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Hi All:
Details:
- I am a relatively new woodworker.
- I have ~ $700.00 CND (lets say $500 to $600 US) to spend on a router
AND a router table (including taxes, shipping).
- I dont want to cheap out, and at the same time im not a professional
woodworker. My saved here could be put towards other neccessities
(router bits, air compressor, beer)
- My expected usage for it is medium scale projects - ie my wife wants
me to make a built in window seat for our bedroom. My ultimate
woodworking goal (get back to me in 10 years) is to build a roll top
cabinet.
Ive done a fair bit of research thus far; Here is what I've come up
with:
Router:
1) Dewalt DW625
Pro: Lots of power, lots of reccomendations, plunge router. DeWalt
quality - have several other tools and am _very_ impressed.
Con: Heavy, not easy to use without table. Plunge is redundant if its
mounted on table 90% of the time.
2) PC 7539 (Pro/Con - Same as above more or less), except PC is the
industry standard so all accessories will fit it (im a sucker for cool
accessories).
Unless you plan to make raised panels, these are overkill.
Table
1) BenchDog ProTop Contractor:
http://www.benchdog.com/protopcontractor.htm
Pro: Dosent take alot of space, Router is enclosed reducing noise and
helping DC
Con: I dont get to make my own, laminate top (does this matter)
2) Possibly the Vertias/Lee Valley router table,
Pro: Excellent quality, steel top
Con: Price is a bit beyond my budget (Canadian price is pushing 500
bucks!), and I think its overkill for essentially casual usage..
(based off of excellent article at
http://www.woodnet.net/plansnow/review-routertable.pdf )
So, questions for all of you
1) Do you have any reccomendations?
1.5) Will the Dewalt plunge work fine with a router table? Ive read
mixed opinions about this.
2) Is the PC or some other router drastically better than the dewalt
given my needs?
No
3) Can you reccomend another good table that meets my needs (looks
nice, router is enclosed, has strong reliable fench, isnt cheap
quality). (Note: While I would love to build my own table, I dont
really have the time to do that, especially give the material costs
would probably equal the cost of a manufactered one)
I bought a Rockler. It is open, but I don't mind that. I always use a shop
vac and ear protection. Their fence suits me.
4) My reasonsing is the same as when I bought my car: get as much HP as
I can afford. Rationale being I can still use it for freehand routing,
albeit with some discomfort due to weight, as opposed to getting a
lower powered router that will just not be able to handle large scale
routing (shoudl I decide to do that).
"Freehand routing" No way.
5) This might be a stupid question. I assume changing the height of the
bit means fiddling with the router inside/underneath the table. I
suspect this will be a pain/tricky. Ive read you can adjust the bit
depth from above the table.
You heard correctly.
a) Is this a feature to look for on the _router_ or the _table_?
Router My PC 895 allows you to set the bit depth from above. And for only
$20 the adjuster saves a lot of money.
b) How important do you view this feature.
Convenience. You will note that the boys on The Router Workshop don't
adjust the depth from above.
6) Any thing else you can reccomend!!!! 
Thanks!!!
Jim
Note: I've searched back through quite a few posts for what I'm asking.
I've also completely read www.patwarner.com (*excellent* site, though
my eyes hurt from staring at screen all dat ). Im asking the above
questions as its tough to find specific details that take into account
personal budget considerations, needs, etc.