picked up Freud plung router (FT 2000 E V2) today

Yes. It has about as much power as any hand held router on
the market.

That router was routinely the “best value” in large plunge router tool comparisons in the early 90’s. I had 2, one permanently mounted in a table and the other for hand held use when I needed that much machine. With the table mounted one I did a lot of raised panels and it never wimpered. It eventually got put in a Woodpecker’s Plunge lift and i though that was the cat’s meow. I replaced it about 3 years ago when I got a used PRL and fitted it with a Milwaukee motor. The table Freud and lift I sold. The second one I still have as the big dog hand held. Those only came with the 1/2” collet and a 1/4” split ring adapter. I bought a 1/4” collet for mine as well a 3/8” one, and it was a certain Dewalt collet that worked. Freud sold me a couple of extra collet nuts to make it a quick change from one to the other.

-- I long for the days when Coke was a cola, and a joint was a bad place to be (Merle Haggard)

15 amps is as much power as you’ll find in a router that plugs into a standard 120v outlet. The FT2000E was my first “big gun”....made in Spain IIRC. It’s got lots of power. My biggest complaint was that it didn’t have enough throat clearance to pass the biggest panel raising bits. It can definitely spin them, but you’ll need to raise the bit above the throat and sneak from the sides, as opposed to starting low and raising the height as you go. I also seem to recall that the brushes aren’t intended to be user replaceable … I cracked the brushes on my FT2000E while monkeying around inside the thing out of curiosity …I ordered new ones and managed to get them installed, but it took some doing! My advice is to run it until it quits, then take it to a service place to check the brushes!

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

Even though I feel a follow up post is long overdue I wanted to thank you all for your responses…

I’ve decided that for now I’m going to use it for the time being for dados since my table saw isn’t fully capable (Dewalt portable), meanwhile I’m deciding if I’ll build a router table or buy one…

I admit the thought of buying one would be far easier to go with but there is always the satifaction of building it yourself and also having exactly what you want. Besides the price on some of them, even the most basic can be difficult to swallow.

Thank You Again.

Building one is fairly simple, and you can include whatever features you want.

-- Happiness is like wetting your pants...everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth....

OK, I have a question: For the world of me I can’t find a 3/8 inch collet for a Freud router FT2200 (FT2000 would do too, as they’re interchangeable). I got a 1/2 and 1/4 but I’d like to use some 3/8 in bits – obviously not possible without a right size collet. I found 3/8 collets for Freud in UK, from an outfit called MTMC Tools, but they don’t ship to Canada/US.
Someone on the forum (I believe Fred Hargis) stated that a Dewalt 3/8 in collet works in his Freud router. Does anyone know which one is it?