Official Luthiers Forum!

It seems everyone here sings the praises of the Bosh Colt. I have had a different experience so far. 1) Base not flat. (Not a big deal and pretty much par for the course. Almost every router I have owned has needed the aluminum base flattened and the plastic base after that.)
2) Collet is very tight. I can barely get a bit in it or out of it. It is easier get one out. It will be perfect after about 10 years use.
3) Bit is not 90° to base. It is not bad one direction but in the direction of the lock down it is way off. I mean at least a fat 32" over 1 3/4" inches.
And it isn't repeatable. One time depending on if you are raising or lowering the tool it will be close but still off more than I would except and the next time you lock it down it is way off.
4) I am concerned about the little nub on the casting that engages the threads of the height adjustment lever. On the first one I looked at in the store it was rounded off and the mechanism didn't work. The guy sent that one back to Bosh. That looks like a vulnerable part of the tool.
I am not impressed with the tool. It is nothing special IMO. I had a older Bosh trimmer that stacks up the same. Great motor, tight with little to no run out and a lousy base and adjustment. I wish they would put more into a really good base.
Has anyone checked theirs with a precision rod chucked up for bit perpendicularlity. Can you by tweaking the base and then locking the lever get it to lock down out of square. I may have gotten a lemon but the design of the base just doesn't seem too precise and a router should be a fairly precise tool. This model seems to be the industry standard right now but it is no better than the Bosh I have owned for over 25 years. I was hoping for more.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Holy cow, I just looked at Festool and their little trimmer will set you back over $500. It has all the bells and whistles. I don't want bells and whistles I want accuracy. I would love to have one but not at $500. I looked at Metabo but they don't make one. I like the Bosh but not the base. Just like my last one.
Out of options.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Everything festool sells is amaizingly expensive. Their the new Fein.

Link, maybe these guys can square things for you.

http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/bosch_colt_collets_nuts.asp

_________________
Aoibeann

Gotta agree with you on that Link. The base and height adjustment are pretty weak. The one I got does not fall into the quality tool category. Fortunately I didn't pay much for mine. I much prefer the Porter Cable I have. Very solid and simple.

Good Luck,
Danny

I had a bad experience with one too but it was the bearings. They went out at about 13 months (12 month warranty). I also had one of their 3hp variable speed routers that I was never fond of.

The adjustment on the Porter Cable trimmer isn't anything to write home about but it works and I had one that lasted more than 15 years. Only reason I replaced it was because I dropped it on a concrete floor and it broke the housing. After the bearings went out on the Bosch, I went back to the PC.

_________________
http://www.chassonguitars.com

See if you can dig up a PC310 somewhere and you'll be happy as a clam.
Terry

_________________
It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I'll second what Terence said....the PC310 is the shizzle....

_________________
There is no difference between the man that thinks he can....and the man that thinks he cannot.

I have a couple colts. they are fine, but I have them set up for one process, and never change it. I also have 6 or so Makita 3707FC and I love them. They are my binding routers. Of course I have them set up for one operation as well. I have 2 PC310's and they are a solid tool as well, but I don't like them as much as the Makitas....don't know why really. They feel more solid, but I just gel with the Makitas well.

I have 5-6 Bosch Magnesium 3hp routers that are awesome too. One broke though....but that was my fault. I'm too ashamed to get into that.

I have a couple older milwakuee routers too. They are powerful, but way louder than the Bosch's. In general I'm a tool slut. My favorite Lam trimmers are the Makita 3707FC.

_________________
John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

John,
I have the Bosh Magnesium as well. Two of them. I really like them, quite, smooth, and pretty decent adjustments. I will have to check out the Makita.
Thanks,
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

As you probably all know already, sadly, the PC310 is not being made any more. I grabbed a couple of new ones the other day. I agree, the Bosch Colt base isn't flat, the motor shaft/bit isn't perpendicular to the base, and the height adjustment is awfully fiddly. I'm ditching mine from on my binding routing jig. I'll probably relegate it to general edge trimming of plywood. I'm going to dedicate one of my new PC310's on my binding routing jig and have the other dedicated to my compound radius fretboard routing jig.

Dave F.

_________________
Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"

Though it has not seen a great deal of use yet, and I am really another 310 fan, I bought the little round Ridgid Lam Trimmer. It went on a StewMac True Channel, but I messed around with it quite a bit first. Of course, I was at HD, and I looked at the Colt and the others. I do have two 7310 PC's. I guess for many things, they march behind the 310 and have been uncomplicated and no nasty surprises.

