Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
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List Price: Our Price: $184.99 You Save: $173.76 (48%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Tools See more product details |
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Bosch RA1181 Benchtop Router Table
Customer Review: Do NOT BUY this if the router is not listed as fitting
Summary: 1 Stars
I made a serious error in purchasing this item.
I wanted to mount a Triton 3 1/4 HP router to this.
In the manual for this table it clearly states you must
order RA1186 Router Adapter Plate (which is essentially a
drill-able blank).
Sure enough, none of the MULTITUDE of holes on the
included adapter plate match neither my Triton nor an
much older Dayton router.
YEs, I can try to drill some holes and I will however
thanks to the MANY holes already in the included adapter
plate one of the holes will be badly malformed as I can't
find a clean area on the included plate to make 4 fresh
clean holes. (Edit below I ended up not drilling the plate...)
I'm rating this as low as I can because Bosch is selling
kit that is not supported. I"ve looked all over the net
for this optional adapter plate.
I've yet to find one.
I knew when I ordered the table I may
well have to get the OPTIONAL plate. Where I failed is not
researching ahead to discover said plate does not exist.
That said, there is ZERO excuse for Bosch not supplying this plate.
Editing this post.
I finally heard back from Bosch after writing them about the RA1186 plate and how to get one.
Their customer service person told me 'we never made any of those plates'. NEVER.
I forgot to mention in my first pass of this review that the table itself did have some
warp as mentioned by much earlier reviews. It was approximately 1/16 or perhaps a bit more
of warp in one diagonal of the table. I used two different squares to measure this and it was
repeatable measurement.
So, whatever defect they had a couple years ago is still in the manufacture of the table.
Amazon took my table back and I got a full refund.
AMazon gets a solid 5 from me as they took it back despite me trashing the original box (I had
explained to them the situation about the accessory plate not being available). Amazon paid shipping on return.
I've since bought a Rockler top and accessories. Total cost was about 100 more but I'm far happier.
Bosch just lost a customer for life.
THis is not a company to trust. If they dont' support the product they can not be trusted.
P.S. Anyone buying this table if you have any doubt if your router would fit I'd look elsewhere.
I"ve since learned that Bosch is now offering the RA1185 plastic plate instead...
Based on reviews of the optional RA1185 plate , which is some sort of plastic, it flexes.
You have been warned. Good luck.
Customer Review: EXCELLENT
Summary: 5 Stars
Bosch came out with a newer model with a melamine/particle board top which got poor reviews. I found this model (which got much better reviews) on clearance. Now I see they have discontinued the new one and started making this (better) one again. Thanks, Bosch, for listening to your customers.
I have 3 router tables and use them a lot. This one is my fave. Mortising is a tough job, and this table is the one I use for that. It's also the most precise. The fence has great adjustments, and there are tracks on the fence and table for fingerboards. (get more, I know they take time to set up, but they save time in the end from wasted wood, recuts, and extra finishing) The split fence is great, it makes it easy for dust collection, and they give you a couple of shims so you can use it as a jointer. I recently did this on a Corian countertop edge, and saved the day.
Customer Review: Excellent Router Table for the Price
Summary: 5 Stars
The Bosch Benchtop Router Table is excellent for the price. The assembly takes a little time but goes together well. It was nice that it included a couple of feather boards. I was able to have it assembled and using it (along with the Bosch RA1165 Under-Table router base, purchased seperately) within an hour. I have it temporarily clamped to a work station until I decide on making a stand or purchasing the Bosch Router Table Stand.Customer Review: Excellent value for the price!
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a novice as this is my first router table. However, I spend a lot of time watching skilled people use tools. Long story short, this is not a cabinet maker's router table. If you're a REAL pro, you probably want to build one that is larger and with better work piece control attachments. But, if you are like me (father of 2 who likes to build stuff like cabinets, benches, desks, etc) then this router table is fantastic!!! The mounting plate is pre-drilled for a number of commercially available routers. The table allows for very precise cuts, the drop in plate is thick steel and easy to adjust, the fence is sturdy and easy to adjust, it comes with three inserts that allow you to use the router/table with a number of different bits and finally, the table is NOT flimsy!
I previously purchased a craftsman router table that I returned because it was flimsy and I would have needed to drill out the drop in plate for my dewalt router. This, in my opinion, would have reduced precision and greatly reduced my satisfaction. For me, you can't beat the quality for the price. IMO, this table is the only one to start with.
Enjoy!
Customer Review: First Router Table
Summary: 4 Stars
This was my first router table, so without a lot of experience with other models, I visited reviews on Amazon as well as other woodworking sites to compare reviews of other brands. I found that this table had the most stable and favorable feedback from purchasers.
Assembly: I found the instructions and assembly of the table to straight forward and easy. It took about 2 hours, and I was working slowly. Adjusting the router's depth and overall table level-ness was also smooth. The table also comes with a number of smaller details that make it a well-thought-out tool- I held on to the numerous bolts included for attaching other router models should I ever need to upgrade. The plate/collars that surround the bit are a nice touch as well, but be sure to have a small flat-head screw driver handy to pry them out after use.
Operation: I use a Porter Cable router, which is one of the models that this table accomodates easily. My shop-vac was also readily compatible which was great as the table's built-in dust collection port keeps the operation clean. The fence and finger board parts of the table are easy to use and adjust smoothly. The measurements on the table's surface are helpful in aligning the fence evenly. The on-off switch is safe and well placed on the front of the table.
Bottom line: I'm satisfied with my purchase. The table meets all expectations and is well made. As a weekend warrior woodworker, this tool is usable for me, and not overwhelming with functionality that I won't use.