I am currently in the process of researching tools for my workshop what are your thoughts on plunge vs fixed base routers for general woodworking?
Plunge vs fixed base routers
Iambob
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Not really. Like Woodnthings I have 20 and they made money..
I never watch YouTube videos, but as soon as he said you don’t need a router I clicked out of his video..
If you feel you don’t want a router, that’s okay too..
This forum can be live type feedback. The youtube video may not answer your replies.
What I’m trying to figure out is the capabilities of a palm or trim router I know for sure that I will be doing edge profiling and hollowing out chunks of wood to accommodate a scroll sawn inlay and I’m planning on cutting joints by hand will a palm router accomplished those tasks?
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I think so, I personally have the Dewalt router listed below as well as the plunge base for it listed below that. So I can remove the fixed base and insert the router into the plunge base. I use this to flatten boards and route cavities just for the sake of making a cavity and to accept inlays. I also use it to put chamfers and roundovers on boards. I don't think it could really do dovetails all that well, but there are tricks to do that if I really needed to. The thing to note about a router like this, is that you'll want to do whatever you can in light passes. When I flatten boards on my router sled, I can't take off much more than 1/16th of material with my 1" surfacing bit because the motor will get bogged down and it'll go through the batteries extremely fast. If using a 1/4 spiral bit, it can remove at least a quarter inch of material in depth.
DEWALT Router, Fixed Base, 1-1/4 HP, 7.7-Amp, Variable Speed Trigger, Corded (DWP611) - Power Routers - Amazon.com
DEWALT Router, Fixed Base, 1-1/4 HP, 7.7-Amp, Variable Speed Trigger, Corded (DWP611) - Power Routers - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
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It will work for inlays. What joints? A palm router isn't a tool of choice for mortises.
BTW, just do what I said and you don't need any videos or other advice. 🤣
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A corded router is a cheap way to start unless you already own a battery line of tools.
Here's a good selection from Home Depot:
Corded - Wood Routers - The Home Depot
Get free shipping on qualified Corded Wood Routers products or Buy Online Pick Up in Store today in the Tools Department.
www.homedepot.com
The investment you make now may be "entry level" but a better brand will have more options and accessories and a better warranty.
Harbor Freight, long considered low cost/entry level, has upped their game considerably and they may have a decent warranty, I donno?
I have a corded Dewalt trim router, 4 Porter Cable medium 690's and 4 heavy duty 7518's routers and one 7529 plunge only, several Freud routers when they were making them, also a 18 v Milwaukee, a 3.5 HP Milwaukee monster. I have NO Bosch, Makita, Craftsman, Ryobi, not that they aren't good, however.
The 18 V Milwaukee is typically the first one I reach for when edge trimming or roundovers.
My first router was a light weight low budget two handed router with a 1/4" collet which served me well for edge profiling but when I wanted to use 1/2" shank stile and rail bits for making flat panel newel posts and support columns, I purchased a router table and a more powerful Porter Cable router with both a fixed and a plunge base. The fixed base immediately got permanently installed in my router table and I have never used the plunge base. Most of what I needed to plunge a bit for, I did on my router table by lowering the work onto the bit. The reason I bought the plunge base was so I could remove the motor only from the table and use it freehand in the plunge base but I've always just reached for my first router with 1/4" collet instead.
I use a small router table anywhere I could bring the work to the router including 8 foot long stock with additional infeed and outfeed support along with feather boards and custom sacrificial fences. I only use the freehand router when I have to bring the router to the work. I have contemplated buying a palm router but have gotten by so long without one that I've never gotten around to it. Also, I am more comfortable keeping both hands on the router handles and having a wider base.
As far as the router table, I have considered upgrading to a larger table that uses a drop-in/lift-off plate for easier bit changes/height adjustments and the router could be lifted off the table and used freehand with the large square plate still attached.
I use a small router table anywhere I could bring the work to the router including 8 foot long stock with additional infeed and outfeed support along with feather boards and custom sacrificial fences. I only use the freehand router when I have to bring the router to the work. I have contemplated buying a palm router but have gotten by so long without one that I've never gotten around to it. Also, I am more comfortable keeping both hands on the router handles and having a wider base.
As far as the router table, I have considered upgrading to a larger table that uses a drop-in/lift-off plate for easier bit changes/height adjustments and the router could be lifted off the table and used freehand with the large square plate still attached.
Do you know what type it was?
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I would strongly suggest
1) The Bosh 1617 Setup shown by @rogerh in post #14. Put the fixed base on the router table and the adjustable router for everyday use - or the opposite, depending on your shop habits.
2) If financially able, buy a separate palm hand held router for edging and other small chores.
I think it would be a big mistake to look for a bargain brand router.
These routers should be a big part of your arsenal. They will be used more often than you would imagine once you own them.
1) The Bosh 1617 Setup shown by @rogerh in post #14. Put the fixed base on the router table and the adjustable router for everyday use - or the opposite, depending on your shop habits.
2) If financially able, buy a separate palm hand held router for edging and other small chores.
I think it would be a big mistake to look for a bargain brand router.
These routers should be a big part of your arsenal. They will be used more often than you would imagine once you own them.
Like others said.. you will want both. The question is do you want a palm router and big router? Will you use a table for the router?
