I received this for my birthday this year and I have not had any issues so far. I've made cedar lap siding on it and now using a 30 degree bevel bit to build a honey comb mead cabinet for a buddy who owns a brewery. Its got some flaws with the out-feed fence and twisting the feather board bolts a million times to get them secure but I 100% recommend this table combo for the price tag.
I just finished building the handrail on my deck ruclips.net/user/postUgkxfQ5_mgwq6PcudJvAH25t-I4D-3cTPz4z and used this great little router to clean up the top rail before the final sanding and stain. It was light weight but packed lots of power. Either size battery didn't seem to make it top heavy and I'm a 64 yr old women so I really appreciated how easy it was to use...................... CORDLESS only way to go !!
Got mine a couple years ago on sale at Christmas for $109. The Skil was twice that price. It's still quite a bit more expensive but, probably a good set up. So far no issues with my Kobalt router raising and, other than being a pain to remove at times, I have no issue with the insert plates. You should take advantage of the Kobalt warranty. Any power tool they sell has a 5 year warranty.
I just bought this and job site table saw yesterday. Router has has 5 saw has 3 . First kobalt tools I’ve owned a friend has some cordless tools and honestly I like his grinder seems smoother than my dewalt . I think their a good bargain with a good warranty for me anyways .
After reading TONS of reviews on this one, I was well aware of these issues, but between the aluminum table and the included router, it still seemed like the best deal out there. I was looking at the Skill brand table as well, but living in Gulf Coast Texas, I REALLY didn't want a fiber board table top, that stuff just doesn't last very long down here. I picked it up earlier this week and haven't used it much yet, but I can already tell that those table inserts are going to be the biggest headache. Thanks for pointing out that they sell upgrades on Etsy, I paused the video and bought some right there and then. I see that the height adjustment failure seems to be almost universal as well,.. just a case of when not if. I think I will just do the majority of adjustments by hand under the table in order to prolong it's life,.. we'll see how that works out. I was thinking about picking up a box joint jig for it, and I am wondering if I may be able to remove the full size track from the bottom of the jig and replace it with the track from the miter gauge that comes with the router? I'm thinking that I may have to grind those tabs off the miter slot though. I may give it a try,..if I do I will return here with the results. Thanks for the honest review.
Hello again! I understand your MDF reluctance. We get crazy humidity here in Chicago in the summer and it causes all kinds of wood swelling problems. You could prob get a 5/8 aluminum bar to fit in the slot. You could drill and tap it for multiple attachments points for anything you want to use on it. I hadn’t give it much thought before but anything can be made to work. That’s part of the fun. Was also wondering about wiping the motor housing with a thin lubricant to help take some strain off that weak gear set as it slides. Would be fine as long as it doesn’t slide when locked. Let me know how it goes. Thanks again for watching!
Plan on swimming with your router table? I had a fiberboard router table in the Philippines near the coast. I bought it from someone nearby that used it for over 15 years. It was fine for the 5 years I owned it before I moved to the US
My Kobalt router has the same problem with the height adjustment. I was looking into who makes Kobalt power tools for Lowe’s and I discovered that it is the same parent company that makes Skill. Skill has a router that will fit in the table and you will still be able to adjust the height with the z shaped wrench. The router sells for $90. Hopefully it’s made better.
Hello Robert! I did the same search before the vid and it appears Chervon makes at least the cordless stuff and the also make Skil but I couldn't find a direct lineage to the routers. JS tool was also a possibility. You can really go down a rabbit hole searching for this stuff and its very interesting. I may order the Skil combo with table as it seems to have alot going for it over the Kobalt table. Let us know how the Skil works out with the Kobalt table. Thanks for watching!
I bought this set up about 2 years ago and liked it for what it is. The one gripe I had with it is the router doesn't have a speed control. For some this might not be a big deal and it probably wouldn't have been for me either but I needed to use some big bits to make some cabinet doors and it sounded like it was going to fly apart! After some research I found that you must turn the speed down the bigger the bit. Live and learn. I gave it to my very appreciative son and bought a cast iron wing for my table saw with a huge powerful router with the speed control and everyone has what they wanted! Not cheap but if you cant do what you bought it for it may not be good for everyone. Other than that I moved the on/off switch over to the side to make it easier to get to the collet and bit. Good for the money!
