Review of the best wood routers for 2021

Useful DIY crafts

In order to make something useful, for example, a box, it is not necessary to have a whole arsenal of complex equipment and expensive tools. You can get by with a minimum of tools and mechanisms. To perform carpentry work you will need:

• milling cutter;
• electric jigsaw;
• Sander;
• several clamps;
• set of cutters

You can use absolutely anything as a material - for example, scraps of parquet boards, pieces of plywood and waste chipboards, but always at right angles. To simplify the work, you need to make a simple milling table. To process workpieces, you will need a large-diameter straight groove cutter. The process looks something like this. On a makeshift table, plan the ends of parquet board scraps. Mark the sides of the box and use a jigsaw to remove all excess.

You can connect the sidewalls together with a mustache. To do this, you need to mill the ends of the sidewalls with a conical cutter with an angle of 90 degrees. This can be done using a router. Thus, the ends of the sidewalls have the same bevels of 45 degrees. Next you need to make grooves in the sides for the bottom. For this, an end mill with a diameter of 6 millimeters is used, equal to the thickness of the plywood. The parts are connected using glue. The product looks neat and beautiful both outside and inside. What else can you do with a hand-held wood router? Anything: for example, a shelf for things, drawers for storing vegetables or tools, kitchen furniture.

Toolbox

In order to make a tool box, it is necessary to strengthen the carpentry joint of the sides by inserting additional tenons. The operation is called cutting tenons with a hand router. It is very difficult to do it manually, so you need to make a simple device - a milling table. The principle of its manufacture is simple:

1. Assemble a simple wooden table consisting of a table top and legs.
2. Attach a hand-held milling machine to the bottom of the tabletop, making a hole in the tabletop for the cutter to exit.
3. Make a carriage with a stop bar from thick-layer plywood according to the size of the table top. A groove is cut in the carriage for the cutter to exit.

How to make a panel

One of the most commonly performed carpentry operations is making paneling. It is performed with a special cutter. To perform the work efficiently, it is necessary to make a simple device for the tabletop of the milling device. To do this, you will need thick-layer plywood measuring 500 x 300 x 10 millimeters. To exit the cutter, a hole with a diameter of 100 millimeters is cut. The parallel stop is attached to the table with clamps. The cutter is set taking into account the distance from the table surface to the sharp edge of the cutting tool of one millimeter. All sides of the workpiece are processed sequentially. The thickness of the panel is adjusted by lifting the cutter.

Using a hand router, it is very easy to create a furniture facade on the doors. To do this, you will need a shaped end mill, a copy sleeve and a plywood template. The technological process is very simple:

• attach the template to the workpiece using thin nails;
• set and record the depth of immersion of the cutter into the wood;
• install the copy sleeve on the milling mechanism;
• press the milling machine against the template and follow its contour.

The result is a neat design of the furniture facade.

Edge

Such tools are purchased to create high-quality edging. They are not prepared for work with serious loads. They can break quickly under load.

Makita RT0700CX2

pros

• build quality
• ergonomics
• powerful engine
• long soft wire

Minuses

• flimsy platform
• Some parts are missing as standard

From 11,500 ₽

Despite its average price, the RT0700CX2 will upset some buyers due to its lack of packaging. Individual parts can cost up to 4,000 rubles, which is 1/3 of the total cost of the device itself. In terms of other characteristics, the model shows its best side.

BOSCH GKF 12V-8 Solo

pros

• height adjustment accuracy
• ergonomics

Minuses

• low power
• no backlight

From 9,600 ₽

The model does not have high performance. Best suited for household use every few months. In other cases it will create problems that cannot be solved.

RYOBI R18TR-0

pros

• wireless
• ergonomics
• handle with rubber
• backlight

Minuses

• lack of ability to regulate speed
• short cutter speed
• You can't install an 8mm cutter

From 7,500 ₽

It is included in the rating of the best manual routers according to reviews from professionals in terms of convenience, which is ideal for any user. For the average consumer, the standard configuration will be sufficient.

Inexpensive models for beginners

Before moving on to the most expensive options, you need to decide whether a person likes working as a router. This is why there are budget models for beginners.

PATRIOT ER 120

pros

• low weight
• there is speed control
• smooth start
• low price

Minuses

• inconvenient button placement
• there are gaps
• poor build quality

From 3,000 ₽

One of the cheapest milling cutters. It can only be used as a spare tool that will be needed for several small jobs, which is quite enough for the price. They cannot perform any serious work.

CALIBER FE-1000M

pros

• price

Minuses

• backlashes
• sheared bolts

From 3,000 ₽

It can be regarded as the best table router in the budget segment. Suitable for rare small jobs, but for this you need to find suitable collets. In some cases, adapters are made independently due to the lack of suitable parts.

How to work with a router

The milling cutter works on the following principle:

• depending on the purpose for which the tool will be used, the nozzle is selected;
• the tail of the nozzle is inserted into a special cartridge and fixed;
• the required operating mode and depth are set;
• the handle is set to the middle position;
• the rotation speed of the working part is selected.

You can work with a router by holding it in your hands or fixing it in a stationary position on the table. When installing the tool on a table, its working part should be at the top. For safe work on the tool, as well as to ensure smooth surfaces during processing, it is necessary to install a pattern.

It is important to follow safety rules:

• wear special clothing that will not wrap around moving parts of the device;
• do not lose balance while working;
• in anticipation of an impact when the tool comes into contact with the material, you should hold the router firmly;
• At the end of the working process, the tool is disconnected from the network.

Interskol FM-55/100E

The review continues with a domestic development that successfully competes with European and Asian models. The tool is equipped with a connection pipe for a vacuum cleaner, protective glass and optional attachments that allow you to perform various operations with high precision. Light weight of 3.1 kg, rounded handles, and well-thought-out cable connection design make it easy to use even in cramped conditions.

The motor power of 1000 W with an adjustable speed from 20,000 to 27,000 allows you to quickly and accurately perform precise wood processing. Collet size 8 mm. The cutter's working stroke of 55 mm gives the master ample opportunities for effective use of the tool.

• high quality workmanship;
• lack of play, allowing for precise work;
• convenient form.

• there is no soft start system;
• relatively high cost for equipment with such characteristics.

Prices for Interskol FM-55/100E: