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Aldi Router Table

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dicegeorge

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Oct 5, 2007, 7:32:30 AM10/5/07
to
is the router table worth getting,
or can i do most things with the router handheld?

I have just bought a Powercraft 1200W Router
from Aldi for £20 to use doing woodwork on my new old house.


Ive never used one before.

They are also offering a router table for £25

should i buy the router table,
what advantages would i get?

----

Router Table 24.99 GBP


In order to get the ultimate performance from your router, it
paysto have the ultimate surface to use it on. This
purpose-designed,light but sturdy table is perfect for
keeping your router extra steadyduring those more intricate
carpentry tasks.

* Die-cast aluminium
* Size: 455 * 330mm
* Extension table size:855 * 330mm
* Fits most routers (up to 155mm base plate)
* Compatible with the Power Craft 1200W Router


http://uk.aldi.com/special_buys/productnl_4010.html

----

1200W Router 19.99 GBP


With this sophisticated piece of machinery, you can make more
elaboratecuts, shaped grooves and hollows with the greatest
of ease.This powerful, professional quality tool will prove
a valuableaddition to your workshop or garage.

* Ergonomic handles
* 6mm and 8mm collets
* Template guide
* Spindle lock
* Electronic variable speed 9000-30000 rpm
* Cutting depth of 30mm
* Includes 12 router bits
* Fine depth adjustment
* Includes parallel guideRouter Table 24.99 GBP


In order to get the ultimate performance from your router, it
paysto have the ultimate surface to use it on. This
purpose-designed,light but sturdy table is perfect for
keeping your router extra steadyduring those more intricate
carpentry tasks.

* Die-cast aluminium
* Size: 455 * 330mm
* Extension table size:855 * 330mm
* Fits most routers (up to 155mm base plate)
* Compatible with the Power Craft 1200W Router


http://uk.aldi.com/special_buys/productnl_4010.html

Andy Dingley

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Oct 5, 2007, 8:27:38 AM10/5/07
to
On 5 Oct, 12:32, dicegeorge <dicegeo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> is the router table worth getting,
> or can i do most things with the router handheld?

Get or make _a_ router table, but that one's just far too small.

They're easy to make. Even fences are easy to make. Google. Even my
own site has one somewhere.

Router tables are useful for two things: When the router / router
cutter is too big to use handheld, or when the workpiece needs to be
supported well. For really big things (sinking a lock mortice into a
door) then you take a small router to the work. For fairly big
moulding cuts on long lengths small strip, then you can use the Aldi
table. In the middle though, let's suppose using a round-over cutter
on the edge of a tabletop, you need a table because the cut is big but
you also need a table a couple of feet square just to support the big
heavy chunk of timber you're chucking around.

OTOH, if it's Aldi then it will be cheap. Better that than nothing.

manat...@hotmail.com

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Oct 5, 2007, 8:40:47 AM10/5/07
to
On Oct 5, 12:32 pm, dicegeorge <dicegeo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> is the router table worth getting,
> or can i do most things with the router handheld?
>
> I have just bought a Powercraft 1200W Router
> from Aldi for £20 to use doing woodwork on my new old house.
>
> Ive never used one before.

You local library should have woodworking books, including ones on
using Routers. They will show you how to make such things as jigs for
rebating hinges into doors, how the various accessories work, etc.
Trouble is, you'll probably end up wanting to buy a proper router.

MBQ

Steve Firth

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Oct 5, 2007, 9:03:46 AM10/5/07
to
manat...@hotmail.com <manat...@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Trouble is, you'll probably end up wanting to buy a proper router.

And the compressor to drive it.

George

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Oct 5, 2007, 10:11:20 AM10/5/07
to

"dicegeorge" <diceg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1191583950.2...@r29g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...

is the router table worth getting,
or can i do most things with the router handheld?

I have just bought a Powercraft 1200W Router

from Aldi for Ł20 to use doing woodwork on my new old house.


Forget the table as their router doesn't fit it.
If you want the table take the router back and buy another cheap router from
screwfix or elswhere.


gerry

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Oct 5, 2007, 10:27:09 AM10/5/07
to
George wrote:

snip

> Forget the table as their router doesn't fit it.

Eh? The powercraft table doesn't fit the powercraft router? Are you
sure? (I quite fancied the pair for the price!)


George

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Oct 5, 2007, 10:31:47 AM10/5/07
to

"gerry" <re...@innews.please> wrote in message
news:fe5hjt$qoh$1...@menace.cc.strath.ac.uk...

Unless they have altered the dimensions of the routers base plate? then yes
I'm sure.

Anyway buy the table and buy this router which might? fit the table...
http://tinyurl.com/2of6vj


George

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Oct 5, 2007, 10:54:09 AM10/5/07
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"Andy Dingley" <din...@codesmiths.com> wrote in message
news:1191587258.9...@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com...

