Main > Woodworking

Routers, cheap=junk ?

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Level42:
Hey guys,

I know normaly routers cost around the

DrewKaree:
Nothing wrong with them.  You may find things harder to adjust, or unable to adjust, materials will be cheaper, things may simply not work as well as with a higher-dollar item.

It's all in what you want to do.  Personally, I think you'd be better suited to getting a cheaper brand-name tool (Ryobi, Black & Decker, etc) than going with something that is only made to be cheap, and I wouldn't recommend you EVER buy a cheap power tool, but I'm learning that to some folks, cost IS the main factor.  Ease of use is secondary....until they get it home and call me up asking how it works and why doesn't such and such fit and blah blah blah.

nostrebor:
if the Chinese cheapy router you are talking about is the same as the one Harbor Freight sells in the US, it is not a well-recieved tool on the WW forums.

miles2912:
I have a cheapo Harbor Freight Router that built my mame cab without any problems.  It was a pain to adjust the height for t-molding and routing out the recesses in the CP but once I got it locked in it went great.  A better router would have saved time and effort but this was only going to be used to build a mame cab and then pretty much forgotten about.  If I had to do much more with it (including making another cab or juke) I would junk the router and get a name brand plunge router.

For what you are doing I would have no problems with a cheap router.

D-

NightGod:

--- Quote from: nostrebor on July 31, 2006, 08:48:28 am ---if the Chinese cheapy router you are talking about is the same as the one Harbor Freight sells in the US, it is not a well-recieved tool on the WW forums.

--- End quote ---
That's because those guys are woodworking professionals/hobbyists who buy tools with the intent of having them last through years, if not decades of heavy use. For as little as you'll likely use the router, a cheapo one should be fine, just makes sure you understand everything it can (and, more importantly, can't) do before you start using it. Definately a situation where you should RTFM, if only to save your fingers.

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