DEWALT Router, Fixed Base, 12-Amp, 24,000 RPM Variable Speed Trigger, 2-1/4HP, Corded (DW618)

Another great tool from DeWalt. I purchased this router to install on my router table. I needed the 1/2" collet capability for larger router bits and it has plenty of power for those larger applications. Bits are easy to change and the variable speed adjustment gives me a lot of flexibility for different jobs.

A nice addition to my wood shop. Great quality, good price point.

Nice

Works great in my Bosch router table. Fairly intuitive. Manageable weight when free handing. Very pleased with this purchase. Full disclosure, I’m a Dewalt guy.

I purchased two of these to cut dovetails. After routing 5 kitchen drawers, I notice the bit was a bit stiff to rotate by hand. I routed another drawer the next day, and after 5 minutes of run time, the collet nuts were so hot I couldn't touch them. That's both routers! WTH?

The router has enough power and speed control to accommodate most routing tasks. I have had one of these routers set up in a table for three years now, with no complaints after intermittent use. Certainly some have complained of the difficulties encountered adjusting the height of this tool, particularly in the table. I find that placing consistent pressure against the adjusting ring while changing the setting solves this issue (ie...reproducibility and accuracy). In the router table, it is somewhat difficult to make the adjustment for lack of an above table technique. Yet with some awkwardness (the Bosch table I use is clamped to a work table to elevate it to chest height) I feel that the advantages of the tool, including slow start, speed adjustment and power outweigh this inconvenience at the price (less than $150). Using the router freehand is smooth and easy. I have used it on a 14 foot piece of trim to rabbet the edge in one pass.

I do a lot of woodworking projects, and my 25 year old Makita routers died last year. Makita has been pricing themselves out of my budget for a while, so I bought two of these Dewalt routers and am using one in my four-station router table, and the other in a plunge base for on-demand needs. These routers are very comfortable in the hands, operate very smoothly, and are surprisingly quiet. Speed control knob operates well and does not slip from vibration during use. The plunge base features a dust port for a vacuum attachment through the spring-loaded depth adjustment pillar, which is a really good and innovative design, keeping visibility of the work surface unobstructed. Doing plunge cuts is very smooth, and there are several features that allow you to control your intended depth of cuts, without having to re-invent the wheel, or undo other settings. Overall, these routers are a truly outstanding investment. I have 8 routers in total now, and these are my best two. I highly recommend these to anyone in the market for a router, and if you watch pricing carefully, you can get a really great deal at times. I bought the fixed/plunge combo kit through Home Depot on sale for $199, when it is usually $239. And I bought the fixed base one through Amazon for $135, when it is usually $219.

It's Dewalt, we'll made quiet and powerful. Lifetime tool in my shop