There are some tools that make the life of people working in an industry easier while there are others which completely revolutionize an industry. Wood Router is a tool that has revolutionized the way carpentry was practiced. Here is a Wood router buying guide on this innovative equipment.
Before the innovative wood routers came to market every carpenter used to have a large collection of wooden planes which were used to carve and cut designs on wood.
These planes were bulky and occupied a good amount of space in the workshop. Wood Routers replaced these bulky planes with a lightweight, handheld machine capable of carving thousands of designs using a wide array of bits. There are wide arrays of wood routers available in the market. Considering the number of router options in the market, choosing the best wood router is not an easy task.
In order to help the buyers understand how to buy a best wood router, here is our step by step buying guide to select the most suitable router for their needs.
Wood Router Buying Guide
Contents
Things to Consider
Here is a list of all the essential features and a study of their impact on the router usage. Buyers can test the router they have selected against the parameters given in this router buying guide.
The guide ensures that they know how to buy a wood router that suits them the best.
Power Requirements
Power of a router determines its usage, amount of work it can perform and longevity. A powerful router can cut through hard varieties of wood with great ease while a small router does the task in a greater amount of time and more effort.
A small router is beneficial for users who cut through softer variants of wood or need to perform minor cutting tasks on hard variants of wood. On the other hand, for heavy cutting on hard wood, a large router is better suited variant.
Operational Modes
Some of the best wood router to buy offer both fixed base operations and plunge base operations. According to the most experienced professionals having one type of base limits the number of operations that can be performed by the router. To fully exploit the capabilities of a router it is recommended to buy a router with both fixed and plunge bases.
Compatible Bits
There are a wide array of Bit shanks available for the routers. Shanks are available from 1/8 inches onwards. There are some of the best wood router to buy that support multiple bit shank sizes using adapters. One must choose a router that supports a wide array of shanks as it increases the number of designs that can be carved using the router.
Warranty
Warranty ensures longevity and complete peace of mind. It is a factor that does not effects the performance of the machine, but plays a vital role in decision making process. A longer warranty ensures that you don’t have to worry about the router for years. There are some best wood router to buy which offer warranties up to five years.
Ergonomics
The machine should fit inside the palms or the handles should fit in perfectly while giving a clear view at the cutting bit. Ergonomics are the factors associated with ease of use.
One should always try to hold the machine in their hand before buying. It gives a sense of compatibility with your body. If you have a large palm, a very thin machine will not suit you while a person with a very small hand will appreciate a compact machine.
It is one of the most significant feature that most professionals emphasized while we researched for this Wood router buying guide.
Soft Start
Soft start ensures that you give a precise cut every single time you use the machine. Soft start features starts the cutting process at a very slow rate giving the user a little time to adjust the tip of the bit with perfection. Some of the best wood router to buy offer a very slow start for high precision.
Multi-Speed Operations
Different varieties of wood and different type of applications need different cutting speeds for perfect cuts. While some operations need a fast moving bit others need a slow moving bit for a perfect cut. In such cases, a router with multiple speed adjustment options comes in very handy as it performs a wide array of tasks with perfection.
It is recommended that one should never buy a single speed router if they plan to do creative and artistic operations using the router. A single speed router kills the creative capabilities as there is a need to go slow in most of the creative operations that a single speed router does not supports.
Router Body
Routers come in all kinds of body types from ABS plastic material to high strength aluminum body. For longevity and durability a user must consider a metal bodied router. A metal bodied router gives freedom to the user.
Who Needs A Wood Router?
Wood router is needed by carpenters and wood working professionals like interior decorators who need to carve and cut different shapes and designs on wood. Apart from these professionals, it is a must have tool for DIY enthusiasts who love to create their own masterpieces.
When creating this Wood router buying guide we came to know that there are professionals like interior decorators who need this equipment more than carpenters. So, we felt it necessary to educate them on how to buy a wood router that suits them the best.
Why Do You Need A Wood Router?
A wood router is an equipment that not only enables the carpenters, craftsmen and artisans to create their masterpieces but it enables them to do it wherever they like. Routers are small compact and there are light handheld versions that can be taken anywhere.
These lightweight equipment can be taken with to the client location and create designs they desire with perfection and great ease. A wood router can perform three types of cutting tasks.
- Straight Cutting
- Rabbet Cutting
- Spiral-Up Cutting
So, if you have any of the above three cutting needs, a wood router is a must have professional equipment for you. This Wood router buying guide will help you in the decision making process.
Conclusion
Wood Routers have proven their Mattel over time, they have replaced a huge set of wood cutting tools and have increased the production capacity of carpenters and professionals. Routers give a very fine and precise cut using a wide array of router bits. A router is not only a wood cutting machine, it is also an artistic machine that enables the users to give multiple shapes and designs.
One can carve their imagination on wood using a router. So, in order to make the optimum use of the router one must consider all the above mentioned features before making a buying decision. This Wood router buying guide covers every significant aspect which should be considered before buying a Wood Router. It is a complete guide on how to buy a wood router.