Hello Brian! Yes a speed control is more important on a router than a lot of people probably think. That included me when I bought this combo. Its basic and Id says its good for beginners but the lack of T-track on the table and fence makes it hard for me to recommend to anyone. Tell your son to be gentle with the height adjust if in a table and it'll prob last him a while. Thanks for watching!!
I appreciate the thorough review. I just bought an older Delta table saw with a Biesemeyer fence. I saw a video showing how this router table is the perfect width to mount between the rails of that saw. So, I've watched a few reviews on this router/table combo. You're the first I've seen to point out anything negative. I don't know why other RUclipsrs buy a tool and post a review about how awesome it is, the day after they bought it. It's nice to see a real review, for a change. It just earned you a new subscriber. BTW, if you think that miter gauge is junk, you should see the one that came with my Craftsman router table that I got twenty something years ago. It's probably half the thickness and size. I don't think I've ever needed a miter gauge on my router table, anyway. I'm not sure what it's purpose is.
There is one major thing I learned when buying crappy cheap tool. Because it's funky to use I will not use it much. Now most of my tools are on the good and premium side and I find always a way to use them to get the best return from my inveastment.
Marcus! The amount I spend on a new tool usually depends on how much I think I will use it. That router combo is a good example. Nice to have if you need it but not an everyday tool. Shame it broke, you can see from the vid it had almost no wear on any of the parts. Thanks for watching!
Bought this on sale a month ago and so far no issues. The lift definitely seems janky so I'm not surprised that it was a failure point for you. Still, at $150 for the table and the router, it's a deal. If the lift fails, I may just turn the kobalt router into a fixed- based and put something more robust into the table
You have the same luck I do. I'm shopping for my 1st Router and table.......finally (65 years old). I had considered the Kobalt and the Skil.....after seeing your malfunction......I'm going Skil. All the reviews I've seen have been favorable.
Richard I’ve been looking at new tables too. The skils a contender for sure. Might splurge on a Bosch. It’s twice the money but pretty sure it would last for a decade or two. Which ever way I go it’ll be a video I’m sure. Thanks for watching and good luck!!
I’ve been looking at everything on the market and I held off a couple years at one point in time I purchased a husky work table with the insert to mount a router but it was made of plastic and I didn’t think it would hold up well with my WEN router which doesn’t even mount to the universe mounting plate so I bought a piece of steel and cut it to fit in the table but as I was looking for a fence to create and everything else I wanted the costs kept rising. So I put that idea on hold and began looking at Facebook marketplace for an inexpensive alternative. But Christmas 2022 and I decided to go ahead and buy the kobalt router table for 129.00 and I got the 15 piece Bosch.25 router bit set for 69 something. Mostly because of the quality of the product. And from watching dozens of videos. I have grown an appreciation of doing things myself and all you need is practice and wood lol.
I’ve been looking at this set and the skill. Thank you for sharing. Very thorough review. Now I need to see what I can find about the skill table and router set
Thank you Erin! That Skil combo does look tempting and it has some important basic features this lacks, like a T track. Since I’m also in the market for a new router and table 🙄 I’ve been going between the Skil and just shelling out for a Bosch. Either way it’ll be a future video! Thanks for watching!!
don't rely on this router for above table adjustments. It has an issue with plastic cogs that break and makes the above table setting not work. it's a royal pain and apparently been a problem for a long time as it is still in the reviews. it's a good router for one that isn't speed adjustable otherwise, plenty of power.
Thank you so much for this video. I'm a beginner and I've finally burned out my trim router and want to take the next step up to a router and table. I've been looking at this model because of the price point but I have also seen several Skil models and I'll follow up on your mention that they may be a better deal. Thanks!
Glad I could help Dan! Skil recently sent me the 10a fixed router for review and I ordered the table that comes with the combo so probably next month we’ll be checking it out. Thanks for watching!
On point. I had the same problem with the height adjustment. It hasn't had much use even though I've had it for a few months. Without that it's useless for me now. The router works good cutting oak and no bogg down
I still can’t believe that thing broke while I was filming it.😂 This was one of my earlier vids and it really threw me for a loop. Gave it to a scrap guy in the alley! Your right it’s a shame because the router wasn’t half bad. Thanks for watching!