> On 5 Oct, 12:32, dicegeorge <dicegeo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > is the router table worth getting,
> > or can i do most things with the router handheld?
>
> Get or make _a_ router table, but that one's just far too small.
>

Its not if you were to incorperate into a TV cabinet on castors or make a
table to insert it into the table.

This table is fine for the price and can be adapted to suit the operator.

£25 is an excellant price to pay considering screwfix and other places are
selling it for £80 as a ryobi model. :-)


Andy Hall

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Oct 5, 2007, 11:13:09 AM10/5/07
to

Mmm... Shows what it's really worth. Manufacturing cost can't be
more than a tenner.....


Pete

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Oct 5, 2007, 11:14:10 AM10/5/07
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George wrote:
> "dicegeorge" <diceg...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1191583950.2...@r29g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
>
> I have just bought a Powercraft 1200W Router
> from Aldi for Ł20 to use doing woodwork on my new old house.
>
> Forget the table as their router doesn't fit it.

It does, I know :-) I would have used the router I have already (another
cheapo one) but annoyingly there's no way to lock the power on - you
have to hold the switch the whole time.

The PowerCraft one on offer at Aldi has a lock for the trigger switch,
and a separate switched socket with green and red power buttons so to
use it in the table just leave the power trigger locked on and switch
with the buttons provided.

HTH, Pete

Andy Hall

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Oct 5, 2007, 12:20:23 PM10/5/07
to

It shouldn't have.

While this is convenient and obvious for a router table, routers that
can be hand held are no longer supposed to be sold with a switch lock.

Lobster

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Oct 5, 2007, 2:00:24 PM10/5/07
to
George wrote:
> "gerry" <re...@innews.please> wrote in message
> news:fe5hjt$qoh$1...@menace.cc.strath.ac.uk...
>> George wrote:
>>
>> snip
>>
>>> Forget the table as their router doesn't fit it.
>> Eh? The powercraft table doesn't fit the powercraft router? Are you
>> sure? (I quite fancied the pair for the price!)
>>
>>
>
> Unless they have altered the dimensions of the routers base plate? then yes
> I'm sure.
>

If you google this newsgroup for the last time Aldi sold their router
and table combo (a year or so back?), you'll find lots of other
incredulous posts about this.

TBH it was so bizarre I can't believe they weren't inundated with
complaints, so I'd be quite surprised if it hasn't been sorted.

David

Owain

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Oct 5, 2007, 1:47:37 PM10/5/07
to
Steve Firth wrote:
> manat...@hotmail.com wrote:
>>Trouble is, you'll probably end up wanting to buy a proper router.
> And the compressor to drive it.

And lots of wood to carve with it.

Which will need a new shed to keep it all in.

Owain

Owain

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Oct 5, 2007, 1:46:57 PM10/5/07
to
Andy Hall wrote:

> "George" said:
>> £25 is an excellant price to pay considering screwfix and other places
>> are selling it for £80 as a ryobi model. :-)
> Mmm... Shows what it's really worth. Manufacturing cost can't be more
> than a tenner.....

And shows why people shop at places like Aldi...

Owain

Andy Hall

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Oct 5, 2007, 3:58:47 PM10/5/07
to
On 2007-10-05 18:46:57 +0100, Owain <owain...@stirlingcity.coo.uk> said:

> Andy Hall wrote:
>> "George" said:

>>> Ł25 is an excellant price to pay considering screwfix and other places
>>> are selling it for Ł80 as a ryobi model. :-)


>> Mmm... Shows what it's really worth. Manufacturing cost can't be
>> more than a tenner.....
>
> And shows why people shop at places like Aldi...
>
> Owain

yeeessss.......


Skipweasel

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Oct 5, 2007, 6:09:37 PM10/5/07
to
In article <4706...@nt1.hall.gl>, an...@hall.nospam says...

> While this is convenient and obvious for a router table, routers that
> can be hand held are no longer supposed to be sold with a switch lock.
>
Which is a right royal pain in the arse if you're trying to use it in a
table.

--
Skipweasel.
Never knowingly understood.

Lobster

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Oct 5, 2007, 6:47:11 PM10/5/07
to
Skipweasel wrote:
> In article <4706...@nt1.hall.gl>, an...@hall.nospam says...
>> While this is convenient and obvious for a router table, routers that
>> can be hand held are no longer supposed to be sold with a switch lock.
>>
> Which is a right royal pain in the arse if you're trying to use it in a
> table.
>

Many years ago I had a Black and Decker circular saw, which could be
attached to a saw-table adapter thing on the side of a Workmate,
converting it into a sort-of table saw...

Anyway - the kit came with a red plastic stick thingy with a sprung
C-shaped grip at one end, which you clipped around the handle/switch of
the upside-down saw, which switched it on. The handle of the stick
protruded beyond the table, where it could easily be knocked with a hand
as and when required, killing the motor. Sounds very Heath Robinson
to write it down, but it actually worked extremely well, both in keeping
the saw switched on reliably, and being very easy to switch off.

