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Hitachi M12-volts 3-1/4-Horsepower Electronic Variable Speed 1/2-inch Plunge Router

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Hitachi M12-volts 3-1/4-Horsepower Electronic Variable Speed 1/2-inch Plunge Router

(114 customer reviews)

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Features

Powerful 15 amp motor
Three-position side handle with easy-to-reach controls
Electronic dial-in variable-speed control
Multislide scale and scale-index system
1-year warranty

Description

18V, Cordless, Drill Kit, Includes: The New DV18DMR Cordless Drill, C18DMR Cordless Circular Saw, CR18DMR Cordless Reciprocating Saw, Universal Quick Charger, 2 3.0 AH Ni-MI Batteries, UB18DL Lantern & Ballistic Nylon Bag, Individual Tool Specs: C18DMR 18V, 6-1/2" Cordless Circular Saw, Blade Located On The Left Side For Improved Sight Of Cutting Path, Equipped With A 24 Tooth 6-1/2" Blade, Runs At 3,000 RPM, Features A Built In Spotlight For Better Visibility, CR18DMR 18V Cordless Reciprocating Saw, Best In Class Stroke Length Of 1-1/8", Tool Less Blade Changing System, External Carbon Brush Access, 380W Of Output Power, DV18DMR 18 Volt Cordless Hammer Drill, Made With 2 Piece Rare Earth Magnets That Offer Greater Durability & Performance, Class Leading 550 In LBS Of Torque Allows You To Tackle Jobs Other Drills Can't, High Capacity 3.0 AH Ni-MI Batteries Saves Time By Providing Longer Run Time & Fewer Battery Changes, 3 Modes Of Operation Allow You To Drill, Drive & Hammer Drill.

Product Details

Product Length:	10.0 inches
Product Width:	10.0 inches
Product Height:	16.0 inches
Product Weight:	15.0 pounds
Package Length:	11.9 inches
Package Width:	11.2 inches
Package Height:	9.0 inches
Package Weight:	11.7 pounds
Average Customer Rating:	based on 114 reviews

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review: 4.5

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Owned 6 years and still going strong! Oct 21, 2009
This was one of the first ever Hitachi brand tools we purchased and was so impressed that have gone on to buy many others. After six years of use, it has stood the test of time. Powerful, smooth and durable. Stil has plenty of life left in it...unless they have changed the construction, this is an excellent unit and well worth the price.

The Good, the Bad, and Definitely Ugly Aug 09, 2009
I'd been debating between Milwaukee's fixed base monster or one of the nicer 2.25 combo kits for the versatility of the plunge action. I did quite a lot of research so I was aware the old Hitachis are pretty universally well-liked compared to their more value-minded predecessors but I didn't think I was likely to find one for a decent price so when I saw one of these new for the price of a good 2.5 combo kit, I jumped on it.

When it finally arrived, I had a couple concerns. The handles feel a touch cheap. In fact my right handle seems split along the plastic seam giving it just a touch of slidey action. I also noticed that the depth of cut adjustment pushes the plastic above the indicator out when you push a little too far rather than simply locking properly. There's also a cap that rattles around on the plunge rod unless it's held upright. I thought something was busted and loose inside of it at first.

Now for the good:

* The switch is perfect. It's a blocky up/down slider. Near impossible to turn on by accident, easy to switch off with your thumb without taking your hand off the handle.
* Nice accessories. A decent-looking flute bit, 1/4" collet adapter, and a very straightforward/easy-to-use edge guide. No wrench with mine. Didn't need it.
* As cheap as they feel, the handles are adjustable and can be placed in 3 fixed positions. I like that more than I hate that they feel cheap.
* Overall feel of the tool is otherwise fairly rugged and durable.
* The plunge locking mechanism is rock solid.
* The yucky oval shaped collet is made up for by a lever you can hold down to lock the shaft for one-wrench bit tightening.
* Depth of cut is easy to change and the plunge action feels perfect for a router of this heft.
* With a 1" cutting profile table edge bit (2.5 inches diameter bit) I cut into some pine boards I'm using for table leaves. The wood was completely disintegrating and I didn't even notice until I saw all the sawdust flying. The engine's pitch didn't change. There was no resistance. It was like moving the router through air. Yeah, it's a keeper.
* The weight is perfect in my opinion. I wouldn't use it to trim laminate but it's very easy to control freehand and highly stable. You want a tool to be the right weight, not as light as possible and this one feels just right. I also felt very little vibration.