I see a lot of negative reasons why not to buy this router table. I do a lot of woodworking and own a cnc plus x amount of tools. I purchased my kobalt router table for $90.00 in a new wrapped box on clearance. It has a 15 amp router and i see everyone else has a 12 amp router. I watched it for a long time versus all the others. The big thing that sold me was the router/table itself. It had listed over $200.00 at one time. Model 1034.2. It was worth it for the router alone. I am cheap and also shop the clearance portion of lowes. I bought a kobalt weedeater for $25.00 on clearance. Do not buy on impulse, shop clearance. Good luck.....
Mine says 15amp also and I've had no issues. Not sure why PFA didn't take advantage of the Kobalt warranty and at least give it another try. Love mine...
After reading some reviews on my Lowe’s website I think I’ll continue building my husky work table router table again. Because of the size 1.8ft x 3ft. I think I’ll use an aluminum angle piece as a fence and attach .25” lauan for any height I desire. Using my wen 15 amp plunge router it’s got soft start motor and 8,000- 23,000 rpm. So I’ll have two tables for big and small projects
Have this and my tabletop not flat either. It was a Christmas gift so can't complain much. The miter gauge and miter slot are useless. Way too much play to be accurate in cuts. I've considered cutting the tabs on miter slot and making my own miter gauge but did not. I just mounted the router under my table saw out feed table and routed my own miter slot. Works for me!
my local Lowes has the Bosch 1171 table discounted to $105. Then I have to get a supported router ($125 for the lesser dewalt). I don't know if it is a $100 better setup than the Kobalt, especially for the hobbyist. Likely get this Kobalt setup
I have the same Kobalt table and router. It was a gift, so I don't know what my family paid for it. I use the router with the table and router independent of the table. The switch on the table is very good. It has two outlets. I use one for the router and the other for the shop vac for dust collection. Flip the switch and both devices turn on. This works very well. The router has three Phillips head screws for removing and installing it into the table or adding the router plate. This works fine. I do support my router during this process. I have also made my own router templates. The height adjustment on my router is my biggest complaint. It does not always lock properly. Once, I finally get it dialed in and locked it is fine. I can make repeated cuts and I'm good with that. There have been a few times where I did the "micro-adjusting" by raising and lowering router bit. Not great, but doable and most of the time this is faster than using the built in micro adjuster. The track is non-standard and nearly useless. I was able jerry rig my Rockler Box Joint Jig to make it work, but it wasn't pretty. The accessories are sub standard. I hope this helps.
Your right about the switch, it is good quality and the two outlets are a big plus. There were a few small things I meant to mention and demonstrate that got forgotten when the router base broke. Thank you for watching!
Great review - one of the few I see on youtube that aren't driven by free products or, even if it was (but it seems it wasn't), it sounds honest. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.
Your router isn't broken. Just have to push it up from the bottom when adjusting up. If you need to fine tune, make sure you go above and fine tune down. Good luck if you have to fine tune up. I bought the same combo 2 or 3 years ago for 129. It's on sale now for 149. I don't think it's worth any more than that.
Lol!! I’m going to maintain my position that it’s broken…. Mine went to a scrap guy in the alley. If you manage to get one that doesn’t break for the money it’s a pretty sweet deal. We’re going to do the Skil table in the next month. I’m hoping it’s a better budget option. Thanks for watching!
Funny I ran across your video today. I bought this same Kobalt Router table two years ago and this past July 2022 mine did the same as yours. The exact same thing happened. Kobalt would not honor the warranty so got rid of it. Donated to a fellow woodworker that knew the issue and he was fine with that. I went with a Grizzly Industry router table T28048 for about $225.00 plus router.
Shame to hear about the warranty. I should have tried too but I couldn’t find the receipt. Gave mine to a scrapper in the alley. Looking forward to getting some Grizzly stuff on the channel. We’ll get to them eventually. Thanks for watching!
Kobalts an obvious no from me. I already have the Skil 10a router and it seems fine but I’ve ordered the table to review. I’m hoping we’ll get to it next month. Thanks for watching!
