Anyone Recognizes this Router/trimmer?

[wau5]

I was looking to buy one of those cheap makita replicas ( the Katsu ones which are supposedely very good and are 1:1 copy of the makita ). However the model everyone is suggesting http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/101748-Ka...r-Router-Joiners-Tool-220V-710W-/282048116977 is out of stock at the moment and I found another similar router made by same Katsu and it's even cheaper, can get it for just £25 from amazon which just seems like a crazy price for this type of router.

this is the model:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/101109-Ka...056802?hash=item211a5a75e2:g:jLYAAOSwHMJYJdy0

I suspect they have just done another knock-off and was maybe wondering if anyone recognizes what it could possibly be? £25 is still a money so don't want to waste it if it's junk, but I need a router very very rarely so I'm ok with a cheap one.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

It's sort of mish-mash between the top end of a Bosch GKF600 (Colt in the USA) and the clear plastic laminate trimmer base which used to be fitted to laminate trimmers by Makita, Hitachi and Ryobi. Katsu also make quite a reasonable copy (i.e. very close knock-off) of the Makita RT0700, their model 101748. The motor from that one fits all the Makita bases and the Makita motor in turn fits all the Katsu bases (fixed base with side fence, plunge base and tilting base) - even the collets are identical and interchangeable. Those are also available on Amazon (see link above) although you are paying more for the better quality aluminium base. I went for that model because I believed that it would be much more durable. Personally, I.ve never liked those clear acrylic bases because they mark far too easily, they won't stand rough handling such as being dropped and they can also develop cracks as they get older (had that on both Hitachi and Makitas at work). BTW the follow guide bearing looks OK in the photo, but the bearing itself wobbles about a lot making it pretty useless for accurate work, however that should be curable by just fitting a decent quality screw and bearing, I think. I've not had mine long enough to make comments on useability, durability, etc but the tools seem to be naccurately machined and reasonably well made if not quite as well finished as the original Makita

Above: Makita RT0700 in fixed base (left) with Katsu trim router in plunge base (right - model 101492). The motors and bases are completely interchangeable between the two

 

[Pigeon85]

Just a bit of advise, think carefully about the collet size as I went for a router with 1/4 inch and 8mm collets and now wish I had just spent the extra for the 1/2 inch model.

Obviously depends on what work your doing with it.

 

[wau5]

Just a bit of advise, think carefully about the collet size as I went for a router with 1/4 inch and 8mm collets and now wish I had just spent the extra for the 1/2 inch model.

Obviously depends on what work your doing with it.

I had a large 1/2 erbauer router, a total beast, Think I used it for a total of 20minutes or less, because it was wayyy too large&Heavy to do anything with it. When I had to do a task that requires a router I just found a better way to do it as It was total pain to even use it.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

The 101492G I have with the plunge base is a great little router (as is the RT0700 I have at work) but you need to realise its' limitations. The collets are so small and the power so limited (at circa 700 watts) that you are going to be limited to doing stuff like rounding over edges, cutting small coves (up to say 6mm radius), running small groovers and rebate cutters, etc. You are never going to run panel raiser cutters in it or do deep mortising with it. They also tend to struggle a little on hardwoods like oak unless the cutters are dead sharp and you reduce the feed rate and/or the depth of cut (not an issue, just make 2-passes instead of 1). But they are beautifully light and easy to handle - I find the plunge base with its' two-handed grip much better than the one-handed grip fixed base which can be a bit awkward on some cuts. That said, though, the first router I ever owned was the much-lauded (in its' day) Elu MOF96 (plunge router) - and that only had 600 watts of motor power.

In reading this please realise that I'm a carpenter & joiner (mainly site-based) and so I expect a lot more out of my kit than most DIYers. Also my kit is subjected to more heavy (ab)use that the average DIYer will tend to mete out, so my comments are necessarilly somewhat biased by experience

 

[wau5]

The 101492G I have with the plunge base is a great little router (as is the RT0700 I have at work) but you need to realise its' limitations. The collets are so small and the power so limited (at circa 700 watts) that you are going to be limited to doing stuff like rounding over edges, cutting small coves (up to say 6mm radius), running small groovers and rebate cutters, etc. You are never going to run panel raiser cutters in it or do deep mortising with it. They also tend to struggle a little on hardwoods like oak unless the cutters are dead sharp and you reduce the feed rate and/or the depth of cut (not an issue, just make 2-passes instead of 1). But they are beautifully light and easy to handle - I find the plunge base with its' two-handed grip much better than the one-handed grip fixed base which can be a bit awkward on some cuts. That said, though, the first router I ever owned was the much-lauded (in its' day) Elu MOF96 (plunge router) - and that only had 600 watts of motor power.

