Any thoughts on SIP Router?

[Nicholaspaul]

I'm looking for a router for home use. I build guitar although not professionally. I'd like to spend under £100 and found this SIP 01478 at Toolstation.

http://www.toolstation.com/m/part.html?p=47165

Does anyone have experience with this router or brand?

[darrenba]

I reckon that this would be a better buy for occasional use

http://www.screwfix.com/p/bosch-pof-120 ... 240v/32549

[Nicholaspaul]

Thanks Darren. I've been looking at those too. I used to have a Mastercraft (Canadian brand) router that was 1/4" and I remember needing to upgrade to a 1/2". I think it was to do with having problems with steps when I routed at varying levels.
What do you think of MAC (B&Q brand)? I think there are some posts already on those....

[Job and Knock]

If you are interested in the SIP, take a look at the Silverline or Silver Storm or whatever it's called this week - looks almost identical, just a LOT cheaper. TBH I just don't trust any of these cheap Chinese brands - once they are out of warranty you are on your own, i.e. no backup, no spares (even B&Q/Screwfix). At least with Bosch you have some backup in terms of spares and repairs for the future and judging from the fact that working examples of 1980s Basch plunge routers keep turning up on local car booters, flea markets, etc they weren't all that bad, at least not back then. You can't get many spares for them, but they are still working even after 30 years in a damp garden shed

[Nicholaspaul]

Good to know, J&K. So you really think the Silverlines are worth getting? I won't be using it for hours on end, week after week, but something that will hold up would be nice.

And what of the Mac Allister brand? It may be a toss up between the Mac Allister and JCB

[Job and Knock]

So you really think the Silverlines are worth getting? I won't be using it for hours on end, week after week, but something that will hold up would be nice.

Nope. I don't trust any of the Chinese brands. At least with Bosch, B&D, etc you get some support, although you end up paying more or getting a lower spec at the price. To put it all in perspective I use two DW625 2000 watt 1/2in routers for "production" work and they will run for up to 3 or 4 hours a day on some jobs. Those cost around £270 these days, but I can expect to get 10+ years of medium trade work out of them. My oldest Elu, an earlier version of the DW625, has done more than 25 years, albeit with several sets of brushes, bearings, collets and sub-base plates. I can still get quit a lot of the components for it (at least all the ones that matter). A 3-year old Macalastair, JCB or whatever will be a boat anchor when it dies with little or no chance of a repair unless you are lucky. Stark choice, but there it is

[merlin50]

I had a few SIP tools they all packed up just after a year

[Nicholaspaul]

I think I'll be watching eBay for a while. I just lost out on a Freud that looked hardly used.
Thanks for your insights.

[big-all]

ryobi are quite a good brand at a fair price for the diy market with full spares and service back up

[Job and Knock]

I think I'll be watching eBay for a while. I just lost out on a Freud that looked hardly used.

You'll probably think that I'm being picky, but......... Freud routers were most definitely made down to a price. This wasn't so bad in the days when they were imported (from Spain - they were actually mamufactured by sister company Casals) and spare parts could be had, but in 2007 or so they, together with Italian competitor Felisatti (who used to make the Trend T9), were bought out by Russian firm Interskol. Following the takeover most production in Europe was diverted to the Russian Republic (and the USA) and we lost our importer here (Freud UK in Leeds - now part of Bosch). Some production has been transferred to Russia and I'm told that Felisatti did shut completely for a while. Either way with no official importer in the UK for 4 or so years now spare parts for Casals/Freud routers are now very difficult to come by. Draper did import a few batches 3 or 4 years back, but don't hold spares for them. This is significant because the FT2000 had a rather weak speed controller and if it goes pop you've more or less had it unless you can find a suitable donor machine to strip.

In other words, I'd steer clear of second hand Freuds until we get an importer once more - even then I'd only be keen if they could significantly undercut the Hitachi M12VE