Harbor freight router input needed...

[lunagardens]

As with any homestead, attention to the actual house is needed. We have a brick facing home exterior with wood framing around the windows. My weekend plan to paint them has come to a halt. As I scraped away old paint and came to the windows not under the porch awning, I discovered the
window trim accenting is rotten. So Now my weekend will be putting up new wood trimming before the paint job. I did some research on adding a bit more flair to the trim and have decided to buy a router for more curbside flair- which it needs badly for this old house.
This is the router I am looking at to purchase for the job:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43585
and this is the router with table:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=95380
Or would this one work for the job to get done?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44914
I do not have the extra cash to buy a bigger name brand and if it works for the job at hand then I am happy. It would cost more to rent one from the hardware store since I would need it for almost a week.
Any one have experience or knowledge to share on this router?
I would like to add the plunge lines to the trimming and MAYBE add a curve top detail above the bay window. Would this get the job done?
Take in mind I am a woman who knows her way around tools but this is a new one for me.
Should I go with a different size? What about bits?
Thank you for sharing your advice. If there is a router out there in the same price range, please do share!

[Windy in Kansas]

I've not seen the router at one of their stores nor otherwise been around it.

Just a thought---are there any pawn shops where you live that might have name brand units at a decent price? If so this would be one time I'd be inclined to shy away from Harbor Freight.

Is there a radio call in show where people can tell their wants and their items for sale. There are no doubt a lot of routers just collecting dust and in tough times they might be had cheaply.

Sorry to be so negative but in general I've found foreign made electric motors have neither the proper horsepower nor longevity that they should, based on opinion.

[plowjockey]

I looked them at the HF retail store. The plunge mechanism seemed very stiff and the plunge stop setting, which is crucial to a good routing job, would barely stay in place.

Ended up getting a decent B&D from Lowes for about $90.

Craigslist has many nice routers, some with tables for $10-60. If they were not used commercially, it's hard to believe that they are worn out. Probably most are like new.

[Harry Chickpea]

I have the first one you listed. It works for me, but some major caveats -
Get some lock-tite for the threaded parts. It likes to throw parts, which can be WAY kewl when the plunge part comes loose and it flings parts around. :thumbsup:

A router of this size and power is great for edging formica, but most of the time if you are making or using millwork you want it in a table. The table shown is much too small to be useful on its own, and would need to be built into a larger table. Not a hard job, but somewhat of a project.

Whatever you do, don't lose the flat wrenches that come with it. You can't change the bits without them.

Overall, it is decent for light use. If you were working with one every day, then you would want to upgrade. I bought mine to replace my old Black and Decker which has a transient problem in the switch that can't be fixed. When I get a roundtuit I'll hack that one into something else.

[lunagardens]

THANK YOU so much for all the advice. I am the "wood worker" in the family and do all the carpentry needs here. I have been so desiring a router for awhile now and never thought to look at pawn shops or on craigslist. I feel rather duh now.LOL
I think I will shy away from the harbor freight one. Hopefully I can get one from the places above. I do not want to have a bad experieince with a router being that it would be my first.
Thanks again!

[Gary in ohio]

HF power tools (and most stuff for that matter) are chineese/india low cost products. The look is ok, but the quality is medium to poor. HF does have a good return polcy so if it breaks in a few days they will take it back. HF tools are great if you need it for a one time, seldom use tool. Figure it will not last a long time and if its cheap enough for that one time use then get it. I personally would just go to lowes and speed a few dollars more and get a name brand product. The HF 2 1/2hp plunge no name router is $90, Lowes has a SKill 2 1/2hp router for $100. While skill is far from top of the line, its a name brand and if it does break will be supported for some time to come. Forget trying to get parts for an HF product after the next model comes out.