Woodworking Tools - Power Tools

Wood routers are categorized by the way the base is attached to the motor:

Plunge routers: The motor is attached to a spring-loaded base, so you can plunge the bit into the middle of a piece of work. They are the safest type or wood router.

Fixed-base routers: Lock in the depth of cut by raising or lowering the motor on the base. They're often considered the easiest for beginners to learn to use, especially when mounted in a router table.

Trim routers: Very light and small fixed-base routers, using bits with quarter-inch shanks, powered by 1-hp or smaller motors. They are also called laminate trimmers or palm routers.

Combo router: Kits come with one mid-sized motor plus both a fixed base and a plunge base. They're a cost-effective and convenient way to get two tools in one.

You can use both plunge and fixed-base routers in either of two modes: handheld or mounted in a router table. This is more or less like the difference between using a circular saw and a table saw, or a jigsaw versus a scroll saw. In one mode, you hold the wood steady while moving the tool; in the other, you hold the tool steady while moving the wood.

The best handheld router is usually not the best choice for use with an undermount router table -- so it's good to think ahead about how you are most likely to use the router. Handheld routers are useful for a variety of tasks -- for example: rounding the edges of wood, making grooves, trimming laminate or cutting mortises for hinges. Table-mounted wood routers are used for precise cuts (as for joinery) and production runs.

Although experts say to take horsepower and even current draw (amp) specifications with a grain of salt, router size is specified in horsepower and type. Trim routers, which are rated at one horsepower or less, are best for small jobs like trimming 1/8 overhangs of laminate for example. Mid-size routers of 1.75 to 2.25 horsepower (or 10 to 13 amps) are best for general use. Router combo kits are usually of this size. Heavy-duty routers are meant for continuous use or making deep grooves in hard woods. These are usually 3-hp (15-amp) routers.