Aldi Router for first timer?

kenmc

Hi,
I've been thinking about getting a router for a while, several projects in mind, the first of which I've just started, converting a pair of old bedside lockers into a play kitchen for my soon-to-be-2-year-olds birthday in september.

Never having used a router before, am I mad to consider going for one as cheap as the Aldi one, should I save the 35 quid and put it to a more established named one? Ideally I'd like to stay below around 120 euro, so I guess that limits me to the consumer ones in the likes of B&Q, Woodies etc.

Any suggestions welcome.
Thanks
Kenmc

EDIT: Having gone more searching, this one gets superb reviews, so I think I'd be inclined to go with something like this which is positively recommended rather than the unknown from Aldi.

jack of all

I've no personal experience of the Aldi router but it looks to be ridiculous value for money at that price. Looks to be a 1/2" collet, variable speed and enough power for any hand held operations. With the Aldi money back guarantee I can't see how you could go wrong, it would be a very inexpensive introduction to the world of routing. I doubt if the Erbauer model is going to be much better, a heavy duty router (like the Makita 3612c) is going to cost more than €300, for hobby/ DIY use you don't need to spend that kind of money, I'd chance the Aldi.

kenmc

not sure it's 1/2", but 1/4" will be fine initially. as you say it's probably plenty fine for me for the first project; that and the set of bits will be 50quid, and will be fine for the first project or 2.
Thanks
K

gutteruu

Bought an Aldi router in a panic as my old broke. I usually hate aldi stuff but the router lasted for years. Was a great buy. Only stopped using it as I overtightened chuck and rung the threads. It has a 1/4' collet btw.

recipio

Cheap routers are made in China and rebranded with Germanic names. If you are going to use a router once a year then the budget models are ok. You will find however that they feel 'rough' ie unbalanced and the electrics often fail prematurely. I once bought a Trend router at a woodworking show for £49 and had to give up on it as it vibrated so much.
Routers are precision instruments - personally I'd save up for a Makita which I always find are supersmooth and bulletproof.
Have a browse on www.axminster.co.uk

kenmc

picked up one there at lunchtime as well as the box of bits, will hopefully get to play with it over the weekend see how it goes. Am guessing will need to practice a bit first

recipio

kenmc wrote: »

picked up one there at lunchtime as well as the box of bits, will hopefully get to play with it over the weekend see how it goes. Am guessing will need to practice a bit first

Congrats. All I can say is make sure the workpiece is firmly anchored and then you can 'backrout' - pull the router towards you for a crisp clean first pass, then push the router away from you to finish the cut. Those rubberized mats are handy for holding the piece for light routing only.

kenmc

ah yeah have a workbench and plenty of clamps, will be sure to anchor it well.

kenmc

first outing a success, routed out a lip to allow a curry bowl "sink" to sit flush on the top. hardest part was trying to get the radius of the bowl set up on the router, was less than the minimum achievable with the provided circle guide.

2 stroke

Bought one of these a few years ago, I only use it occasionaly but its still running perfectly. I bought a second one today so that I can keep one in the router table fulltime. Hard to go wrong at that price.

kenmc

so far so good, have used it to roundover the front edges on a bookshelf I made, and to trim off 3mm from a piece of cut chipboard which was too tight to go into the space it needed. Probably a little more fiddly to set up than something more expensive, but I can't complain for the price.

Seve OB

do aldi do a router table?

just got (my first) a second hand router and don't fancy forking out loads for a table and am not ready to try a DIY version.....yet

Jimmy_M

They had them a few weeks ago - but they do tend to hang around for a while...
Im pretty sure i saw a couple of them the last time i was in aldi in sandyford... I have one myself, It gets light use perfect for what i want it for. The router isnt bad either (nice and light compared to another cheapo one i had) - What I will say though, the aldi router sits nicely into the aldi router table, the other one i had didnt sit so nicely, i could get it clamped in but the shaft didnt sit exactly in the same place each time.

Edit: actually if you look at the website, they have them listed in the "while stocks last" section - so they must be still hanging around.

Seve OB

Jimmy_M wrote: »

They had them a few weeks ago - but they do tend to hang around for a while...
Im pretty sure i saw a couple of them the last time i was in aldi in sandyford... I have one myself, It gets light use perfect for what i want it for. The router isnt bad either (nice and light compared to another cheapo one i had) - What I will say though, the aldi router sits nicely into the aldi router table, the other one i had didnt sit so nicely, i could get it clamped in but the shaft didnt sit exactly in the same place each time.

nice one, time to visit aldi website now and find a shop (or 2!) near me

Jimmy_M

See my edit above

recipio

stevieob wrote: »

do aldi do a router table?

just got (my first) a second hand router and don't fancy forking out loads for a table and am not ready to try a DIY version.....yet

Just be careful and check what they are made of. MDF and plastic based materials will 'sink' after a while and create a hollow - not good for precision routing.

kenmc

So here's the before and after shots:
2 of these:

became this:


Has "working" hobs and oven, and sound effect and hot and cold running "water" (red/blue leds). She loves it