Reddit reviews Bosch Colt Palm Grip PR20EVSK 5.6 Amp 1-Horsepower Fixed-Base Variable-Speed Router with Edge Guide

The right tool is a moving fillister plane, or a rabbet plane. Bad ones suck. Good rabbet planes have skewed blades and nickers and cost 5-6x as much as the options you linked above.

Here's a wooden one that I wouldn't mind using.


And a metal one that I'm planning to purchase soon.

I use this to cut rabbets now. It lacks a nicker + is not skewed, so it does a mediocre job at cross-grain rabbets. Generaly, when rabbeting cross-grain, I start out by using a carcase saw to perform the cross-grain cut, then use the plow to clear the waste. At the end, I come in with a skewed chisel or a scraper to leave a clean surface, since planing with a straight blade across the grain tends to leave a bit of a mess. It's a lot of work--all of the options that you linked will have the same shortcomings, since they are not skewed and lack nickers.

The only plane in your list that's truly made to cut rabbets is the Stanley No.78 copy. The rest are better described as shoulder planes or router planes.

To quote Schwarz on the 78, "After working with a No. 78 for years, I concluded that it does its best work in softwoods that are going to be painted and displayed in dimly lit rooms." Yeah. It's that bad. To add insult to injury, the modern copies are usually worse than the originals.

It's likely that the most cost effective solution here is to buy a $99 trim router like this or this and a straight bit. Both of those come with edge guides. TBH, even with a lot of nice hand tools in my shop, I reach for little routers like these all the time for quick rabbets/grooves/etc. They are incredibly cost effective and really nice to use because they're so small/light.

This is the Bosch variable speed router I have & it works a treat. Just remember that any router is typically too fast to be effective at cutting metal but fine for wood & plastics.

Routers have a pretty wide price range. People generally like Bosch for these kind of detail and precision things, sanders, routers, etc.

Bosch 1-handed 1hp for $99

Bosch big mama 2.25hp for $207

Have you read this guy's evaluations?

New Woodworker Routers



If it were me, I'd buy new only things you intend to keep for a lifetime, and buy an appropriately powerful and versatile tool. For instance, a compound mitre/chop saw can be had from DeWalt with MOST of the features except sliding to cut really wide boards for about 200 bucks, and it would take you awhile to outgrow it. Same with router. If you can afford this big honkin' Bosch and it does what you want, consider acquiring it for your 'lifetime' stable.

If you need a tool for a specific project but aren't sure of its general applicability, you should look on craigslist, particularly at estate sales, or consider Harbor Freight.

I have this Bosch trim router, and I have been pleased with it.

It is pretty light weight, and I like the way the design of the base allows you to easily handle it with just one hand. Bit changes are easy, and height adjustment is smooth and convenient.

I haven't had a need to adjust the speed, so I think if I were to do it over, I might have considered getting the one without the adjustable speed.

I use it primarily for round over and chamfer, but I also use it for skinny dados (like for a drawer bottom).

One thing to remember is that these pony routers only accept quarter inch bits, so if you have been collecting quality half inch bits, you will need to re-buy any that you intend to run in these machines.

It doesn't come with any dust collection ability, but there are a variety of add-ons you can buy if that is important to you.

to expand on this.

you'll want to buy a cheap powered router, a straight bit, a couple of clamps and HEARING and EYE PROTECTION.
i can't stress those last two enough.

once you've done that,

1. you'll want to install a wide-ish straight bit into your router.
   
   
2. mark off the area you want to route (make the marks on the waste side, where you're cutting away, or the other side, but be consistent).
   
3. set the router so the bit won't cut, but you can see it in the flat shoe on the bottom. you want to line the edge of the bit to your line, then mark where the edge of the router is.
   
4. you want to clamp your metal brackets to that line as a straight edge and guide.
   
5. don your eye and ear protection. it's going to get loud.
   
6. take a ruler or use the built in guides to set the bit to the depth you want (1/8")
   
7. double check your clamps are tight and the edge guide is straight. measure both sides of it, don't eyeball.
   
8. place the router on the work with the bit hanging off the edge. then turn it on while steadying it with your hands.
   
9. cut along the guide and any remaining bits from the edge until you have a nice level area for your bracket.
   
   i recommend practicing on a bit of extra wood. get the idea down and then do it on your final piece.

I guess Bosch makes a nice smaller one, anyone have any experience with this router?
http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PR20EVSK-1-Horsepower-Fixed-Base-Variable-Speed/dp/B000ANQHTA

Buy quality tools. I suggest staying away from craftsman as they don't hold up and are basically junk. Keep an eye on Craigslist. I picked up a $1000 jet table saw with an exacta fence and a built in router table for $100. For your table saw I suggest investing in 2 good blades and a dato set. All 3 should run you less than $200. I like Freud blades. As for routers most are going to recomend one with a 1/2 collet but I would hold off on that at first and pick up a multi speed palm router. I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Bosch-PR20EVSK-1-Horsepower-Fixed-Base-Variable-Speed/dp/B000ANQHTA I absolutely love it and I know they hold up to heavy use. You can make a table for it with a peice of 1/4 Baltic birch of mdf core ply. As for a sander a 5in random orbit is a good starter sander and they can be affordable. Chisels are easy to come by, keep an eye out at garage sales- you can allways sharpen old ones and typically they are better quality than the crap sold at the big box stores anyway.

I am a finish carpenter and cabinet builder, my little business builds train tables and can be found here: http://www.modelrailroadbenchwork.com

Not following the laminate idea, care to explain further?

Good idea about jigsawing a template and then routing. However, my one attempt, some time ago, to use a hand-held router to cut a smoothly curving line in a plywood board ended in disaster. The tool (a relatively cheap Black & Decker) was probably partly to blame, however. Would this one suffice?