Name that router?

[plectrudis]

I just hit the jackpot in terms of tools--one of the my co-worker's mothers is downsizing and selling a bunch of old power tools, and my co-worker sweetly gave me first dibs. I'm getting a jigsaw, belt sander with a box of belts, orbital sander, router, and a panel clamp for $58. This is almost all the tools I was fantasizing about buying for my teardrop project in one fell swoop. Holy guacamole!

My question is, does anyone know what kind of router it is? Is is a trim router? Standard router? Is there anything else I should know about its capabilities and limitations?

I had been planning to save my pennies and by a lovely ~$200 Bosch router from Lowe's next Christmas, and I still may do that and just keep this as a backup, depending on its quality/reliability. For $15, it's probably worth it for the bits alone. I just would like some idea of what I'm looking at. (I'm a real novice at woodworking, just FYI.)

Thanks for any info you can give me!

[Chuckles]

I used one just like it for years. For $15.00 you cant go wrong. 1hp, no soft start, no variable speed, no plunge base... still a good serviceable router.

You will find that quality of cut is really more in the bits than the router. Your older craftsman bits appears to be all high speed steel. They dull quickly and then give a poor quality cut. Go for the carbide tipped cutters and you will be fine. Even the cheap carbide cutters do a pretty good job.

When you do upgrade get one of the 1.5 to 2 hp kits with the fixed and plunge bases. Bosch, Milwaukee, Porter Cable, Hitachi,,, they all offer a good two-base kit. Then you can put the old craftsman in a router table and leave it there.

Chuck

[plectrudis]

Thank you, Chuck--that is exactly the kind of information I was looking for!

It sounds like this one will serve me just fine until I have the money to throw at a fancier model. This is the one I had in mind--I think it fits your criteria:

Bosch 2.25-HP Variable Speed Corded Router
Item #: 136633 | Model #: 1617EVSPK
http://www.lowes.com/pd_136633-353-1617EVSPK_0__?productId=1014955&Ntt=bosch+router&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Dbosch%2Brouter&facetInfo=

[dales133]

Yea would make a great table mounted router

[JaggedEdges]

I had been planning to save my pennies and by a lovely ~$200 Bosch router from Lowe's next Christmas, and I still may do that and just keep this as a backup, depending on its quality/reliability.

Never "replace" as in discard anything made in the 20th century, particularly prior to about 1995... coz generally you'll burn through 3 or 4 china specials with the gimmicky features before you'll need to replace a brush or bearing in it.

[dales133]

I had been planning to save my pennies and by a lovely ~$200 Bosch router from Lowe's next Christmas, and I still may do that and just keep this as a backup, depending on its quality/reliability.

Never "replace" as in discard anything made in the 20th century, particularly prior to about 1995... coz generally you'll burn through 3 or 4 china specials with the gimmicky features before you'll need to replace a brush or bearing in it.

Agree wholeheartedly.
I've got a 30 year old making saw and an identical 6 year old one, other than looks thier world's apart.
Not to mention all my other old tools

[Dale M.]

Simply its a keeper.... If you need to slow it down, there is "plug in" speed controllers the will do the job...

Dale

[Al in PA]

That's a great little router. I bought one like it 30 years ago. I've bought others of various sizes since, but that Craftsman is the first one I grab. Once you get used to it, you'll find the depth adjustment is very easy to use and fairly accurate. There were many attachments for that router sold through Sears over the years. As mentioned earlier, it works well in a router table. There are bushings and guides available for routing with templates. They made a biscuit joiner attachment that saves the cost of a second tool.

[desertmoose]

Fred
That routers name is definitely Fred.

[bobhenry]

And with a fly swatter you can make big circles and radii for teardrop profiles.



birds eye view of the radius cutting system



here is a finished end truss without the barrell vault



up close of the giant fly swatter

From what I can see yours is a twin to my 20+ year old one and yes mine still does it's job very well.

[plectrudis]

Thanks, all! This is such good news! I'll cherish it like it deserves.

"Fred.". LOL, Desertmoose. But I think I'll give it a girlie name to encourage me in my first real first into woodworking. Isabella or Flossie or Clementine...

Yeah, "Clementine." I like that one