Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

wrote:
- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you

don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge"
Heavy is relative, custom bases can
be shop-made, and you should remove the springs for table mounting. Tom

Ben:
I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
Not true. I have used the 3HP PC Router for profiling large architectural
items that were to big for the table. The fixed base provided two large
handles for added control.

- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
The base is plastic, the large bit will make the hole larger with no
problem.

- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
I use a router lifter. No base at all.

- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.
Routers are not just for wood working. I've used it on aluminum, plastics
and other non-wood products.


Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?
Just one of a thousand uses, plunging to make large, deep flutes in large
columns.

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

Your welcome.

Dave

Agree that 2 to 2.5 hp is good for most plungers.
Notwithstanding, if you overwork them, they get hot. A 3 HP tool is ~ 3
pounds heavier but will run much longer on heavy duty situations.
Mortice to 2" for an hour or so and the small plunger will get too hot
handle.
More on routers? See the http://patwarner.com/selecting_router.html
link.
************************************************** **************************
wrote:
Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

I recently got a large bosch plunge for my router table and it has a
"release" mechanism that keeps the springs from springing when used in a
router table setup.


--
Rick Nagy
3024 Somerset Pike
Johnstown, PA 15905


Remove nospam to email me

Be sure to check out my website at http://www.rickscabinetshop.com
wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

wrote:
Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

wrote:
Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.
- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.
- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.
- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

The plunge mechanism can be found in small lightweight Chinese routers
of 1/2 HP and really has nothing to do with teh weight of the machine,
merely the convenience of starting the motor before you engage teh
workpiece, ie the plunge.

Take a look at the Triton 1.5HP which is made so you can easily remove
the springs if you want to put it in a table, as I have done. It's not
only powerful but reasonable light so I can use it in the table or
hand-held. The Triton even comes with a height winder. Now I don't
work for Triton so I don't need to make an advert, but I like the feel
of this router a lot.

The advantage of the plunge in a big router is the same advantage as
for a little router - in most cases teh weight really only relates to
the size of the electric motor. Yes it sure is heavy for hand-held use
but sometimes I like the extra weight that keeps it firmly seated on
teh work. BUT, it's kind of awkward for unsupported edge-work where a
heavier router tends to tip over and spoil teh job.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,


I'm seeking some explanations regarding the huge plunge routers
available on the market right now.

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.

Depends on what you're doing. The extra weight can give you a measure of
stability in some tasks.

- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.

If it's just the plastic shoe put the bit you want in it and plunge it and
you'll have a zero-clearance shoe. Some have metal parts that limit the bit
size and IMO that's just bad design.

- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.

It's not "the ability to raise the bit", it's precision height adjustment.
Some plunge routers are designed so that when mounted in a table the bit
height can be adjusted from above, giving you the benefits of a router lift
without having to pay the price for one.

- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

They're good for any kind of inside cut, not just mortises.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

I would appreciate if anyone of you can shed some light on this...

Thanks,

Ben

All tool manufacturers offer a 3+HP plunge router in their lineup (some
have more than one) but only two makes a fixed base router (PC and
3HP). My impression is the following:

- Those routers are very heavy and not really suitable for hand held
work.

I have used my Freud FT2000EP 3.25HP router freehand (i.e. not even a
guide), no problem. The experience is about the same as with my much older
2HP router.

- Some of them have a very small base opening preventing them from
using large diameter bits.

Not in my case, at least.

- Some may claim they're designed to be installed in a table. Well, you
don't need a plunge router to gain the ability to raise the bit? A
fixed base router does the job well... Many plunge routers have
powerful springs that makes them very hard to raise once they're
installed in a table.

Some people have recommended removing the springs for table use. I leave
mine in because I want to use it outside the table sometimes. This router
has a knob that you can turn for quite fine adjustments, and there's enough
leverage for the spring counterforce to be a non issue. It can take a long
time to move it through large height differences, though. That doesn't
happen so often.

- As far as I'm concerned, a plunge router is designed "to plunge" in
the material. I don't know many "plunging" tasks that requires such a
monster. Making mortises is done easily with any 2HP plunge router.

My 2HP seemed to be bogging down on me during ordinary jobs. That's when I
decided to try just plain more power. I like it.

Well, this is my understanding so far. Am I missing something? There
must be over 10 plunge router monsters available but only 2 fixed base.
There must be a reason for it that I ignore. What's the advantage of
the plunge base in such big router?

Versatility? I want plunge capability, and don't feel I can afford to go
buy another router just for that.

These routers aren't THAT big. With electronic soft start it's not going to
yank itself out of your hands on startup, either.

- Owen -