# Piece of junk



## 33706 (Mar 5, 2008)

Generally speaking, I hate B&D for so many reasons….BUT when I have a routing job to do, I reach for my ancient B&D plunge router, when there are three big Bosch beauties on the shelf beside it. Just something about the crappy but dependable rack & pinion, the awkward clamp lever, and that indispensable little light up inside there….a tool made just for me!
Today's B&D targets the WalMart buyer, people who don't place much value on well-built, high quality products. Good luck with your Hitachi!


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

I have a Hitachi 2.25 HP Kit (2 bases)... and LOVE IT!


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## lilredweldingrod (Nov 23, 2009)

I have the 3 1/4 hp M12VS plunge router. I prefer it to any of my others. I was thinking of getting another to put in the cast iron table coming from Grizzly. But now I think I will look into the smaller one.


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## docholladay (Jan 9, 2010)

I agree, most B&D stuff made today is pretty much crap. Right along side with Skil.

Doc


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## woodzy (Jan 24, 2011)

Thats bad news for me. I was going to pick up this router the other day. The Home Depot and the Canadian Tire near my home have this model on sale for $74.99. I guess i know why now. 
Thanks for the review I may spend the extra and pick up another model.


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

*"we purchased this years ago and I have used it every since".* 
Doesn't seem like a very fair review of the B&D if it lasted you for "years"...how about stating exactly what was wrong with it. It might be all an occasional user on a limited budget might need : )
Obviously going from a B&D to a Hitachi would be comparable to Wright Bros. vs. Space Shuttle launch.


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## twoblacklabs (Jan 12, 2011)

Dusty56. You are partially correct. Not a great review. I didn't set out to actually review the router but instead complain about it as compared to the newer m12vc I obtained. Up until that point, I didn't realize how bad it was. Ignorance is bliss.

Yes, it lasted "years" because as you pointed out, I was an occasional user. It did what I asked which was very little. Again, I just didn't know that what little it did could be MUCH better.

Ironically, turning it on today reveals it is again running. Interestingly enough, without a bit, just turned on, it rates 94 dB. The m12vc, no bit, just turned on peaked at 89 dB. Easily audible difference. (Using SPL Meter iphone. Yep, "there's an app for that").


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## Dusty56 (Apr 20, 2008)

Have you ever blown the dust out of the brushes and switch areas ? 
That's all it takes to stop an electric motor and /or give you intermittent issues. : )


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

B&D are low end tools so you can't expect a lot from them. It's a dead give away when you pay half of what a good router cost. A B&D router is better than none.


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## TheOldTimer (Dec 13, 2009)

Many years ago when Skill was made on the north side of Chicago they had excillent electric tools, there flag ship tool was the famious Skill worm drive circular saw. I think every carpenter in the Chicago area owned one. They also had excillent drills etc. The company took pride in there tools and the quality was excillent. Back then, Sears was the place to go for good quality home craftsman tools also. It is a shame on how times have changed. When I was a young kid, my Mom took me to sears for clothing, shoes and the like for school. I can remember wondering off to the tool department and looking in amazement at all the stuff. My Mom always knew where to find me when she was done shopping. It is really sad that those days are long gone. I do not think that I have been to a Sears store in 15 years. I can also remember when hardware stores were hardware stores. Oh well, I guess that that is what happens when one gets older. This country was built on honest pride and craftsmanship, just look at the interiors of the old structures still standing in downtown Chicago and in other parts of the country. Who knows, maby, just maby that pride will come back to this great country of ours some day.


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## reggiek (Jun 12, 2009)

I will probably get the reputation as a tool snob….but there are certain tools I avoid. B&D is one of them. I call them throw away tools as that is about all they are good for. I believe that comes from a reputation as being the tools of the week end warriors. Other similar brands are Craftsman (Crapsman), Kobalt and Ryobi. Not to say that once in a while you will see a tool from these manufacturers that is almost decent….but for me who has made a living from tool wook, I need to get what lasts and what gets the job done.

