Over at Home Depot, a past woodworking deal bundle has resurfaced. It’s a two-piece trim router and 1/4-sheet sander combo, for $99.
The idea is that you buy the router and get the sheet sander for free, although the price of the bare router is currently a little lower, at $89. The 1/4-sheet sander is priced at $50.
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The router is sized for light duty woodworking or trim applications, and comes with a 1/4″ collet, while 1/4-sheet sanders are typically suited for finish sanding and for getting into corners and edges.
While I haven’t tried any Ridgid routers yet, I have a somewhat older Ridgid random orbital sander that I’m quite fond of. It produces a uniform scratch pattern, is comfortable to use, or at least as comfortable as a sander can be, and it offers okay dust collection.
If you’re in the market for a compact trim router, this is a nice combo to consider. Compared to the current price of the router by itself, this combo essentially offers you the finish sander for just $10 more.
It’s worth mentioning that the router has a variable speed motor with soft-start feature, micro-adjust dial on the base, and LED work light. Looks like it has an easy-to-read speed setting dial, which is always a plus.
Buy Now(via Home Depot)
Compare(Router via HD)
Compare(Sander via HD)
This deal is online online, with free home delivery or “ship to store” shipping options.
Not quite a Ridgid fan? Bosch’s variable speed Colt router ($99 via Amazon) is a very popular choice, and Dewalt’s ($120 via Amazon) is a little more versatile, especially if you buy the dual base kit ($169 via Amazon). Only the Dewalt dual base kit is eligible for this year’s $25 off $100+ promo offers.
Henry
I have this Ridgid trim router, and really like it. The only issue I’ve had with it is that the two third-party base plates that I have (mini router table, sign maker) don’t have holes pre-drilled for it. They all seem to be made for the Bosch, DeWalt, and Porter Cable ones.
Tom
Does anyone have a recommendation on where to get a nice starter set of bits for one of these trim routers? I just picked up the Craftsman one on clearance this week, but don’t know where to start with bits (it’s my first router).
Mine uses 1/4 shank, which is what I suppose this trim router uses as well.
Stuart
I like Freud bits, but have a couple of Bosch and other brands’ bits in 1/4″ sizes.
MLCS is one brand that’s known for making decent inexpensive bits. Their 15pc bit set ($44 via Amazon) offers a good selection to start out with.
Jimmie
I agree. If you’re starting out, buy a collection of bits from MLCS. They’re service bits comparable in quality to Woodcraft’s “Woodriver” line (better than, say, HF) and you’ll have enough profiles to cover most projects. After a couple projects, you’ll have a feel for what profiles you use most frequently. *Those* are the only bits that you should consider upgrading to premium brand (Whiteside, Freud, Eagle…) if you get the itch to spend more money…
Jimmie
Err “serviceable bits”
fred
Whiteside (USA Made) bits and sets are excellent quality – but as you point out – quite a bit more costly:
http://www.amazon.com/Whiteside-Router-Bits-402-4-Inch/dp/B000CSBAKY
Amana also makes some decent bits (in Israel) – but their starter set is even more expensive.
BTW – Eagle (Tool Catalog Co.) that I think you mention has several offerings – but you may not have heard that Eagle was bought by MLCS.
Tom
Thanks for the recommendation! This is a new tool for me, so the guidance is most appreciated!
fred
You may also wish to compare prices on MLCS directly at their site:
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/set15piece.html
Andrew Wagner
Tom, I know I’ll get mocked and laughed at here for this but … if you’re looking for the basics, and just starting out with a router, do what I did and grab a few basic bits from Harbor Freight. I picked up a couple of round-overs (1/8 1/4 1/2) a few straight bits and a cove bit for about $15-$20. They’ve lasted me a year and are still in excellent shape — I use them with this exact same router.
Julian Tracy
Woodline bits are decent too, and they (used to anyways) offer a lifetime exchange for them.
Years ago, I picked up an 88pc set at Amazon for what seems like was close to $66 or so.
Might be worth a check on Amazon or Ebay.
JT
Mike
Seriously? I just bought one of these routers like 2 weeks ago. I guess I should have waited.
Adam f
You should be able together it adjusted to the promotion. And if you have doubt s of the cashier understanding your goal, just buy the new package, then return new router with old receipt.
