Official Luthiers Forum!

Owned and operated by Lance Kragenbrink
It is currently Mon Apr 27, 2026 11:18 am


All times are UTC - 5 hours


Forum rules


Be nice, no cussin and enjoy!




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 
Author Message
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 1:17 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:19 pm
Posts: 627
Location: Sugar Land, TX
First name: Ed
Last Name: Haney
City: Sugar Land (Houston)
State: Texas
Zip/Postal Code: 77479
Country: USA
Focus: Build
The December 2012 Woodworkers Journal did a review of small routers/laminate trimmers with plunge bases. They reviewed the Bosch Colt, Porter Cable, DeWalt, Makita, and Trend T4.

Having a small plunge router would be handy at times and I have been considering getting the new $99 plunge accessory for my Bosch Colt. I was not familiar with the Trend laminate trimmer but it got high marks from the reviewer, especially for price and dust collection, which my Bosch lacks (and dust is something I focus on eliminating).

I looked for reviews here on the Trend and found almost nothing. Youtube has two reviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StdKIb3LG_g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StdKIb3LG_g

The Trend T4EK variable speed router/laminate trimmer is rated at 1.1HP 6.6 peak amps which is higher than my Bosch 1.0HP 5.6 peak amps and comes with the plunge base, enclosed dust port, 3 different sized collets, adapter for standard sized template guides, edge guide and case - all for $79.95 delivered free without tax at Klingspor (use coupon code FSRMEX for free shipping) http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/td40000/

I am weary of cheap tools. I'm sure the Bosch plunge base would be stouter and have better precision (but enough to make a "do or die" difference?). The Bosch and all other major players reviewed in the magazine have no dust collection (or other extras) and cost much more (of course I could go to Festool to get dust collection for about $400 or more). So I decided to try this router at only $80 delivered to my door.

I'll see.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:28 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:15 pm
Posts: 7649
First name: Ed
Last Name: Bond
City: Nanaimo
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
If it's any good, that's some deal!


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 2:49 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2011 1:32 pm
Posts: 3470
First name: Alex
Last Name: Kleon
City: Whitby
State: Ontario
Zip/Postal Code: L1N8X2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
I just got a flyer from KMS Tools in B.C. and they have the same deal for Canucks. http://www.kmstools.com/trend-1-1-hp-pl ... -kit-10758 I ordered a few items from them last week, and they have free shipping for the holidays.

Alex

_________________
"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 3:10 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 7:50 am
Posts: 3152
Location: Canada
I have a 3hp trend in my router table and really like it. I also own dewalt, stanley, makita, rigid and mastecraft (low end local) routers and the trend is high on my like list. I own over 10 routers of various sizes.

Shane

_________________
Canada


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 4:35 pm 
Offline
Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:29 am
Posts: 3840
Location: England
I've got a couple of Trend router, including the T4e, it's the perfect bridge router between the laminate trimmer and the full size router. Like Shane I have a T5 in the router table, but use the T4 for any plunge routing I need to do on the guitar itself like cutting the slots on the headstock and the pocket for my neck extension. They do a large range of accesories for the router, as do many third party makers. If my T4 went down, I'd buy another without any hesitation.

Image

Colin

_________________
I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 5:55 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 6:22 pm
Posts: 1295
First name: Miguel
Last Name: Bernardo
Country: portugal
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
when i got my router i thought about the T4, but the reviews on the axminster site were not over-enthusiastic, so i went with the bosch GKF600 (similar to the colt ?). maybe i should´ve bought the Trend, as i´ve heard quite some times the T4 is not inferior to the Bosch - IIRC the depth adjustment is easier on the Trend.

_________________
member of the guild of professional dilettantes


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 6:15 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 2:19 pm
Posts: 627
Location: Sugar Land, TX
First name: Ed
Last Name: Haney
City: Sugar Land (Houston)
State: Texas
Zip/Postal Code: 77479
Country: USA
Focus: Build
mqbernardo wrote:
when i got my router i thought about the T4, but the reviews on the axminster site were not over-enthusiastic, so i went with the bosch GKF600 (similar to the colt ?). maybe i should´ve bought the Trend, as i´ve heard quite some times the T4 is not inferior to the Bosch - IIRC the depth adjustment is easier on the Trend.


Interesting comment about the depth adjustment, because I am hoping the adjustment on the Trend is better than the Bosch Colt. I do not like the depth adjustment on my Colt. I have to fool around with it several times to finally get it where I want it. Its a pain and Porter Cable palm is not any better. (I bought the depth adjustment tool with the Trend today hoping that it would make fine adjustments much more precise and practical.)


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sat Dec 08, 2012 10:42 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member
User avatar

Joined: Fri May 18, 2012 8:35 pm
Posts: 2661
First name: D
Last Name: S
State: TX
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Ed Haney wrote:
mqbernardo wrote:
when i got my router i thought about the T4, but the reviews on the axminster site were not over-enthusiastic, so i went with the bosch GKF600 (similar to the colt ?). maybe i should´ve bought the Trend, as i´ve heard quite some times the T4 is not inferior to the Bosch - IIRC the depth adjustment is easier on the Trend.


Interesting comment about the depth adjustment, because I am hoping the adjustment on the Trend is better than the Bosch Colt. I do not like the depth adjustment on my Colt. I have to fool around with it several times to finally get it where I want it. Its a pain and Porter Cable palm is not any better. (I bought the depth adjustment tool with the Trend today hoping that it would make fine adjustments much more precise and practical.)

Yeah, the fine adjustment on my Colt is a joke. You have to unlock the router from the base to use it, hoping the base does not move or fall off.

_________________
wah
Wah-wah-wah-wah
Wah


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 1:35 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2006 4:02 pm
Posts: 801
Location: United States
First name: Gene
Last Name: Zierdt
City: Sebastopol
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95472
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Based on the above comments, I just ordered one plus the fine depth adjustment
screw. I've also got a couple of colts and a Porter Cable, and don't like the depth
adjustments on any of them.

_________________
Gene

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason- Mark Twain


Top
 Profile  
 
PostPosted: Sun Dec 09, 2012 11:18 pm 
Offline
Contributing Member
Contributing Member

Joined: Tue Jan 03, 2006 1:47 pm
Posts: 1624
Location: United States
First name: Larry
Last Name: Hawes
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
gozierdt wrote:
Based on the above comments, I just ordered one plus the fine depth adjustment
screw. I've also got a couple of colts and a Porter Cable, and don't like the depth
adjustments on any of them.


I ordered one plus the fine depth adjustment earlier today as well. I only have a Colt and an old junkie Skil Router that MAY still work but the T4 plunge attachment looks like a very good addition and different collet sizes too.

_________________
Thank You and Best To All


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 10 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 213 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
phpBB customization services by 2by2host.com