Expect it would be against all the regs these days though...

David

Steve

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Oct 6, 2007, 12:10:33 PM10/6/07
to
On Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:00:24 GMT, Lobster wrote:

> George wrote:
>> [15 quoted lines suppressed]


>
> If you google this newsgroup for the last time Aldi sold their router
> and table combo (a year or so back?), you'll find lots of other
> incredulous posts about this.
>
> TBH it was so bizarre I can't believe they weren't inundated with
> complaints, so I'd be quite surprised if it hasn't been sorted.

It was the time before the last one that didn't fit, I picked up a router
and table last time which fitted, but was held in place so loosly that I
took the table back.

Steve

Andy Dingley

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Oct 8, 2007, 7:18:53 AM10/8/07
to
On 5 Oct, 17:20, Andy Hall <an...@hall.nospam> wrote:

> While this is convenient and obvious for a router table, routers that
> can be hand held are no longer supposed to be sold with a switch lock.

Has anyone got a link to the official spec for this?

AFAIR, there's a "get out" clause on this which permits switch locks,
provided that they're not accessible when table mounted. The idea is
that a "locked on" router can be installed in the table (power off,
obviously), then controlled by an external switch on the table. The
idea of taking this router (and its evil locking switch) out and then
using it handheld (clearly a guaranteed cause of Instant Death) is a
matter for the user, not for the supply of equipment regs. It's the
same loophole that allows heavy dado sets to still be sold.

Andy Hall

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Oct 8, 2007, 7:38:14 AM10/8/07
to
On 2007-10-08 12:18:53 +0100, Andy Dingley <din...@codesmiths.com> said:

> On 5 Oct, 17:20, Andy Hall <an...@hall.nospam> wrote:
>
>> While this is convenient and obvious for a router table, routers that
>> can be hand held are no longer supposed to be sold with a switch lock.
>
> Has anyone got a link to the official spec for this?

It's one of the Machinery Directive things, but I can't find the link
at the moment.

>
> AFAIR, there's a "get out" clause on this which permits switch locks,
> provided that they're not accessible when table mounted. The idea is
> that a "locked on" router can be installed in the table (power off,
> obviously), then controlled by an external switch on the table. The
> idea of taking this router (and its evil locking switch) out and then
> using it handheld (clearly a guaranteed cause of Instant Death) is a
> matter for the user, not for the supply of equipment regs. It's the
> same loophole that allows heavy dado sets to still be sold.

My understanding was that lock on is no longer permitted on hand held
routers and that since most can be used for either, manufacturers go
for the line of least product liability.


james....@ntlworld.com

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Oct 9, 2007, 12:34:30 PM10/9/07
to
On Oct 5, 3:11 pm, "George" <nowh...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote:
> "dicegeorge" <dicegeo...@gmail.com> wrote in message

>
> news:1191583950.2...@r29g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
> is the router table worth getting,
> or can i do most things with the router handheld?
>
> I have just bought a Powercraft 1200W Router
> from Aldi for £20 to use doing woodwork on my new old house.

>
> Forget the table as their router doesn't fit it.
> If you want the table take the router back and buy another cheap router from
> screwfix or elswhere.

Just A little Note,

I just purchased a router and table from Aldi today.

They both fit together perfectly, there is also a locking switch on
the Router and a seperate switch on the Table.
They are both brilliant value for money,

If I was to criticise anything, it would be the dumb instruction
manual, but anybody with half a brain can assemble it anyway.
Hope this is of some help!


terry isherwood

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Dec 8, 2007, 11:00:04 AM12/8/07
to
Got one today, excellent value, fitted my el cheepo Performance Power 1020
router OK. Might be a clone as there are lots of similar looking routers
with different names. Just got to make a clamp to hold the switch on but if
you can work out how to assemble this that should be no bother.

url:http://myreader.co.uk/msg/1391113569.aspx

George

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Dec 8, 2007, 11:38:53 AM12/8/07
to

"terry isherwood" <m...@me.com> wrote in message
news:9056839c5ef14889...@newspe.com...

Now all you have to do is get some 3/4 thick ply or kitchen worktop and make
the surface working area larger as the table on its own is to small for
larger/longer material....
http://www.20xx20.myby.co.uk/34.jpg


John

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Dec 9, 2007, 6:19:06 PM12/9/07
to

"George" <now...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote in message
news:xMz6j.59850$c_1....@text.news.blueyonder.co.uk...

> Now all you have to do is get some 3/4 thick ply or kitchen worktop and
> make
> the surface working area larger as the table on its own is to small for
> larger/longer material....
> http://www.20xx20.myby.co.uk/34.jpg


Now all YOU have to do is sort out your wallpaper!

HTH

John


George

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Dec 9, 2007, 6:38:02 PM12/9/07
to

"John" <jo...@idontlikespam.co.uk> wrote in message
news:j9mdnUvs0cg46sHa...@bt.com...

Now all YOU have to do is visit SPECSAVERS.


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