PSA: Cheap router and table at ALDI

4114Effects

Just a heads up guys - just picked up a router and table along with a set of 10 bits at Aldi, all for under £75!

You can read the specs here: https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thur-11-june/product-detail/ps/p/1250w-router-1/

It all seems to be decent enough quality - it's only a 1/4" router - but I've just attached it to the table and used it to square off some wood and cut a few rebates for a small amp head. I think it'll be just fine for what I need - the odd bit of moulding and a pickup rout or two. The set of bits seems nice and sharp too - no tearing or chipping of my test pieces. For that price you could just leave it attached to the table and buy another for hand routing!

Thought it might be of interest for anyone looking to get a first router for the odd job. I probably wouldn't trust it if it was a day to day bread and butter tool for my job though. 

4114Effects

Oh and they have a set of 4 sash clamps (2 long, 2 short) for £4.99 - picked up a few of those too!

Deijavoo

This could be useful alongside the Bailey course. Cheers dude.

digitalscream

Goddammit. Want, but no money

ThePrettyDamned

Bloody hell great heads up and I'd be all over it but my car has gone... And it's the cam belt

If that hadn't happened, I'd have the Bailey guitar course online (thanks @ttony for the heads up on that!) and a router table and router AND my new scratchplate.

Bleh.

joeyowen

I've got these from last time they were on sale. Really good (although as previously said, not if it's your day job I don't think)

They've been on sale before, so probs will be again at some point so don't worry too much

ecc83

We have a couple of RockBottom stores in Northampton and I have bought a lot of tools from them over the years.

"Blackspur" and Draper seem to be common brands and they are good enough for occasional use but, as said, not for everyday "pros".

But the hacksaw blades are brittle, dangerous shit!

Dave.

Sarge

Draper make some decent tools to be fair, my carpet stretcher (my day job) is still going strong after about 5 years, 5 days a week hammering and long outlasting the supposedly "pro" Swedish fitting tools I've blown hundreds on before.

hobbio

You've blown hundreds of Swedish tools?

Sarge

Oy vey!

BigMonka

@4114Effects have you tried the router and bits yet? How is it?

They still had a few of these in my local branch last week so I was thinking of taking the plunge (router pun!!)

4114Effects

Good pun! 

Router is solid, table seems good for the money. To be honest a magnetic safety switch is about £25 on it's own, so the table is a bargain!

I've tried the bits - albeit not for anything heavy duty - I've routed grooves in some 12mm Maple, and rounded over the edges. Everything seems to work perfectly, I've had no tearing or splitting. They probably won't stay sharp as long as expensive bits, I guess it depends how much routing you'll be doing!

In fact - the edges and joints on the Flame maple mini head I just built were done with that router and table.

BigMonka

Sound like a decent buy, thanks.

I'll pop out at lunchtime and see if they still have any. I hadn't intended to get the router table as well, but maybe I should - a router isn't a tool I've used before but I've got a window-fixing project on at home that I think will need it.

I said it on your other thread but it's worth repeating that the your flame ample mini head is absolutely gorgeous!

BigMonka

@4114Effects I went and got the router and table :-) but they'd sold out of the router bit sets :-(

Anyway I'm having trouble getting the 2 router bits which came with the router to fit and was hoping you could help.

Edit: the collet that was in there was stuck in too tight, I managed to get it out and now the bits fit :-) time to get routing!