

I agree with everything Andy says about routers. If you pay less than
£100 for a router then you aren't buying a serious machine.

This is not a tool where going to a really cheap one is prudent at
all. You would be better off trimming your budget on other things
or doing without and look at 1/2" routers in the £150-200 range as the
minimum

Agreed. A substantial router will not be less than £150.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

My gut feel is - forget it.

Depending on what you want to achieve, a 1/4" decent router like a
Trend T5 could also be a good option.

I have a Trend T9 and it is a serious bit of kit for doing kitchen
worktops and the like. However it's a bit big for smaller jobs, and I
have my eyes on a T5 as a middle-size router to take on the smaller
jobs.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

Has been discussed here a few times. Crap.

A lot of that feedback came from my personal experience of a B&Q
PowerPro 2050W - £99. I reported on this at length on this forum maybe
6 months ago.

My advice for anyone considering this pile of pooh is to don running
shoes and practice the Lynford Christie getaway routine. The router is
absolute crap and you are guaranteed of one thing - disappointment.

I bought one believing it would do the job I wanted - occasional
worktops and the like. It performed like an 800W router, slowed down
when put into the worktop, and I was concerned that the plunge lock
was designed to be an advisory limit rather than an absolute lock
position - the plunge would go up/down as the router felt like rather
than stay put at a given depth.

By comparison the T9 locks and stays locked - I've never known the
router plunge to a different depth once the lock is on.

PoP

Sending email to my published email address isn't
guaranteed to reach me.

Hi Lurch

Can you tell me what DIPT is or what the www is? I might check it out.

Regarding my use it's strictly hobby, and not pro use (I've too many other
darn hobbies). I was concerned about the 1/4" option as it's received some
stick elsewhere it terms or power, but it appears here that it's perfectly
functional.

Thanks for all your comments

Matt


"Lurch" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get
some
advice on buying a router for £100.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

I've just bought a Ryobi, 1/4" with table for £105 from DIPT. Pretty
good, haven't used it yet but it'll do for most jobs. I found the 1/2"
too big and bulky for most jobs, the 1/4" will cope just fine with the
occasional kitchen fitting and other tasks.
FWIW the 1/2" Ryobi in the same range as the one above is about £250.
In a couple of classes above the wickes and B&Q!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

In fact just found what I think you're talking about

http://www.protrade.co.uk/shop/options.asp?pid=886


"Lurch" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get
some
advice on buying a router for £100.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

I've just bought a Ryobi, 1/4" with table for £105 from DIPT. Pretty
good, haven't used it yet but it'll do for most jobs. I found the 1/2"
too big and bulky for most jobs, the 1/4" will cope just fine with the
occasional kitchen fitting and other tasks.
FWIW the 1/2" Ryobi in the same range as the one above is about £250.
In a couple of classes above the wickes and B&Q!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 09:34:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

In fact just found what I think you're talking about

http://www.protrade.co.uk/shop/options.asp?pid=886


That's the one!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

Please let me know how you get on and perhaps give it a mark out of 10.

I'm most interested in the plunge action, as the cheaper ones can get
sticky.

Thnx

Matt

"Lurch" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago. But I'm trying to get
some
advice on buying a router for £100.

Wickes do a 1/2" 1600W for £40, was £80.

Apart from that it's the unkown brands on ebay or lower power rated brand
names.

What about the B&Q range,Pro - crap or value for money?

I've just bought a Ryobi, 1/4" with table for £105 from DIPT. Pretty
good, haven't used it yet but it'll do for most jobs. I found the 1/2"
too big and bulky for most jobs, the 1/4" will cope just fine with the
occasional kitchen fitting and other tasks.
FWIW the 1/2" Ryobi in the same range as the one above is about £250.
In a couple of classes above the wickes and B&Q!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 14:56:17 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

Please let me know how you get on and perhaps give it a mark out of 10.

I'm most interested in the plunge action, as the cheaper ones can get
sticky.

Thnx

Matt

The reason I bought the Ryobi 1/4" was that I usually borrow my dad's
1/2" Ryobi. It's a serious bit of heavy duty kit, it seems pretty
indestructable. I've cut quite a few worktops with it, (38mm ones
mainly), amongst other things as as he and it hasn't missed a beat.
Going on that basis I thought the 1/4" would do for most jobs
adequately and manage the occasional worktop.
I've got a couple of projects lined up, maybe I'll start them soon and
get some use from the router!


SJW
A.C.S. Ltd.

I keep misreading the title of this thread as "Valve routers", and
thinking that the analog-is-best lot from the hi-fi newsgroups are
getting in on the discussions about CAT5 network wiring ... would a
"valve router" make all the bits "warm" and "involving", just as valve
amps are supposed to do to sound???

:-)

Julian

--
Julian Fowler
julian (at) bellevue-barn (dot) org (dot) uk

On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago.

I've just had an Axminster flier through the door. Their "white"
own-brand 1/2" is now going for £120 with a wide range of bits.
Anyone have one ?

In message , Andy Dingley
writes
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:26:39 -0000, "MattP" {add
mattspersonal before @} wrote:

I know it was just covered a couple of days ago.

I've just had an Axminster flier through the door. Their "white"
own-brand 1/2" is now going for £120 with a wide range of bits.
Anyone have one ?


Yes, thanks.

































Sorry, you want comments?

Its OK. Probably better than some cheapo own-brands, but not up there
with the brand name stuff.
It's pretty big & heavy, but the most frequent comment is that the
plunge action is a bit sticky.


--
Steve