On 1/19/2011 8:42 PM, David Nebenzahl wrote:
On 1/19/2011 5:33 PM Jon Danniken spake thus:

Michael Dobony wrote:

I am looking at the following router and table, any comments on it?

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...block Type=G1


My other alternative is a Harbor Freight router/shaper

http://www.harborfreight.com/router-...ter-95380.html

Between the 2 my thought is Sears, but I can add the extended
warranty on HF for about the same price as the Sears.

I have never owned a Sears router that didn't break with after light
usage. Every one of them (I'm on the fourth one now) has had whatever
mechanism used on that model which locks the shaft when you tighten
the collet break in one way or another.

If you want a Sears router, buy one at a pawn shop, and expect it to
go tits up when you are in the middle of a project. At least you won't
be out the retail price.

If you are going to pay retail for a router, get a decent (AKA not a
Sears) one and be done with it.

That's much different from my experience with Sears routers. However, I
got my Craftsman router in, hmm, lessee, about 1975,

Yeah well, Black and Decker wasn't made in China either in the 70's, and
look where they are now. You can't judge a current product on it's past
made in the USA reputation. They are completely different.

No tool (I know of) made in China is great, but many are very
serviceable.

Jeff




used from another
woodworker, and since then I've only had to replace the power switch.
Granted, it's not the world's greatest router, and I've never done
production work with it, but it works now, more than 35 years later, as
well as it did when I bought it. It's fine for small jobs.

Newer Crapsman may be more, well, crappy. Can't say for sure.

As for the HF router, that is one of the few HF tools I would NOT
consider taking a chance with (and I have a bunch of HF tools).

Same here. I guess I might buy one from HF if I absolutely needed it
*that day*, but otherwise, no.