It definitely needs better inserts that is why I am here if you are gonna be using smaller pieces, am making sign bases with a 1/8 mortis for plexiglass signs it was fine when I was using a 2x4 but when I switched to 1x2 for smaller signs the corner of the boards keep getting caught in the gap in the middle of cuts I like having unmangled fingers. It is awesome for the price don't see why they cheaped out on that I could care less about the miter gauge on a router table the straight gauge is awesome, but I am never taking it out of the table that is what palm router are for... it is still a great purchase, but this just seems stupid to me.
same here on my side with gear. I struggle with adjustments but have found if i put pressure underneath, I am able to get it dialed in. However, fine tuning is a burden and major headache. If i were to go back in time and knew of this issue, this would not ave been purchased. For the money at the time it seemed a good deal for me. It was the router that sold me, and now it is the router that would cause me not to purchase again. It does what I need at moment, but the time will come when this will get donated to another needy new woodworker. Watching deals and auctions for next router table and router purchase
I bought this on Monday but I realized that’s it’s more for cabinets and i won’t really have any purpose for it lol so I’m returning it to Lowe’s and just getting a jigsaw or the small router for door hinge’s since I do handyman work more
I also have this router table, and I have that same problem with it dropping, i get passed it by holding the bottom (top) of the router with slight upward pressure while I lift it and then I usually don’t run into the same problem
That works. I did it for a very short while. I got passed it by throwing it out in the alley. 😂 We’ve got the Skil combo coming up in a month or so. Thanks for watching Alex!
I unfortunately own that piece of crap too. Mine was made under the "Blue Hawk" name for Lowes. You at least got the aluminum table. Mine had a very crappy MDF table that all the screws immediatly striped out of. Was able to salvage the plastic legs and mount plate for a rebuilt table top. Still stuck with the crappy, bad adjusting router with crappy collets. I wouldn't wish this unit on my worst enemy!
don't rely on this router for above table adjustments. It has an issue with plastic cogs that break and makes the above table setting not work. it's a royal pain and apparently been a problem for a long time as it is still in the reviews. Otherwise, it's a good router for one that isn't speed adjustable, plenty of power.
I just purchased this on sale at Lowes yesterday (9/10/22). I got it setup and played with it today and started cutting on my project. It seemed startup full speed, then with minimal load it would go down to a slow speed. I would have to turn it off and back on. After using it for about 30 minutes, it just stopped. The lights come on, but no rotation. Looks like I'm going to return it my next trip to my closest Lowes (70 miles).
Sorry to hear Frank! If your going to buy another combo like this make sure it has proper channel cut into the table. If you ever want to mount a store bought jig it’ll make your life easier. Good luck with the next one!
Bought this new/used for $50 but i need to get the wrenches and table inserts. Seemed like a deal at the time. Haven't used it yet so i guess we'll see lol
$50 is a good price. I’d send you the inserts if I still had them. I gave this to a scrapper in the alley. Hopefully you have better luck. Thanks for watching!
Many the Kobalt tool manufacturer could not hold the price point low. If they tooled a t-track in this tool royalty may be due the t-track paten holder.
Possibly, but my guess is it’s just a cost saving measure. I would never buy another tool with one of these sort-of-a miter slot. Attaching jigs to a router table gives you a ton of additional functionality which is great if you have limited space. Thanks for watching!
Nice review, sorry for your pain. Not flat, not variable speed, funky miter slot and broken with minimal use. Not what I'm looking for. I just ordered the Bosch RA1181 aluminum table with Bosch 1617EVS variable speed router to attach to the Ridgid 4560 table saw. Had to buy offset wrenches (to change the router bit from above while the router remains mounted under the table) Bosch RA1152 separately. Also ordered the Rockler Dust Right Router Table Dust Bucket. Not ideal, but free shipping and all that I wanted to spend and not much more than the shipping cost for a big full cast iron table saw. (A 250 lb. $689 saw ships free, but a 550 lb. $2,000 saw costs $350 to ship). Hopefully I can make it work.
All quality components! I’m sure it’s going to work great for you. I’ve been eyeballing the Sawstop saw mount table. 27inches deep should be good for my Delta with some drilling. Thanks for watching. FYI I read your email and I’ll msg you back shortly. Been a busy week. Thanks for watching Jerry!
I will be returning my Kobalt table and router today. Very disappointed. Day one, it worked just fine. The next morning went into garage to work on it some more and the lift just didn't work. Couldn't understand why, but made the decision not to bother with Kobalt customer service. Just packed up the box and will be returning it to Lowes. Your description of the lift problem was perect, but for it to last just one day (with gentle use) is disappointing. This turns me off buying any Kobalt products going forward.