Craig
I’m commenting on the router only, since I’ve had mine for several years now. First, I really like this router, I use it weekly on the job, but I don’t have any recent hands on experience with other brands of trim routers to compare with. My observations: 1st…On-Off switch is on the top, recessed when Off, pull up to On (protruding) position. Good safety provision as it’s easy to turn off, but I too often accidentally switch mine off during use by trying to hold the top of the router, “palm sander style”. This has proved a hard habit to break, as the top of the motor housing overhangs the main body of the tool, which forces the user’s hand grip location too low and too close to the bit, sight line, etc., especially with gloves on.
2nd…Comes w/two clear plastic base plates, one square and the other round. I prefer the square plate when a larger base helps to prevent tipping and and when doing longer straight-fence work, but I mostly use the round plate. Pet peeve; like most clear plastic compounds, these plates scratch too easily from sliding against sharp cut edges of the work. Mine are now both opaque from use, almost eliminating the benefit of the clear, see-through plate.
3rd…The micro-adjust wheel markings are not intuitive (to me). I seem to mostly turn the wheel in the wrong direction, raising instead of lowering, or the opposite. This is frustrating because when I use this on the job, most of my cuts are done with an initial test cut on a scrap, then a test fit, and then readjust depth by eye. If I mistakenly move the bit depth the wrong way by several thousands, it’s a pain to readjust to the starting cut depth so I can move the bit in the other direction.
4th… The provided shaft spindle lock works, but because of the narrow width of the base housing opening and the placement of the shaft detent with the lock engaged,
there isn’t enough room to swing the collet wrench the minimum 1/6 turn so it can be reset to the next flat on the collet nut. Fortunately the tool comes with two wrenches and the shaft has accessible machined flats, so the two wench method is the only one that works. I’ve considered enlarging the base opening width or grinding relief cuts on both sides of both wrench handles to increase the single wrench swing travel, but one would think that the tool designer(s) should have noticed this pre-tool release.
5th…My router came with a bad metal base casting fit to the plastic motor housing, causing excessive resistance to sliding depth adjustment…the Micro adjust wheel was unusable at both upper and lower depth ranges because of this. I didn’t have the time to take this back to the dealer, so after trying graphite, silicone & etc. dry lubes, I had to disassemble the base from the motor housing and file/sand both the plastic motor housing exterior and the interior of the silver colored (I believe magnesium) base casting until they would slide in the unlocked position. (I checked both parts for signs of molding/casting finishing problems but didn’t find any, hence my need to re-machine them on the job). Several of the above points may be due to my router being an early version (unknown how early mine was). These issues might be solved now.
6th…Comes with a soft case which fits well, but doesn’t leave room for anything but loose bit storage, which I’m loathe to do.
7th…I wish this came with an offset bit collet attachment, like the Bosch Colt, but that was the only negative I initially noticed comparing the Ridgid to the Bosch. The other brand’s versions of trim routers either hadn’t been introduced or were not readily available when I bought mine, so comparable features at little more than 1/2 the Bosch price were what sold me, and despite the above points, I still prefer the Ridgid’s bang-for-the-buck. I also wouldn’t buy a trim router kit because it came with a plunge base, as the advantage of a plunge base is most evident with heaver, higher H.P. routers. If you like the better grip provided by two handles, you could do like I did, and make an oversize base plate out of acrylic or hardboard with two knob handles of your choice for very low $.
That’s enough for now…sorry so long.
fred
The Ridgid trimmer continues to get pretty good reviews so this once again deal might be right for some users. As Stuart says – there are other choices in compact routers and trimmers from Dewalt, Porter Cable, Bosch and Makita that may be worth a look. If you are serious about laminate work – you probably also know about Betterley :
http://www.betterleytools.com/laminate_tools.htm
ktash
If you get this router, or any other Ridgid tool, make sure to register it for the lifetime warranty. I think you have a limited time to do so, though not sure of any of these details.
miss franciene
I jumped right this one for my home workshop on Wednesday morn and I come home today just two freaking days later and it’s sitting on my porch. I like the sander and the router is so cute. It fits my dainty little hand so nicely I guess some whiteside bits are now in order!!!!……
miss franciene
thanks toolguy