I like Makita routers. I had three and some thief liked them more than I did. After catching my breath, I bought a porter-cable and a hitachi plunge router. I don’t like either one like the Makita and I regret buying them even as a band-aid. My first Makita 3612 did not have a variable speed and it was on the heavy side. Now the 3612c comes with a depth adjustment knob and a variable speed dial. This is the way to go.
I found it at Tyler Tools for 219 and 7.00 for shipping. If there are any Makita lovers out there, this is a great price for a great router. If you don’t want a heavy duty router this might be too much for your needs. If you want something that just won’t quit, this bad boy is like the old worm drive 77. It won’t quit.
I am ashamed to tell you how much I abused my first one. Its fair to say it cut 500 mortises in oak post and beam projects and then I took it home to cut furniture stuff. Its a winner. If you need a good router about now take a look at this one.
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I like Makita too. My first router many years ago was the 3612c. I liked it so much, I later bought a RF1101 set, Makita's bench top planer, 21" belt sander, and SCMS. I've been very happy with all of them.
My first big router was a 3612B which had a large square base and opening. I sometimes clamped it upside down and used it like a router table.
$220 for a high quality 15 amp router seems like a good price, but I've gotta ask....is the throat opening large enough to pass a 3-1/2" panel bit?
KS
Its funny you should ask that question. I am using the CMT panel raising bit on a project. The base of most routers can be adapted easily if the stock base whole is not big enough. I do not have the Makita in front of me to size up the bit and base. Sorry.
Having said that Knotscott- That is too much bit to do free hand in my shop. That bad boy goes in the router table and the speed comes down to the minimum(10K). The centrifugal force on a bit that big spinning at 22,000rpm is enough to make me feel faint. Don't do it!
Don't mean to be so dogmatic but those big bits need to be in router table with a good means of securing the router. Nuf said.
The Makita 3612c(variable speed) is just about identical to the earlier 3612(no var speed). I took my older one apart before it was stolen to clean it. It is very well made and it is sold as a router to be used up-side-down with no problems.
In my case I have the big PC locked in the table and that's where it is staying. I was unhappy with the router as a bench top work horse/mortise cutter. The fence on the PC does not align with the handles as I like to use them. They are 90 out of wack for my comfort zone. I worked with the Makita for years and I got used to working in that position. This is technique not a rule.
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