@@ProjectsForAllReviews just found out my old craftsman 113 table saw had a router table wing option, looking for one of them now. Still need a router though
@@ProjectsForAllReviews bought it anyway. Mine has that hump in the same spot, but runs front to back across the table. May take my belt sander to it and see if i can get it flat
Interesting idea Tom! Shame I gave this to a scrapper in the alley. Could have cut this and done some really mediocre tig welding for you. Pretty sure you could do it without a machine shop and If I remember correct it probably has enough thickness in the table to make it work. Thanks for watching!
@@WVgunfun I've had success modifying my Craftsman table saw by removing the tabs with a router, and making slides out of HDPE commercial cutting boards. I tried finding a machine shop to do it, but their rate was $140.00 /hr. So it was cheaper to buy new than to pay that. Very happy with my DIY result.
I have the same router and table. I also have the same issue of having the gear skip. Could you find the reason why the lift mechanism suddenly stopped working correctly? Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Ill take a closer look at the base this week. If I can get it apart without voiding the potential warranty ill update this reply. As for a reason I can only guess but possibly the teeth between the gear halves are too small or not properly hardened?? Could be user error on my part, I don't remember cranking it with the lock latch shut but I wouldn't put it past me! Don't know how long you've had yours but on Lowes it said 5 year warranty. Thanks for watching!
Yes you can remove the fence easily. Loosen the 3 wing nuts on the back side and I comes right off. Reattaches in seconds too. Thanks for the comment David!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews I just ordered the Skil combo set for $199. Hoping it works better. Many videos on it and the table side adjustments seem to work much better.
took this back and bought the Skil Router and Router table combo. The adjustment is designed much better, and frankly so is the router table with its built in storage on the legs. For about a $60 increase over the Kobalt combo, I'm glad I traded "up".....
Garry! I would seem we are both looking for something else! 😂 Check out the Skil table. Amazon has a combo with 10amp router for $200 and table only for $130. This will probably be the next router review for me, but Ill do some more looking this weekend. Thanks for watching and let us know what you get!
It does seem possible to raise and lower by hand from underneath the table, but it is difficult to make small adjustments. You just release the clamp, push the release button, and raise and lower the motor by hand. Certainly not ideal, but not the end of the world for my uses. For any sort of larger scale production work it would be an obvious deal breaker though. If time is money then this is not the router for that job.
@@ProjectsForAllReviews Home Depot currently has this combo for $378 (free shipping) Bosch 15 Amp Corded 27 in. x 18 in. Aluminum Router Table with Bonus 12 Amp Corded 2.25 HP Variable Speed Fixed-Base Router
Why no t-tracks? proper t-tracks can't be cast or injection molded, which is why you see these "would you believe it is a t-track". Notice the holes underneath the spots where the top of the t-track is present. These accomodate the bottom half of the mold for those features. "They had to machine it anyway": I see no evidence of that. miter slot was clearly not machined. Most of the features were cast in. They probably surfaced the top, perhaps on a planer. No expensive machine tools involved. Probably wouldn't have been too hard to run a t-slot milling cutter down the miter slot on a dedicated fixture but it adds cost/takes time. Cheap tools tend to get these wonky molded t-slots.
Hello Mark! Thanks for the comment. To my eye at the time I thought the ring around the router mount and possibly some of the other features had been CNCd into the top. Looking at a pic online now ( I no longer own it) I think your right and it’s all in the mold. Doesn’t change my complaint but I stand corrected. Thanks for watching!
I received this for my birthday this year and I have not had any issues so far. I've made cedar lap siding on it and now using a 30 degree bevel bit to build a honey comb mead cabinet for a buddy who owns a brewery. Its got some flaws with the out-feed fence and twisting the feather board bolts a million times to get them secure but I 100% recommend this table combo for the price tag.
Happy to hear it’s worked well for you Jake! Thanks for watching!
I just finished building the handrail on my deck ruclips.net/user/postUgkxfQ5_mgwq6PcudJvAH25t-I4D-3cTPz4z and used this great little router to clean up the top rail before the final sanding and stain. It was light weight but packed lots of power. Either size battery didn't seem to make it top heavy and I'm a 64 yr old women so I really appreciated how easy it was to use...................... CORDLESS only way to go !!
Got mine a couple years ago on sale at Christmas for $109. The Skil was twice that price. It's still quite a bit more expensive but, probably a good set up. So far no issues with my Kobalt router raising and, other than being a pain to remove at times, I have no issue with the insert plates. You should take advantage of the Kobalt warranty. Any power tool they sell has a 5 year warranty.
