Official Luthiers Forum!

This weekend I built a router table and the only thing I still need is the router and I'm confused what size router I should get. I will use it almost exclusively in building guitars with the hardest task for it being cutting slots for truss rods and for mortises in neck blocks and neck tenons. What size do people recommend. I know I don't need 3 hp but I don't want to go too low.

With all the routers out there I found this one to be a killer.
http://www.grizzly.com/products/H7020
   Plenty of power , variable speed and very smooth operation.
The milwalkee is a great tool
john hall

Hey... this is relevant for me too.

I am interested in finding a router that will mount to the bottom of a table and give the ability to raise and lower it from above (a router raiser type device won't work in my table... it is cast iron).

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

I use a Bosch 3 hp plunge router. I used it pretty heavily for four years building furniture, before the guitar bug bit. It works well for anything. I do have a "router lifter" on my table, and it's the cat's meow for fine adjustment. Came from Rockler, I think. Of course, you don't have to have a plunge router on a table, but that's what I got. Actually have two identical routers, keep one for regular free hand stuff.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Brock, I just recently bought a Bosch 1617 router that has a fixed base with above table adjustment. I think they have just introduced this base so you may have to do some looking around. It requires one extra hole in the router plate. Here is a link to just the base on ebay. You might give it a look and see if it would work for you.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

PC 690

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http://www.dickeyguitars.com

I got the Porter Cable 893PK a month ago and it has turned into my favorite tool. What a beast - 2.25 hp is very hard to bog down. Soft start is nice as well and there are adjustments available from tabletop (I've not tried it but PC DID make efforts to accomodate router table users - a rarity).
Go for the power - you never know when you want to build a jig or something requiring heavier-duty work.

I have a Bosch with both a plunge and a fixed base. The fixed base stays attached to the table and the plunge for hand held work.

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Scott Thompson
Port Townsend,WA

"In a perfect world we'd all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room"
-Billy Bragg

This one is designed for mounting under a table. It's also the one I have. Best thing since sliced bread. You can change bits from the top of the table. In pictures it looks too top heavey to work well as a hand held router, but the pictures are deceiving it has a nice balance.

I have the big PC too. I also have it mounted to a precision lift:
http://www.woodpeck.com/liftshome.html

-C

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Freeborn Guitars
and home of BeauGuard©

I've found the Milwaukee 1 3/4 HP "body grip" router to be a good compromise in terms of power between a lesser 1 HP and the monster 3 HP. It's also nice in that it allows above-the-table depth adjustment.

I have not found myself lacking for plunge capability, but then again I do most of my mortises by hand - if I did them by router, that might be a different story.

One feature I'd highly recommend is variable speed. Maybe not that important in guitar building, but if you get into cabinet or furniture making, you'll appreciate being able to slow down the RPMs for larger bits.

I have a medium big Porter cable. It came with a plunge base, and a standard base. I mounted the plunge base on my tablesaw extension so I can use the tablesaw fence for trussrod slots etc. Saves space in the shop too. I probably should upgrade to a more powerful router sometime soon.

Al

I really like my Makita 2 1/4 HP router, but my router table has a lift. If it didn't, I'd probably go for a PC 2 1/4 HP with above-the-table adjustment. But if Bosch is making one with above-the-table adjustment now, I'd check that one out, too. Bosch routers are great, too.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I have a Porter Cable 690, mounted in a lift mechanisim and use a foot controlled on-off switch so I can have everything aligned and both hands in proper position before the 20K rpm's start up.