I went hard on the table as I want to use it a lot more for longer boards and bigger bits for cabinets, doors, etc. I ended up stepping up to the Jessem router to use for the table though. My Bosch 1617ev is great, but wanted a bit more power and the other 3+hp routers all have a variety of mixed reviews but for harder woods all seem to burn out fairly easily. Jessem is not cheap, but most reviews say it is amazing, variable control, dual intake ports to keep it cool, etc.
I bought a plunge base and fixed base for my 1617 (or it came with one.. cant remember) many years ago. I also picked up a bosch palm router years ago. I wanted a circle cutter as I build several things (speakers, corn hole, etc) that use circles so I decided after ALSO buying the ryobi brushless palm router to make my bosch palm router specifically for circle (and edge if needed) cuts. I will use the ryobi for edge profiling. The 1617 is basically a back up now just in case. I also have a 3.5hp router I picked up cheap (china brand) to use on a x/y sliding set of rails.. not sure I'll use this yet but I like the idea one day of using it with the 2" surfacing bit.
One thing I am not a fan of is constantly moving routers to/from table, to/from bases, etc. May seem silly to have more than 2 routers, but there are uses for all of the ones I have and I did not want to deal with swapping routers out, especially out of the table. Had the Bosch table and can't stand using the 1617 because without a lift kit its a pain in the rear to set the height. So my new router table (Harvey setup with Jessem lift and router) makes it super easy to adjust height. Though I know you can get various lift kits for any table, I didnt have one for my old Bosch table.
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Palm routers are quite popular, my guess is it is their cost. we used to call them laminate trimmers. I know I sound like a broken record, but I would not suggest buying any tool, router included, until you have a specific need for that tool. You will likely regret your purchase and end up either with something you do not use, or something you would have purchased differently. When purchasing a router you need to know what you are going to be doing with it. If it is going in a table you will likely want a fixed base, higher hp. If you are building furniture or doing cabinet work you will want at least one plunge router. If you are just doing edge profile and general duties a fixed base will do. Over time you will likely find yourself with a multitude of routers. I am fortunate that my business purchased all mine, but I have a larger Bosch in my router table, an old Porter Cable Speedmatic for the big stuff, four PC 690's with different bases and setups, a PC 100 for little stuff, and a Bosch and a Makita palm router.
That makes perfect sense I am looking at a palm router because I do small work and want a small router. It doesn't make sense to me to own a 10 pound 3 hp router to round some edges and carve out small inlays I will probably get a compact router with decent horsepower and if i need a bigger router for an occasional task there is a nearby tool library with a big router.
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One of my favorite routers is a 690 Porter Cable in the plunge base, I use to make mortises on legs like this quilt rack.
I made a self centering jig that rides on either side of the leg and centers the bit.
It's adjustable for different width stock, on a parallelogram action:
![Image]()
I made a self centering jig that rides on either side of the leg and centers the bit.
It's adjustable for different width stock, on a parallelogram action:
Not to be a jerk, but why are you here asking so many questions when your great fountain of YouTube knowledge is so handy for you? We all understand the answer to that one.
There are 34 posts in this thread and close to half of them are your replies quibbling about the answers you got to your questions. It’s probably time for you to just make a choice, and go buy a router that you like, not one any of us like, but the one you like. As for pricing, you’rea big boy, go do your own shopping and remember that with tools, you get what you pay for.
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You answered your own question.
Get a palm/trim router with a plunge base and you'll have all the bases covered.
Get a Dewalt DW611.
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Most major manufacturers, like Porter-Cable, DeWalt, Makita, and such, offer kits with both a fixed and plunge base. The old P-C 690 series set is solid, and not difficult to use once you get used to it, but swapping the router between bases isn't as easy as some. That's why I picked up a used fixed-base 690 and have a motor in each of mine. Typically, the dedicated plunge routers have a bit more ergonomic controls, but if you're on a budget and woodworking is a hobby, it may be hard to justify buying a good fixed-base and a good plunge router. If you're a pro or planning to turn pro, the time you save will eventually amortize the additional cost.
I saw another response where the poster had a router that had both plunge and fixed base. That's what I have - a Dewalt 618 like this. I can pull the motor out and it fits my Jessem lift table (I bought that specific router because the table saw I bought had a lift table and the Dewalt was one of 3 that would fit it). It's working out great for me though I have kept my antique Black Decker 1/2 horse router so I can do simple edge work without unmounting the Dewalt from the lift.
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Each has it's purposes but for the most part you use a fixed base more often. You could do both functions with a plunge router however they are bigger and more cumbersome to use than a fixed base router. A plunge router is made to route in the middle of a project where you push the bit into the work and go from there, like you were mortising for a mortise and tenon joint. I think most people that have a plunge router also have a fixed base router and only use the plunge when a plunge is necessary. I probably worked for nearly 40 years before I purchased a plunge router. Often if you are careful you can just set a running fixed base router down on your work by sitting the edge of the router down and gently lowering it.
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My Porter Cable 7529 "dedicated plunge router" has the ON/OFF switch built it the right side handle, very handy!
The Porter Cable 690 router has the ON/OFF switch on the side of the motor under a protective plastic shield, not handy at all.
The 690's plunge base is separate from the fixed base:
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