Page 8 - Wood Review Dec 202 Full issue

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT
Cordless Trimmers: DeWalt vs Milwaukee
Reviewed by David Howlett
Full size plunge routers and trimmer routers are used every day in our very busy workshop. With so many power tool brands offering more and more cordless options over the past few years, I wasn’t at all interested in replacing our trusty 240 volt corded trimmer routers with any of the new breed of cordless offerings. I was pretty sure they couldn’t perform as well as
our trusty 240v trimmers. That thinking was turned on its head when Peter Mabbs from Milwaukee Tools asked us to test and appraise their M18FTR-0 prior to its release last year. Within the first few uses, I was an absolute convert. I had to have one!
As I had already started replacing all of our cordless drills with DeWalt drills, I couldn’t resist picking up a DeWalt DCW604NXJ (with optional plunge base) after the guys at DeWalt suggested I try one of theirs. Be aware that neither of these routers are sold with batteries so if you don’t already own batteries from either brand you’ll be up for extra cost to purchase a battery and charger before you can get to work.
Just in case you’re wondering if either of these trimmers is worth the extra dollars, I for one definitely think so. The lack of cord is pure power tool joy. Our trusty corded trimmers have been relegated to the sidelines. Having used these two cordless trimmers daily for months now, it is impossible for me to pick a favourite. Very different to each other in their design, DeWalt and Milwaukee have taken different approaches in their respective trimmers but both manufacturers have produced excellent tools.
There’s a lot to love about both trimmers. Both come with excellent thick clear bases, with even larger baseplates provided in the box to change over for greater stability or perhaps attachment to jigs. I absolutely love the screw collar style depth adjustment on the DeWalt but then the Milwaukee has a brilliant fine depth adjustment knob within easy reach of your right thumb without changing your normal grip of the tool.
Then there’s the very bright LED lights on both. Yeah I know they’ve been around for ages, but not as bright as either of these. The Milwaukee definitely outshines the DeWalt here. One of the best features of both models is the excellent chuck. Gone is the tiny little conical chuck collet from conventional trimmers that so often refused to release its grasp of your cutter, or worse, allowed the cutter to slip out when you cut a little too deep or fast, no matter how tight you did it up! Both these trimmers sport a large perforated chuck collet retained in the chuck nut just like their full size 1/2-inch counterparts. The 1/4-inch chuck has finally grown up.
The DeWalt is just plain big, giving a sense that this is a serious 1/4-inch router. If you have smaller hands you’ll likely find yourself using two hands to control the DeWalt. The Milwaukee is really the size we all expect a trimmer router
to be, which means it’s much more comfortable to hold for those with average to smaller sized hands. Weight-wise both units are surprisingly heavy once a battery is attached. While most of our customers make this observation the first time they pick up either tool, everyone agrees this is a non-issue as soon as the router is placed upon the work surface. The DeWalt weighs in at 1551gm without a battery and 2180gm with its 5Ah battery attached. The Milwaukee weighs 1371gm bare and 1979gm with a 3Ah battery attached.
Power to perform is there in spades from the brushless motors used in both trimmers. A brilliant feature of the brushless motor
From top: DeWalt DCW604NXJ and Milwaukee M18FTR-0 cordless trim routers
Showing the DeWalt with fence and optional plunge base attachments. The Milwaukee trimmer with fence, guard and base attachments.
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Australian Wood Review
$449
$389