Now that I am trying to build electrics and sell them, maybe a back-up 310 is a good idea. It seems so rock solid I haven't been able to go ahead and buy one. Kind of like having a back up Estwing claw-hammer.

Update.
I took it back to where I bought it. There were a few dead ones in the back. I have a good relationship with the store and they swaped out my collett. I also got a base from another one that was being sent back as well. The new base is off as well but it seems to repeat the error. As long as it is consistent in it's error I think I will be able to lap the base and true it up to the bit.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

I just did my first lutherie thing with my colt, cut a rossette channel and the sound hole , works fine for me , the settings leave a bit to be desired but a little care goes a long way. for the price ,it works for me . .. Jody

I like my colt.It's set up for rosettes only and does a fine job.

I have 7 of the PC 7310s and wil get more when I can afford them ... the bases interchange with no issues, and they run true. I keep one of each bit size in them, and then interchange motors into bases/jigs when required.

yes, the bit height adjuster is not the best, but it works .. and thats where the SM action gauge is great. I use it more for setting router height than action.

_________________
Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

I find that all of these have problems. I have a mess of the colts and a PC 310. Power aside, the 310 isn't any more reliable in adjustment than anything else. I've had problems with the collar not seating properly and or jamming and hiding some lash in the system. What I absolutely hate about the PC's is that their collet requires bashing the * out the shaft to get it to release. The Bosch have a self-releasing collet. I have noticed the problem of flatness on the colts, but I haven't had any of the 7310's Tony uses to compare. I think there is a weakness in all of these designs that precludes the kind of repeatability to the tolerances that we all want. The height adjustment at the back is essentially a hinge point that creates a weak spot for keeping the system square to the bit. Over the years I've learned to accept the limitations of these systems and have one tool for each operation and leave it there, or in the alternative, make sure I do a test cut on scrap to be sure everything is where I want. And then, folks, we're cutting wood and compression and flatness will change the cut so that too is part of this equation.

I called up Ridgid asking about the warranty on my R2400. I am in the 3 yr warranty period, but they extended it to a lifetime warranty as a courtesy. They put me in touch with the local service guy who said my repair will be covered. Try to get that from any other make! Guess I'll seriously consider other Ridgid tools in the future.

_________________
A higher purpose for wood.
Rich Smith
Issaquah, WA

When I posted here the consencous was that between the bosch and the makita the bosch was the better buy being more robust and versitile hope I haven't made the wrong purchase not used mine in anger yet

_________________
Formerly JJH

I learn more from my mistakes than my successes

I checked the run out on my Colt and it was almost 6 thou. right at the collet. I then checked the run out on my 25 year old Bosch trim router. The bearings in this machine are talking to me. The run out..... .001. Go figure.
The .006 was the last straw. I called Bosch and they are giving me my money back. I thought that was quite fair.
My shop mate has a Rigid and I check it out and it was pretty good. Base was not flat ,(so what else is new) but that is easily fixed. The nice thing about the Rigid is the rails that come with it. It looks to be a simple matter to make a circle jig working off of the rails.
Link

_________________
Cut to size.....Beat to fit.....Paint to match.

Has anyone tried the new Dewalt laminate router? It cost less than the Bosch and looks good to me.I'm thinking on getting one.

Anyone have any experience with the Freud FT750T that's on sale at Rockler for $59? Claims 1HP.

_________________
http://www.birkonium.com CNC Products for Luthiers
http://banduramaker.blogspot.com

Hi Folks,

I was not happy with the Bosch Colt I purchased. It kept slipping out of position
on me no matter how tight I clamped it. I returned it to the store and bought a
ridgid unit and have been very please with its performance and additional features
over the colt.

My two cents....

Luc

I have five Bosch Colts and haven't had a real problem with any of them. The only issue I have had is the shaft lock used for changing bits doesn't hold on one of them, so I have to use two wrenches like I do with most routers. That isn't a big issue for me because I have them set up for dedicated tasks, so once set up, don't need to change them anyway. I do have one of the PC 310 trimmers with a lot of usage on it, but don't really view it as being any better than the Colts. I also have one of the lower-end PC trimmers (don't remember the model) but don't like that much because of the way the base adjusts.

I have two Bosch Colts and a Ridgid. They all work fine. Each brand has its high and low points. They could be improved to be everything I would like them to be but then I couldn't afford them.

_________________
Steve Smith
"Music is what feelings sound like"