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Tool Addicts

IWF Alert: DeWalt's little router is a show-stopper

Asa Christiana, editor, Fine Woodworking magazine

20 users recommend

The big news on DeWalt's new Compact Router combo kit is the plunge base and built-in LED lights. Also, the 1-1/4-hp motor is larger than those on other compact routers. 

All we had on hand was a profile bit, but you can see how bright the cutting area is.

The fixed base is extended for better control when routing along edges, a nice feature. It seems like DeWalt thought of everything.

The big news on DeWalt's new Compact Router combo kit is the plunge base and built-in LED lights. Also, the 1-1/4-hp motor is larger than those on other compact routers. 

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After trudging through concrete alleys all day, I finally found the gem I was looking for--a real game-changer. Lots of companies have trim routers, but none of them plunge. That's bad news for anyone who wants to do inlay, plus lots of other little stopped cuts. DeWalt's new 1-1/4-hp, single-handed Compact Router has plenty of punch for all the little jobs a trim router loves: chamfers, roundovers, hinge-mortising, and most edge profiles. But it adds a plunge base to the normal fixed base, creating a combo kit unlike anything else on the market.

Until now, if you wanted to do inlay, for example, you either had to buy a rotary tool and a special accessory base, or use a trim router that wouldn't plunge and had poor sight lines. DeWalt's compact router takes care of that with two bright LEDs in the bottom of the motor housing. By the way the motor is more powerful than those on other trim routers. That's why I think you will pick up this router for most of your handheld router tasks around the shop.

If you don't already have a trim router, buy this combo kit for $199. That's what I plan to do. OK, maybe I'll wait until we can get it into the FWW shop for a test run.

Read about other great tool finds at IWF 2010

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Comments (7)

Drewpeacock writes: Is this kit available in Canada ?
I keep hearing conflicting information and I don't see a contact area on the Dewalt site to ask somebody in the know.

Posted: 10:44 am on December 21st

Sangwon writes: I have waited this tool since I started woodworking.
Posted: 5:31 am on September 5th

HayesFurnitureDesign writes: True its not 100% new, but come on the precision plunge base is $400 plus!!! This dewalt combo is half, pretty new look to me.
Posted: 10:56 pm on September 3rd

owheeler writes: FWW, you should have a fact checker look at the Micro Fence Plunge Base before repeating what I'll presume is the press release from Dewalt; that this is a unique product in that it plunges and has integral illumination. Micro Fence has had both for as long as the Plunge Base has been available in current dress. As part of a kit, including the trim router itself? Absolutely. Utterly new? Not quite...
Posted: 3:41 pm on August 28th

epirnik writes: kingwah: Tell that to my wife. Ha ha ha
Posted: 3:08 pm on August 27th

kingwah writes: Are you kidding, epirnik? Who can live with just one trim router. I have 3 and I can't wait to add this one to my shop. The reason? I make guitars and like to leave them set up for the specialty cuts required in the building process. They take too long to set up each time. The plunge feature on this new DeWalt is exactly what I've been waiting for.
Posted: 11:10 pm on August 26th

epirnik writes: I am truly bummed after having read this. I bought a sweet little Rigid trim router not two months ago. While I LOVE the Rigid - boy would it be great to have that plunge capability, darn it!
Posted: 11:33 am on August 26th

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