Not to say that some of the so called premier manufacturers won't have a few lemons….but the majority of their offerings are items that can take the abuse a pro throws at them….and still last a few years. I've seen B&D's show up at a job site….first of all the person gets abused heavily for having it….then they get the enjoyment of it breaking down on them and hearing all the I told you so's…..I've seen crapsman circulars catch on fire after a few hours framing. In my opinion it is not worth the hassle to buy this junk…no matter how "inexpensive" it is.


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## uutank (Jul 6, 2008)

amen fellow wood workers.


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## Jim Jakosh (Nov 24, 2009)

I grew up with B&D tools because it was all I could afford. I never bought a router from them. I started with a Craftsman 1hp 1/4 router and I still have it and bought another on E bay and use the 2 of them for half blind dovetails exclusively. I do like the D handle Makita. One feature I don't like is a switch that is not in the handle at your fingertip. I don't like taking one hand off the router to turn it off.. just a quirk, I guess.


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## emart (Mar 16, 2011)

my tool collection is a mix of stuff from different eras and the difference in quality is enormous. it amazes me sometimes how poor quality most NEW craftsman power tools are. my old craftsman bandsaw works better than a brand new ridgid of the same specs even though my bandsaw is almost 60 years old. my B&D radial saw isnt one of the better ones of its time (1969) but i recently saw a new one at sears for $700 and the quality was just abysmal. the arm wasnt made of cast iron like mine it was just some 1/8 steel with rails screwed on. some of the panels werent even put on correctly. moving on to my 1980s craftsman jointer which is terrible. it will flatten out material ok but it always tears out chunks to the point that i have to plane it after to smooth it out again.


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

You are being a little harsh I feel.
I've borrowed a Hitachi M12 and thought it was a pile of crap compared to my DW625 - plasticky, awkward and clunky. I've 5 routers in total, one of which is a B&D, which only ever has a dovetail bit in it and it works fine for that. If you're going to do serious routing, get a serious router. B&D's are aimed at occasional users and priced accordingly. There's no comparison to a trade rated machine.

This might make you all chuckle, a quote from the Daily Mail about the recently deceased inventor of the B&D workmate…

'Inspiration struck Mr Hickman in 1961 when he was building a wardrobe - and accidentally sawed through an expensive chair that he was using as a makeshift workbench.'

Class.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1358121/Workmate-inventor-DIY-possible-millions-dead-78.html#ixzz1acAzmycr


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

Very interesting about B&D's Hickman… Only sold 60,000?!
I would have expected a much HIGHER number… into the millions…50 years… for 60,000 is only 1,200 per year!


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## renners (Apr 9, 2010)

Joe, you misread that, 60,000 in the UK last year alone, millions worldwide. Ron Hickman died a very wealthy man as he was on a percentage for every unit sold.
If anyone is looking for a bargain in the router department, you could always try going online. There are a number of places selling "Manufacturer refurbished" machines - in Europe at least. The Eurocrats declared that should any manufacturer have power tools returned to them (overstock items), they cannot be sold as brand new - so these outlets have unused machines for about 3/4 what they would normally cost. Makita and Dewalt do this. There's always the odd gem on ebay as well - "Used once to fit a kitchen" etc.


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## JoeLyddon (Apr 22, 2007)

*renners:*

*I'm sure glad I misread that..*. Glad I was wrong… because he deserved exactly what he got & then some!

*Thank you!*


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

The only time I've had anything Black and Decker was way back when I was in high school or in my first few years of marriage when I was always broke.


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## mywood (Feb 17, 2012)

is all B&D power tools really that bad..?
didn't know it until today!!


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## Bobbal (Feb 24, 2015)

I have a B&D router that is 30 years old and pre dates LED lights. It had seen better days but still works. If I could replace the motor in it I would. The new stuff is crap but not limited to B&D or Skil. I have wasted a bunch of money on some Delta tools that have consistently let me down to the point I won't even consider their stuff anymore.


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