wood router recommendation

[roysha]

I'm looking for a good router for a stock duplicator. I would like to get as economical a router as I can but still have plenty of duty time. Except for some of the initial roughing out, the loads are not that heavy but there is quite a long running time so I am more concerned with operation time rather than large amounts of power.

I've tried to get an idea reading various forums and reviews but can't really come up with a good answer.

Advice from anyone with actual experience with a given brand and model would be greatly appreciated.

[Gtrubicon]

I'm a porter cable guy when it comes to routers, I have 5 or 6 in various sizes, up to 3.5hp.
Very comfortable, parts if needed are easy to get

[ulav8r]

Look for a 3 1/2" diameter router motor, it is a "universal" size in larger routers available in many brands. This is the first one listed in my search on Amazon, https://www.amazon.com/MLCS-9564-Variable-Router-included/dp/B00O8ZNIUC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1514057750&sr=8-3&keywords=3+1%2F2%22+router+motor , but they are available in many brands. They may be bigger than needed, but you won't have to alter the mount if you need a replacement in the future.

[iomskp]

Buy the biggest and best I have seen people try to do these stock duplicators on the cheap and it works but the end product looks like it was done on the cheap.

[JWT]

I have a 3-1/2 hp Dewalt and a mini Dewalt. Both have been excellent, but I'm not using them in a application that requires long run times.

[JimB..]

I’ve never seen a stock duplicator, but would a shaper be better than a router? I frequently see them on Craigslist, and most will have a better motor and better bearings than a router. They also come with a big cast iron table.

[Bazoo]

I work wood for a living... I've tried various brands and types of routers, and this is the longest lived router by far . It will take abuse.... and give long service life doing it. https://www.amazon.com/PORTER-CABLE-690LR-11-Amp-Fixed-Base-Router/dp/B00005QEVQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1514089448&sr=8-1&keywords=porter+cable+router+1001

I've used one in a router table for 5 or 6 years straight doing stuff a 3HP router shoulda done about 1/2 of the time. It finally gave it up, and new brushes and bearings put it back into service. Used several in hand application over the course of 10 years and they hold up.

[725]

After decades, my Craftsman gave up the ghost. I bought a cheap Ryobi and have been happy with it.

[sparky45]

Hitachi 3.5hp big green machine. I have this Router + a Bosch 3.5hp Router and like their smooth start feature.

[bdicki]

I'm a porter cable guy when it comes to routers, I have 5 or 6 in various sizes, up to 3.5hp.
Very comfortable, parts if needed are easy to get
I have 4 Porter Cable routers and a couple are 20 plus years old and never a problem.

[Bazoo]

We had a larger porter cable in a pin router at work, A router that didnt really see anything other than 1/4 and 3/8 roundover and not constantly that didnt hold up. Had it rebuilt, again it gave up. We had 2 dewalt routers, putting them in tables killed them in short order, 1 in less than a week. Had one rebuilt and it did okay as a hand router for a few years. Had a porter cable 7529 plunge router that didnt hold up at all.

Had a craftsman router, under a table that went on a good while. Had problems with the depth adjustment so we set it in place for roundover production, and it never did give up. I have a well worn craftsman now I use for hand roundover operations, It doent show any signs of slowing down.

By far the best router i've used was the porter cable 690, But the craftsman did hold up decent. Problem with it is that the base adjustment is sorry. I think they were made my ryobi, aint sure now.

[Grmps]

I have used that router Bazoo mentioned since 82. Use to use it almost every day for many years routing and inversed in a router table for shaping.
It will do everything you need the trick is. Don't remove too much material at 1 time.

[bangerjim]

No matter what brand you settle on, make sure it uses 1/2" shank bits and has soft start and variable speed!

I have 7 different ones for different needs.

[Shopdog]

Cpl thoughts on "dupes".....and every shop,shop owner is going to approach set ups and fixturing to best suit their own resources,in a best practices sort of way.

First is dust/chip management...often referred to as collection.Semantics yes but,management is a better description because not every situation calls for a collection or,"bin".This coming from a full on cabinet/furniture facility.To the point we build our own systems,including,but not limited to impellors.If your building a typical twin post,horizontal dupe,consider a "down draft" style chip evac.Filter 1,and Denray both have plenty of existing engineering,so study/drool over images by these fine cos.Paying particular attention to Filter 1 and the way they supply fresh air from directly above the users position.

Which leads to the next item;you can really bump up the duty cycle AND aid the down draft by air injection.1/4" copper refrigerant tubeing bends easily to fit.This ideally is run through a machine mounted,"mini regulator"....so you're not having to go adj main air comp.Injecting @5#'s of line pressure air right into the top of your router goes a long way in keeping it cool.Copper tubing gets connected to a 1/4" coil hose....that plugs into mini regulator,which has a QD fitting to a shop hose.

Start there....if you have any problems managing the work area,tee off before mini with another coil hose.Put a std blow gun on this.Just remember to"blow down".

The base of the machine can be used as the "collection" box meaning....chips stay there.Only reason for DC hose is to pull "fines" out.Look at how a typical shop vac works.The chips fall out of the airstream.

[nekshot]

I got a big Makita with 1\2 shaft for my duplicater. I tore the duplicater aparton last move and have not put it back to gether but I still use the Makita to make all the plunge cuts on stocks that I have been making in the last 10 years. I also use it to rout out a pass for the barrel then I hand finish from there. I love using that deep plunge for the action bolts-screws. every thing stays straight and true.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto in the Porter Cable Routers. I have about 6 of them and they are the longest lasting out there. I had Plastic Fab guys in the shop next to me and that's how I found out about them. They ran these things for months on end and other than brushes and sometimes bearings they ran without issue. Takes about 2 minutes to change out the brushes.

Randy

[waksupi]

Something that will really prolong the life of a router, is to blow the motor out with an air hose after every use. I shaped around 250 stocks with the same router and it was still going strong, when the guy who was doing it before me was toasting a router in around 50 stocks.

[Drm50]

I have never owned a router and have very little experience using one. A couple months ago I
bought a Craftsman router/ case, router table and two bit sets at a garage sale. It looks like it
has never been used. I've not used it, I don't like the depth setting method on it, all plastic and
kind of cheap looking. The ones I have used had nice metal adjustable depth on them. I've been
thinking of trading or selling it off and buying a better outfit. I haven't had much luck with Sears
power tools. Any advice on this.

[M-Tecs]

These have been outstanding for me. https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Variable-Speed-1617EVS-4-Inch-Collets/dp/B00004TKHV

[DDriller]

These have been outstanding for me. https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-Variable-Speed-1617EVS-4-Inch-Collets/dp/B00004TKHV

That's the one I use and it has been (and still is) great.

[bdicki]

That's the one I use and it has been (and still is) great.

You can't argue with Bosch, I have a router and a jig saw that have been flawless.