Trim router opinions

[Rolf]

I am in the market for a trim router. I have been looking at Bosch and Porter cable.
I know this is risky but I would like opinions from those of you that have trim routers.
I mostly want it for rounding the edges of my projects. I now use one of my router tables but that is a bit cumbersome at times. It is real hard holding that table upside down.

[knothead]

Rolf,
I have had a PC for years and use it on a lot of projects. Lightweight and easy to use. It is the laminate trimmer kit that has all the goodies. I think you will be happy with it.

Tom

[Pop]

Rolf... I'm not one much for buying tools from Harbor Freight but a couple years ago (before I got smart) I bought one of their little 1/4" trim routers for the same reason you want one. It was on sale for $20 and I thought 'what the heck'. I also bought one of their router speed controls for $12 at the same time. They work great together and I'm not sorry I got them now. I've since bought another one of the speed controls as a backup, but wound up putting it on my router table as a permanent fixture. I wouldn't be without it now either.

[JohnB]

G'day Rolf,
I have a Makita Laminate trimmer, and have had it for more years than I care to remember.
It has never missed a beat and is great lightweight little machine.

[Fremmed]

I agree with John. Have a friend with a rechargable Makita that works like mad. It's pretty old, don't know if its still made.

[Rolf]

Hey POP nice router table.
Thanks to all for the input

[MarkF]

Lots of folks like these:
Bosch PR20EVSK-RT Factory Reconditioned Colt™ Variable-Speed Palm Router Kit

On sale reconditioned

[azbison]

Originally Posted by Pop

Rolf... I'm not one much for buying tools from Harbor Freight but a couple years ago (before I got smart) I bought one of their little 1/4" trim routers for the same reason you want one. It was on sale for $20 and I thought 'what the heck'. I also bought one of their router speed controls for $12 at the same time. They work great together and I'm not sorry I got them now. I've since bought another one of the speed controls as a backup, but wound up putting it on my router table as a permanent fixture. I wouldn't be without it now either.

Does the speed control give you variable speed on the Delta scroll saw (I say this while salivating.....)

[Janette]

I've had my eye on the colt for quite some time and plan to get one when time permits. Our local store had a blowout sale with Bosch reps there and had it for $69. I got there too late in the day and they were sold out. Generally they're $109. All the reviews I've seen on it were very favorable.

[Pop]

Originally Posted by azbison

Does the speed control give you variable speed on the Delta scroll saw (I say this while salivating.....)

I hate to say it but NO. I had the same idea but what happens is the router runs at a higher rpm than the scrollsaw so the torque curve is at a higher rpm too. The slower running scrollsaw needs it torque pretty even throughout it's speed range and looses torque when run through the speed control because it (speed control) varies the voltage and the current at the same time. In-expensive speed controls donot have the sophisticated circuits that the better controls do. The more expensive controls keep the rated current throughout the whole speed range. ALSO... these speed controls will only work on a motor with brushes. Will not work on a capacitive discharge motor either.