Last year? I bought a Bosch 1619 EVS plung router. I am NOT happy with it! I bought it only for use on my LEIGH FMT.
I have found that the router is nice for power, but the plunge sucks! When plunging, the bit will move to my left approximately 1/32 right to left. Movement of the bit, front to back as I hold the router is almost nill… The plunge release side follows the shaft… IF I remember to always use only my LEFT hand for pushing down during the plunge. I am right handed so I tend to apply more pressure with my right hand which makes the bit move toward the left over 1/32 inch. My two Porter Cable 690’s work better on the plunge! So do my’ L’ Cheep O’ Ryobi $99.00 plunge routers… No I have not called Bosch…..
1/32 or a BIT MORE does not seem like much but for a long stick it can cause a casework to go out of square so that the leg differences cause the piece to wobble on a flat surface. Yes I can fix this but! What a job making four legs the same length to the floor. AND to all the other parts assembled.
With my FMT (which I like) I find it impossible to get a perfect fit for length of the tenon while fitting the exact width. The length is always a bit long because of the router bit movement. YES, I can overcome this if I use a ‘story stick’ to fit all the parts during glue up. But what a bain in the you know what…
I would suppose I could fix the problem by putting in a brass setscrew into the oilite beqring but I really do not want to take it apart. I am thinking that only one bearing is used on each shaft (as in not one on top AND bottom of the housing). I could be wrong because I have not tried to take the router apart.
I am not really saying that my Bosch router is junk.. BUT I get expirated very easy at my old age…
Any opinions from those that have a Bosch 1619 EVS plung router?
Replies
have found that the router is nice for power, but the plunge sucks! When plunging, the bit will move to my left approximately 1/32 right to left.
How do you determine this? All of these guys are sloppy when unlocked and straighten out somewhat after the motor lock. Have one the first 1619's, tell me how to test for this.
Routerman...
Sorry for the delay. I was busy working on my two dressing/sitting benches.
As for how did I measure it?... I just guessed at 1/32 inch when I first posted this. This morning I made a test in some scrap poplar and took a picture for you. The picture shows a mortise made on the FMT to a shallow depth of 0.210. I just picked to first stop my router was set at. I cut the mortise (1 inch long by 0.375 inch wide) for the guides and bit I last used the FMT.
I made the deeper mortise (see picture) while only pushing down on the left handle of the router. The left side hase the plunge release lever and this shaft, assembly runs true if I only press down on the left handle. The mortise was cut at what my setup was made at.
The length of cut was 1.020 inch long by 0.375 inch wide. I find, that on my FMT, with whatever set of templates I use, the length of cut is always about 0.020 longer than what I would expect. The width is always spot on. This is true for whatever router I have used on the FMT.
After cutting this mortise, which I consider 'normal', I set the depth of cut to 0.075 inch without changing anything else. The 0.075 means nothing. I just ended up with that. I only wanted to show the difference. I did a plunge in my normal way of holding the router. As I stated, I am right handed so I think I tend to press down on the router handles a bit harder with my right hand. In the picture you will see the result. The cut was now 1.050 inches long by 0.375 inches wide.
My guess at the offset was about correct.... 0.30 inch is pretty close to 1/32 inch, is it not?
This may sound like Nitpicking but it is not in my opinion.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitpicking
Copied from the Wikipedia text..... As nitpicking inherently requires fastidious, meticulous attention to detail, the term has become appropriated to describe the practice of meticulously searching for minor, even trivial errors in detail (often referred to as "nits" as well), and then criticising them.....
I have noticed this problem before but I have, in the past. sort of ignored it UNTIL NOW while making my current projects that are TWO of the same thing. I would see strange differences that would not allow me to cut two sets of 'sticks' and have them fit perfectly in either. I was always running back to my table saw and make a tiny 'trim' cut to make things fit as intended. What a waste of time! I always chech things for square but not every part during a glueup... Not enought time to do every part....
If every cut was the same I would guess it would not a real problem. However, I assume, because some sticks have to be rotated 'end-for-end' because of all joints NOT being centered, the 'extra length' is at one end on one part and on the other end forthe rotated parts.
During dry fitting I never noticed any problem. However after glue up, a very different story!
Everything seemed square BUT maybe? due to slight shifting of the parts,the small things compound on each error. Like in one bench rocked at bit on the same reference table! I hate getting feet to fit when they should anyway! Maybe all would have been well if I clamped the four legs down to the reference table while the glue dried?
OK, so I am a NITPICKER!
I guess it is just because I expected the Bosch to be better than my other plunge routers. OR at least as good!
The error offset is seen on the left side of the picture.
And as a general note, I saw a bit of a tip on the Festool router I was thinking of getting. I think I will use my old Porter Cable router that I modified with a brass insert dogpoint setscrew to ride the right hand shaft.
So when you sweep, the router the motor is locked? What if you plunge in the middle of the mortice, same result at the end? Is the subbase flat? Will the router rock, resting on a suface plate with & without the subbase? & finally : you get similar results independent of the fixturing (e.g. the fmt or its kin)?
What if you plunge in the middle of the mortice, same result at the end?
Yes.. Everything if OK, IF, once the plunge is locked. I like to plunge at one end and climb-cut toward the other end.
Yes, I could always plunge away from either end but it is not the way I like to work.
The offset is because of a poor fit of the bushing (My opinion only) on the right hand side (If viewed when the plunge lock is on the left). Sorry, I find it very annoying. Especially when my less expensive routers have better tolarences as far as the plunge stability. NO.. they are not perfect either but not as severe.
Oh well, I guess that I will have to take the router apart and see if I can install some sort of Gib to guide the shaft.
Or maybe hand cut all my joints?
Nitpicking, still looking for the best in morticing?
Then don't dwell in the ends of mortices no matter what router you choose.
You will burn the cutter and the stock there.
Best of all worlds: Let mortice width be>than the cutter. Then plungle at random (away from the ends) and as you clean the width, any burns or gouges (from the depth changes) will clean up as you approach the egde guide limits or templet dimensions, (in your case). More on this? See the http://patwarner.com/router_morticing.html link.
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