In reading this please realise that I'm a carpenter & joiner (mainly site-based) and so I expect a lot more out of my kit than most DIYers. Also my kit is subjected to more heavy (ab)use that the average DIYer will tend to mete out, so my comments are necessarilly somewhat biased by experience

Thank you Sir
Yes I'm aware that I'm going to be facing limitations with these smaller routers,however I want to buy it only just for that - to do design ornaments on edges/round overs and maybe try and cut some small grooves/rebates when making cabinets , I tried my best to do that with the 7-8kg heavy 1/2 router I had and I was running in serious troubles doing that and just generally made a mess as It clearly was a wrong tool for the stuff I wanted to do.

btw have you got the model number right? I'm not able to find anything about the 101492G you are talking about?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

btw have you got the model number right? I'm not able to find anything about the 101492G you are talking about?

I think so, yes. The 101492 is the kit with fixed, tilting and plunge bases (I bought one a couple of months back), the 101748 is the basic trimmer with the fixed base only. The "G" suffix indicates 110 volt (for site use). Possibly not up on Amazon because they've sold out?

 

[Pigeon85]

I had a large 1/2 erbauer router, a total beast, Think I used it for a total of 20minutes or less, because it was wayyy too large&Heavy to do anything with it. When I had to do a task that requires a router I just found a better way to do it as It was total pain to even use it.

I understand what your saying and pretty much everything I do is on a router table so don't encounter that problem, just instantly lost a few mm depth because of the mounting plate.

If you find that a smaller router will be sufficient then go for it, I wouldn't mind owning a small palm router myself for just doing carving as the one I have is pretty bulky.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

That said there are an awful lot of things you can't do on a router able, though. Everything from mortising to hinge/hardware recessing can only be done with a portable plunge router. You'd also struggle putting say a fingernail moulding round the edge of a 6ft diameter dining table with the vast majority of router tables. by tying a router into a table you are reducing its' versatility IMHO - alright for running lengths of beading but that'ss about it

 

[Pigeon85]

That said there are an awful lot of things you can't do on a router able, though. Everything from mortising to hinge/hardware recessing can only be done with a portable plunge router. You'd also struggle putting say a fingernail moulding round the edge of a 6ft diameter dining table with the vast majority of router tables. by tying a router into a table you are reducing its' versatility IMHO - alright for running lengths of beading but that'ss about it

Very true, and that's pretty much what I use it for, framing and small fun projects as a hobby.

 

[endecotp]

Yes it's the Bosch GKF600 but with plastic instead of aluminium.
Screwfix had this as a special offer for £99 a few years ago; I bought one and found it very useful for rounding edges, cutting slots and similar. Very light and easy to handle.

 

[wau5]

I got the original katsu one -the one everyone has, it's just £32 shipped from their website directly now.
however Now have to order some router bits before I can test it out.
here's my quick review from playing with it a bit,

-It certainly looks like a makita unit,however If it would be an actual makita unit I would send it straight back because it certianly isn't what you would expect from makita quality
-the router itself has a nice weight to it, and the castings etc looks good, when it's not under load it's rather quiet as well.
however..
-If you have turned it to max speed once you start it, you get a bit of a shake/kickback - could easily damage some piece or much worse if you aren't careful with it, but than again it's a router and you SHOULD be careful with one.
-the accessory quality leaves a lot to be desired, one of the guides is already wonky/bent/not properly made already from factory so I will have to ask for a replacement for that part.
-the on/off switch has a bit weird design on it, so you aren't really able to turn it on/off without looking twice at it.
-the speed adjustment wheel on mine is clearly super wonky and is mis-aligned from factory (again poor or no quality control)
-It has got no power cut-off protection, again have to be careful with it in case of power-cut off.
-the dust extraction plastic feels really wobbly once its screwed down,hopefully won't give any problems.
-rather short lead
-plastic moulded parts aren't finished to high standard, so you have to peel off some of the flakes thats remaining from the process yourself.
-if you look closely the insides of it aren't really well protected from dust that might get inside in it.

These are just few things you can see right away when taking it outside of box, and I think I will be using this without any of the guides/accessories supplied as they aren't of good quality, the router itself without actually using looks rather ok and certainly worth the £28+ shipping it costs if you just want to use it very rarely, would I pay the £45 they ask for one on amazon? probably not..
I guess I will leave a follow up review on this once I get some router bits that fits this and test it out properly.

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