Power
The total power of the router, more precisely, the engine installed in it. The
higher this indicator, the more productive the device is, the better it copes with complex work, the more force on the cutter (torque) it provides during operation, and the greater the spindle speed can be (although a powerful tool is not necessarily high-speed). On the other hand, high power significantly affects the dimensions, weight and price of the tool, plus power consumption and network load increase accordingly. In addition, high torque in some cases (for example, with delicate processing) is frankly undesirable. Therefore, a tool should be chosen according to this parameter, taking into account the real needs and the specifics of the planned work.
There are three main categories of milling cutters in terms of power: light (up to 700 W), designed mainly for simple household work; medium (up to 1500 W), able to cope not only with domestic, but also with most professional tasks; and heavy (1500 W or more), used in cases where high power is critical. However, this gradation is true only for routers (see "Type"), other varieties have their own specifics: for example, lamellar models, in principle, do not need high power.
Max. speed
The highest spindle speed provided by the router motor. Measured in revolutions per minute. For models that do not have speed control (see "Functions"), this paragraph indicates the standard number of revolutions.
For different work, the optimal speed of rotation of the spindle (and, accordingly, the cutter) will also be different. For example, hard materials like stone require fast rotation, but wood does not; some types of nozzles work better at high speeds, others at low speeds, etc. Detailed recommendations for each specific case can be found in special sources. When choosing, it is worth paying attention not so much to the maximum rotation speed as to the general range of speeds - how much it corresponds to the planned tasks. We only note that in models with a large allowable cutter diameter (see below), the maximum rotation speed can be relatively low - the working edge of a large cutter moves quickly even at low speeds, and for effective acceleration of such a nozzle, too much power would be needed.
Stroke
The distance by which the height of the cutter can change relative to the support platform of the router, in other words, to what depth the working nozzle can be lowered relative to the upper position. This parameter is used for vertical and edge models (see "Type"); however, edge routers with height adjustment are very rare. In fact, the amount of travel not only describes the maximum working depth provided by the tool, but also indicates the presence of depth adjustment; for models without such adjustment, this parameter is not indicated at all.
As for specific numbers, for simple household work, a stroke of 25–30 mm is considered quite sufficient, and in a more serious tool, values of 70–80 mm can be found.
In box
Additional equipment included in the delivery of the router in addition to the device itself.
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Fresa. Working nozzles — milling cutters — can be included in the delivery set of milling cutters, this eliminates the need to purchase such nozzles separately. On the other hand, before buying a tool with this feature, you should make sure that the complete cutters correspond to the features of the planned work — otherwise you may overpay for unnecessary nozzles. Usually, there are several cutters in the set.
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Dust collector. A special container for collecting dust, sawdust and other debris generated during the operation of the router. Most often it is made in the form of a soft bag, and a special pipe is used to connect to the tool (a vacuum cleaner can also be connected through the same pipe). Note that the overwhelming majority of modern milling cutters are equipped with nozzles for dust collectors, but the bags in the kit are relatively rare. Usually, a dust bag can be purchased separately, but for some users it is preferable to immediately buy a tool with a bag.
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Copy base. The copy base is the base (sole) of the router (see "Type"), specially designed to work with copy sleeves. The copy sleeve is a ring fixed on the tool body, into which the cutter is threaded. When working with such a sleeve, the operator rests the outer edge of the ring agai
...nst the template and moves the tool in such a way that the base is constantly pressed against the template. Thus, the distance between the cutter and the template remains unchanged, and the working nozzle repeats the shape of the template; this is indispensable for precise work, especially with lines of complex shape. Many routers allow you to install a copy sleeve on a regular sole, however, there are models in which you need to install a special copy base for this. Such a base has certain differences from the standard one, due to the specifics of the work — in particular, it usually does not have depth adjustment, because. the presence of an adjustment mechanism can adversely affect the accuracy of work.
— Protective limiter. The protective limiter is a small ring that covers the working nozzle. This ring, as the name suggests, provides additional protection for the operator from dust, chips and other debris generated during operation. In addition, it prevents foreign objects (primarily fingers) from getting under the cutter and increases the efficiency of collecting debris in a vacuum cleaner or dust collector (see above). And so that the operator can control the process of work at the same time, the protective limiter is usually made transparent.
— Guide rail. A device designed primarily to ensure that the router during operation can move parallel to the edge of the material being processed. The rail rests against this edge during operation, and the tool itself extends a certain distance from it on special guides. Thus, it is possible to cut recesses parallel to the edge of the workpiece. The distance from the rail to the cutter can be adjusted, some models even provide special scales on the rail itself.
— Case / bag. This category includes all devices designed for storing and transporting tools; at the same time, hard containers in the form of characteristic suitcases are usually called cases, while bags, on the contrary, are made of soft materials. Anyway, the case / bag simplifies storage and carrying: firstly, due to the fact that such devices themselves are more convenient for long-term carrying than a tool; secondly, due to the fact that the router, the power cord, and all additional accessories can be folded into one place, reducing the risk of losing any of it.
