Item : B0000223JI Customer Reviews Makita 3 1/4 plunge router by .. S. Kunnen (Seattle, Wa) This was a big dissapointment, usually makita puts on a good show. But not this time. The tollerance in the plunge mechanism is terrible. It allows the router bit over 1/16 of movement from side to side while plunging the router. I thought there was something wrong with the router I was sent so I asked amazon to replace it, they did and the second one was worse than the first. Then I asked the Makita rep, his response was," It must be a knock-off." When I asked him to come take a look he declined and advised me to return it. One of the worst tools I have ever bought... Terrific router by .. Dr Mike (New Orleans, LA United States) The router itself is great. Smooth, powerful, and not as heavy as I expected. The height adjustment piece is made of plastic, but the image shows it in metal. I would have gotten the router anyway, but it would be nice to know this ahead of time. If you take care of it and don't throw the router down on the workbench, it shouldn't be an issue. Unfortunately for me, Amazon stiffed me on the gift certificate I applied, so now I have to see if I can get it reinstated. I never had that happen before where only half the value of the certificate was applied. I love this router! by .. Jesse Boyd () The switch is in just the right place so you can turn it on while holding the hand-grips. It has excellent, smooth power. I like the bit brake, the bit stops spinning quickly. The router is very soundly and solidly built. Only one wrench is needed to change bits. The depth stop system works, and I can make repeatable cuts. So far this is my favorite router. Better than any two horse router I've used by a long shot. This router is a real commercial tool. One-Router Shop. by .. L. Leon (California) I am just starting to setup my woodworking shop in my garage for my new found hobby of woodworking. Hence, I am also shopping for new tools. My low funding restricts me to purchase just one router that will do it all. I think getting a 3.25 horsepower is a safe choice for me in order to have sufficient power in anticipation of unknown future projects. I was really tempted to buy the Hitachi M12V because of its unbeatable price. Although the reviews on it were also great, I stayed away from it because of its alarming common two flaws: 1. the plunge shafts that stick and; 2. the variable switch that turns by itself. Also, Green color is great for elegant sedans to add a sporty look on it but not on power tools. Having said all of those, I got the 3612C finally and have no regrets whatsoever. The power is awesome and it is surprisingly smooth and quiet. Variable speed is always set to no. 1 (9,000 rpm) for it does all the jobs in my shop very well. It is safer on the bits and to me too! My apprehension on the 3612C's maneuverability (because of its heavy weight) completely disappeared when I first used it by hand. It gave me perfect coves and roundovers considering this is my first time to use a router. I am new to woodworking but I am having a great time learning. Bit changing was not a problem. I thank the guys for their helpful reviews (posted on 7/17/02 and 1/15/05) on unlocking the secrets of easy bit removal. There is nothing I can say about this router but praises. I made the right decision on buying it. Happy routing! Perfect for a router table by .. R. Buchli (Lake Mills, WI) After a lot of research, I chose this router for a homemade router table. I bought a Rockler brand aluminum plate specifically made for it and the holes lined up perfectly (my biggest worry for a router plate). The Rockler plate (www.rockler.com part # 62282) is aluminum and perfectly flat and fuctions well on and off the table. It also is wider than the router enabling you to pull the router out of the table without twisting or turning it. The adjustment knob on the router works well under the table and I like the one wrench bit changing system. I've seen better plunging systems out there as far as the plunge lock is concerned but I don't use it at all anyway as this works great in the table. The powerful 3.25 HP and adjustable speed and this Makita can't be beat! The soft start is incredibly smooth and the machine is relatively quiet also. The price is about $100 less than equally powered routers and I still think the Makita blows the rest away.