Oh and it's just hideous. I love how ugly this thing is. Like a big dumb robot head... that's green.

I've heard some of the internal electronics aren't known for their longevity. If I get at least a couple years out of this beast I think it will have been worth every penny but people seem to have them longer than that. But don't let nostalgia rule your purchasing decision. Yes this model is tried and true but Makita has one like that still on the market with some nice upgrades and I was on the verge of getting that Milwaukee fixed base myself. The price I got was much cheaper than those. It's not worth more than the finest modern routers of its class which is what too many people think they're going to get for it used, apparently.

A powerhouse Jul 24, 2009
This router is versatile and has huge power. I use it in a table, and have made raised panel doors, etc with the "big" bits.

Truly a Beast, as Another Reviewer Calls It Jul 21, 2008
I mounted this router in a table, using a Rousseau router plate. I have used the machine for some light molding and grooving over the last year, and it works very quietly and smoothly. You can't even tell the router is cutting under load. I just experimented with a couple 3 1/2 inch panel raising bits, today. My samples were 3/4" pine. I cut a cove pattern and an ogee pattern on two separate samples. Both profiles were cut in a single pass. You can tell the router is working hard, but it didn't bog down. My shop vac was providing chip collection while the router was operating. The router eventually needed all 15A, and 15A circuit breaker popped. For panel construction, I will definitely use 2 passes over the panel raising bit. I experienced no tear out on the cross grain cut, or the long side cut. This router is a great performer, from my perspective.

I noticed that many people recommend removal of the template guide tabs on this router. I did not remove the tabs, since the bottom surface of the panel raising bit is well above the template guide ears. The ears prevent the bit from being lowered from the table. But it is easy enough to remove the router from the table to change the bit.

If anyone can provide a reason why this practice may be unsafe, if indeed it is, I would be grateful to know about it. It seems that as long as the panel raising bit is well above the template ears, there should be no safety issue. I guess if you need to lower the bit below the table to change the bit, the template ears would definitely have to be removed. Thanks for any feedback you are willing to contribute on this. I'm no expert; just a pragmatist. I'm curious what more experienced woodworkers think about this.

Workshop cornerstone Jul 16, 2008
As the majority of commenters have noted, this router is a workhorse (or team of oxen) that is an incredible value. It's variable speed and will plow through anything you throw at it. I've had mine a couple of years now and don't get a chance to use it nearly as much as I'd like, but thought I'd offer up some observations.

First, get the Router Raizer and the Xtreme Xtension. I cannot stress enough how useful these are. Let me elaborate. First, this is a big router. While it's awesome to have that kind of horsepower in your hands as a plunge router (the first time I used it, to put a bead on a shelf, I assumed something was wrong and it wasn't cutting, because I didn't feel or hear anything as it routed my profile), you're probably going to want to mount it in a table and leave it there.

Once in the table, the Router Raizer, for peanuts, makes raising and lowering this thing a piece of cake as you simply insert a wrench through the base plate and turn. Instead of taking minutes to adjust, it takes seconds, and it's all done above the table.

Regarding the Xtension, the thing I used to really have trouble with was changing bits. The M12V does not use two wrenches to loosen the collet. There's one wrench and a little sliding mechanism that you push in to lock one nut while you turn the other. But the mechanics of using one hand to push this latch while trying to pull/push hard with the other wrench to loosen the collet is awkward and sometimes ends with a wrench inadvertently flying. When mounted in a table, it was a bit easier in that I didn't have to secure the router itself, but it was awkward trying to work under the table. I found myself going way out of my way to plan my work to minimize bit changes, to a degree that led to paralysis by analysis. The Xtreme Xtension solves that because you install the Xtension and all of your bits are secured via a little allen screw, which you can tighten from above the table. Install a separate switch and you'll never have to monkey around under the table again.

Another thing to consider. This is a very heavy router. I made my own baseplate for mounting in a shop-made table out of 3/8" Lexan as I'd seen done elsewhere. Mistake. There's simply too much flex in the Lexan under the weight of this router. Invest in something more solid. There's work involved in making the Router Raizer work with your baseplate, and you're only going to want to do it once.

Finally, if you're going to mount this router in a table (and you probably should), take a few minutes to file off the template guide tabs so that the machine can accommodate large panel-raising bits.

All-in-all, the M12V is a fantastic value (if you can still find one). It'll handle all your table work like a champ. Get some quality 1/2" bits and have fun making chips!