Now, for the technical enthusiasts and especially for
@ctmullins who wants a new router, it's tool time. Up close and personal with big plunging tools. The double entendres just write themselves. Seriously this is the best job I ever had.
Hitachi first, because it's big and it's green and I just love Hitachi stuff. It's super reliable, and 100% pro quality. I still use the C9U 9" circular saw my dad bought in 1998. In all that time, it's just had one new set of carbon brushes two years ago, and a new cord. Obviously an entire container load of blades in its 24 years of service but, you get what I mean. Battleship build quality.
There's nothing fancy on the M3612DA, it's just that everything is very well done. Around the operator's side you have the industry standard rotating depth stop turret and rod system to set plunge depth, and an electronic constant speed control. Brushless motors lend themselves especially well to genuine constant speed control. They are, basically, programmable AC servos. So, soft start, fast motor braking, and speed control, is all done through firmware.
Another great thing with brushless motors is that they have very little rotational mass. Startup and switch off kickback basically doesn't exist on this machine. The low mass of the motor also translates into a very light weight, well balanced and controllable machine. It's a joy to use.
Around the unfriendly side there's the plunge lock, which looks weird and V shaped but is actually very ergonomic in use, and you can adjust the angle to suit your preference. You also have the spindle lock for easy cutter changes. The switch is a dual system, very similar to the deadman's switch on the big Makitas, but this one can be locked. That's a bonus on long cuts, and helps promote a relaxed but secure grip.
It has worklights! It has two worklights! Count them! Two!
And it will take a Makita fence. There is a perfectly adequate fence in the box, but I just like the Makita one.
You just have to use the Hitachi rods in the inner pair of reception holes. Rod Receiver. That's a stripper name, who wants it?
You also get a dust extraction spout which works well with my Hitachi 36v Bluetooth extractor, but in their infinite wisdom Hitachi aren't selling their 36v Bluetooth batteries in the USA, which kind of makes no sense. You can buy the extractor, but not the batteries that pair with it to tell it to switch on automatically. Stupid. Another minor annoyance is that collet wrench you need is 23mm, rather than the 24mm that the entire rest of the world uses, so you're stuck with the supplied (perfectly adequate but very uncomfortable) pressed hardened steel wrench. You do also get a 1/4" collet already installed in its own nut, which is the correct way of supplying it (Makita take note) and a 16mm guide bush. I would have liked a 30mm guide bush in with the rather high price, but as I am a Trend UniBase aficionado, it's kind of immaterial for me. It will be annoying for others when they find out Hitachi wants $20 for the commonly used 30mm bush.
I do have a UniBase on order, I'll fit it when it arrives. No more bush problems. Stripper name!
The full rig is kind of expensive, but I think it's worth it.
The cheapie router is the Katsu, which everybody says is a 1:1 clone of the Makita made in the same factory blah blah blah. It's not. It's very similar, it will accept Makita batteries and accessory bases and fences, but it is not a straight up copy. Not even close. That's not to say it's a bad machine. It's actually a very good machine and I'll be buying another so I can leave one set up permanently for hinge mortises, and the other as a freelancer.
For 99 US dollars, (stripper name, US Dollhairs) you get the machine itself, a perfectly adequate pressed steel fence, a dust extractor spout, a 4.0ah battery, and a charger. You also get the roller bearing trimming guide which people don't often use, and I don't know why because it's an excellent little gadget. I reckon you could easily use it for edge binding rebates, but I've not tested that yet. Edge Binding. Specialist name. Too dark? Yeah ok. Forget it.
The included base is the classic Makita style rack and pinion adjustable round sole item. It's my favorite style of base on this class of router. It will accept the Makita plunge base, which I have, the offset base, which I also have, and the tilting base, of which I have a couple. These are super useful.
I have one that I keep at 3 degrees all the time thanks to a nifty bit of Mig welding, with a home made hardwood edge guide on the base that I use with a long straight cutter to put a perfect leading edge on the slamming side of a door.
It also has a work light! But this time only one, and it's not as super bright as it could be. That's probably a simple enough DIY upgrade if you feel so inclined. I find it adequate for my needs.
So there you have it.
Two very different machines, both of which I think represent something of a bargain. Obviously, the Katsu qualifies on price alone, $99 is a router for people who can't even afford a router, but also because I've found it will easily stand up to pro use, will give pro results, and is just very nice and comfortable to use and to adjust. It's ready to go right out of the box, battery, charger, everything. The fact that it will accept Makita batteries and gadgets only increases its best buy status.
The Hitachi is expensive, but it's still a bargain, because it has a combination of power, controllability, light weight and cordless convenience that simply can't currently be had for less money. If something does a job that can't be done for less money, it's the cheapest thing there is, which makes it a bargain. Logic.
They are both worthy of serious consideration if you're in the market for a new toy.
From "friendship" to "making pleasures".
