Official Luthiers Forum!

I need to get myself one, and I'm afraid there's too much choice!

I've found a Porter cable 7301 second hand, but it has no base. Are the bases available easily, and how much will one set be back?
I've also found a Festool second hand, which looks like a great tool, but it's only 450w - an issue do you think?
Now for the new ones... It seems to be a toss up between a Dewalt DW631k. This one comes with a bearing guide, which seems to be a good thing!
And a Bosch GKF600. A nice simple tool, and available locally to me.

Does anyone have experience with these trimmers? If you were me, with a pocket full of cash (I wish! ), which would you go for?

Cheers

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-Festool-OFK-500-Q-Plus-Tr immer-19829.htm

That's the one I'm looking at. They do do a more expensive "700" version though.

I love, love, love my PC 310. Just for the record. I'd grab another in a heartbeat, although I also do like my bosch tools.

I don't do enough proudction work to think the Festool is worth the upcharge, and the 310 is an absolute workhorse. Just wish I had 4 or 5 (like Sylvan does, if it's not more than that). That, and a second PC690 (or bigger) are still on my shopping list.

I've got a strange feeling I can get the Festool cheap though... It's just wether it's actually better than the competition! Only 450w..

Frankly, I think 450 watts is plenty for everything we do an acoustic guitars; my parents have a cheap 500 watt green Bosch lam trim/router thing, and it works just fine, plenty of power.

The Bosch Colt appears to actually be a 120v version of a GKF600 with the soft start and speed control facilities added. The UK version doesn't have em...

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] Of the two PC 310s that I own the only thing that annoys me is the easy-release collet. Mine, both of them, always hang up and need to be "tonked" with a hammer.....[/QUOTE]

Seems like I read something on a simple fix for this issue in one of my shop magazines a while back. I will look tonight to see if I can fine the article

Jammy I use and like the DeWalt DW670 trimmer, I bought mine through Maxtool over here on line, but it is a US one, 110V, and was much cheaper than buying the same tool in the UK. All my hand power tools are 110V and run off a site transformer.



It does everything I want, and I especially like the solid construction, and of course the bearing guide.

Colin

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

Colin I like mine as well. Plenty of power. The only thing I don't like about it is the aluminum sleve and base gets hotter than a pistol while in operation. Does yours?

The dewalt does indeed look temping, just because of that bearing guide! I think one's available for the bosch too though...
Can you tell I just want to go and buy one cause they've got em in stock down the road. G.A.S!LanceK39384.4947916667

[QUOTE=MichaelP] Colin I like mine as well. Plenty of power. The only thing I don't like about it is the aluminum sleve and base gets hotter than a pistol while in operation. Does yours?[/QUOTE]

No, mine gets a bit warm but not too bad. I guess you've got a tight bearing, possibly no bad thing. Mine does only run in short bursts though.

Colin

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

 not sure if it means much

 on the bosch outlet store online they sell a colt reconditioned variable speed lam trim for 84.95

 if it will work for u

 im in the market to lol

       chewy

[QUOTE=Colin S] [QUOTE=MichaelP] Colin I like mine as well. Plenty of power. The only thing I don't like about it is the aluminum sleve and base gets hotter than a pistol while in operation. Does yours?[/QUOTE]

No, mine gets a bit warm but not too bad. I guess you've got a tight bearing, possibly no bad thing. Mine does only run in short bursts though.

Colin[/QUOTE]

EDIT:!!!

Should have read: "I only run mine in short bursts" the trimmer runs faultlessly!

Colin

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

Guess who's just back from the shops



?115, came with the bearing guide, but I feel the bearing could do with replacement, as it's got a bit of play in it.
Jammy is a happy man! Best thing is, my dad offered to pay for it for my christmas present - nice bloke!

Now - a downspiral bit

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] Of the two PC 310s that I own the only thing that annoys me is the easy-release collet. Mine, both of them, always hang up and need to be "tonked" with a hammer.....[/QUOTE]

Sometimes when putting in the bit, bottoming it out will cause that problem.

But you probably knew that.

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now known around here as Pat Foster
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http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Was it here that I read you can put a small "o" ring or a ball of something that snugly fits the diameter in the bottom of the collet to stop that from happening?  I think it was.

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Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

I have the DeWalt and hardly ever use it since getting a Porter 7310. The base adjusts in height much more easily on the Porter.

And the 310 is in a class by itself.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I have a PC 7310 that I use for general purpose routing of the light variety and about 5 of the $89 Ryobi trimmers that are setup and left alone for various jobs such as cutting binding channels, routing slotheads and trimming purfling/bindings after they are installed. They are probably not the most robust trimmer in the word but I have had them for several years and not a single problem.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I've found DeWalt products to be in general total cr@p in the long run...I'm a professional trim carpenter and swear by my 2 PC routers, and curse those few DW tools I have....well, the orbital sander is nice for what it costs, though I've already had to replace 3 pads...I'm still using the same PC laminate trimmer I bought over 10 years ago and its still running strong...I've used for everything from 1/8" roundovers to ogee bits, and am even brave enough (barely) to put a 1/4" spiral bit in it to cut MDF arches (OK, I'm 'smart' enough to make 2 passes)

The PC 310 is a great trimmer; sturdy, low center of gravity, good height control. I have a pair of Bosh 1300W plunge routers, one lives in the router table the other is for carpentry and jigs. I have a couple of Hitachi lam trimmers that I use for guitar making, but they are now single purpose tools, their adjustments are not as nice as the PC.

I took the advice from Colin and got a large 'site transformer' from the UK. Because of their high RPMs, routers and laminate trimmers have universal motors and will typically run on any currency between 25 - 60 Hz, which means US (60Hz) models can be used in European (50Hz) countries without problems; the voltage has to be transformed from 110 to 230 of course. With the favorable exchange rates (for us, anyways) these days, buying these things from the US makes a lot of sense...

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

I have a Bosch Colt and I'm happy with it.  I picked it up at CPO Bosch on the web (reconditioned).  Plenty of power and the variable speed control works well.

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Jim Howell
Charlotte, NC