A Palm Router is Easier to Use Than a Plunge Router
If you are a DIY enthusiast or a DIY Diva and want the perfect finishing for your projects, you will appreciate this handy palm router as an alternative to a cumbersome plunge router.
30/03/2022
A plunge router is a great addition to a DIY or woodworking tool collection, and it comes in handy for edging, routing rebates and slots, and a variety of other tasks. But the problem with a plunge router, at least from a DIY Divas point of view, is that it is cumbersome and needs to be handled with care.
What is a Plunge Router?
For those of you that don't know what a plunger router is, this tool is used to add a decorative finish to edges of timber or board as well as to cut rebates and slots, etc. It has a high-speed rotating bit that can be changed depending on the type of cut or edge profile you desire. A plunger router has a fixed based and is lowered or plunged to perform the cutting. The depth can be set at a specific height to perform cuts.
While not overly difficult to operate and use if you receive basic training, the plunge router is a bulky tool that requires some handling. The workpiece is clamped firmly to a work surface, and the plunge router moved along the edge or over the surface of the workpiece.
Makita Trimmer and Makita Palm Router
A basic set of Tork Craft Router Bits should cost you around R800 per set and offers both profiles for edging and cutting bits.
What is a Palm Router?
A palm router, as the name denotes, is a smaller version of the plunger router that can be handled easily with one hand and fits in the palm of your hand. Not as powerful as a plunge router, it still has enough power to act as a edger if you want to finish off projects with a decorative routed edge profile.
Most router bits fit in a palm router and allow you to perform a variety of decorative edge profiles on timber and board.
Compact and lightweight, the palm sander is the perfect alternative to a plunge router for lady DIY enthusiasts or younger DIY enthusiasts. Router bits in different profiles can be purchased and fitted into the palm router and I invested in a Tork Craft router bit set that has most of the most popular profile and cutting router bits included.
Another added benefit of a palm router over a plunge router is the ability to engrave on wood and board. Because it is lightweight, it is also easy to manipulate and move around for precision engraving.
For my own DIY workshop, I have a Makita M3700 that is used for cutting slots and rebates, as well as for decorative edges for finishing off various furniture and decor accessories. It isn't used every day but only when needed and more than does the job. It isn't a plunge router, but it is great for the occasional DIY project and well worth the cost. A plunge router retails at around R1500 for a decent model and the Makita M3700 palm router costs around R1300, so it is actually cheaper to purchase a good quality palm router.
Watch the informative video below for a more indepth idea of how a palm router functions.