I just bought this and job site table saw yesterday. Router has has 5 saw has 3 . First kobalt tools I’ve owned a friend has some cordless tools and honestly I like his grinder seems smoother than my dewalt . I think their a good bargain with a good warranty for me anyways .
My dream router-table: 1. Self-squaring fence w. readout (Like a tablesaw fence) 2. Above-table precision router bit elevation adjustment
After reading TONS of reviews on this one, I was well aware of these issues, but between the aluminum table and the included router, it still seemed like the best deal out there. I was looking at the Skill brand table as well, but living in Gulf Coast Texas, I REALLY didn't want a fiber board table top, that stuff just doesn't last very long down here.
I picked it up earlier this week and haven't used it much yet, but I can already tell that those table inserts are going to be the biggest headache. Thanks for pointing out that they sell upgrades on Etsy, I paused the video and bought some right there and then.
I see that the height adjustment failure seems to be almost universal as well,.. just a case of when not if. I think I will just do the majority of adjustments by hand under the table in order to prolong it's life,.. we'll see how that works out.
I was thinking about picking up a box joint jig for it, and I am wondering if I may be able to remove the full size track from the bottom of the jig and replace it with the track from the miter gauge that comes with the router? I'm thinking that I may have to grind those tabs off the miter slot though. I may give it a try,..if I do I will return here with the results.
Thanks for the honest review.
Hello again! I understand your MDF reluctance. We get crazy humidity here in Chicago in the summer and it causes all kinds of wood swelling problems. You could prob get a 5/8 aluminum bar to fit in the slot. You could drill and tap it for multiple attachments points for anything you want to use on it. I hadn’t give it much thought before but anything can be made to work. That’s part of the fun. Was also wondering about wiping the motor housing with a thin lubricant to help take some strain off that weak gear set as it slides. Would be fine as long as it doesn’t slide when locked. Let me know how it goes. Thanks again for watching!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews Thanks for the tips.
Plan on swimming with your router table? I had a fiberboard router table in the Philippines near the coast. I bought it from someone nearby that used it for over 15 years. It was fine for the 5 years I owned it before I moved to the US
My Kobalt router has the same problem with the height adjustment. I was looking into who makes Kobalt power tools for Lowe’s and I discovered that it is the same parent company that makes Skill. Skill has a router that will fit in the table and you will still be able to adjust the height with the z shaped wrench. The router sells for $90. Hopefully it’s made better.
Hello Robert! I did the same search before the vid and it appears Chervon makes at least the cordless stuff and the also make Skil but I couldn't find a direct lineage to the routers. JS tool was also a possibility. You can really go down a rabbit hole searching for this stuff and its very interesting. I may order the Skil combo with table as it seems to have alot going for it over the Kobalt table. Let us know how the Skil works out with the Kobalt table. Thanks for watching!
I bought this set up about 2 years ago and liked it for what it is. The one gripe I had with it is the router doesn't have a speed control. For some this might not be a big deal and it probably wouldn't have been for me either but I needed to use some big bits to make some cabinet doors and it sounded like it was going to fly apart! After some research I found that you must turn the speed down the bigger the bit. Live and learn. I gave it to my very appreciative son and bought a cast iron wing for my table saw with a huge powerful router with the speed control and everyone has what they wanted! Not cheap but if you cant do what you bought it for it may not be good for everyone. Other than that I moved the on/off switch over to the side to make it easier to get to the collet and bit. Good for the money!
Hello Brian! Yes a speed control is more important on a router than a lot of people probably think. That included me when I bought this combo. Its basic and Id says its good for beginners but the lack of T-track on the table and fence makes it hard for me to recommend to anyone. Tell your son to be gentle with the height adjust if in a table and it'll prob last him a while. Thanks for watching!!
I appreciate the thorough review. I just bought an older Delta table saw with a Biesemeyer fence. I saw a video showing how this router table is the perfect width to mount between the rails of that saw. So, I've watched a few reviews on this router/table combo. You're the first I've seen to point out anything negative. I don't know why other RUclipsrs buy a tool and post a review about how awesome it is, the day after they bought it. It's nice to see a real review, for a change. It just earned you a new subscriber.
BTW, if you think that miter gauge is junk, you should see the one that came with my Craftsman router table that I got twenty something years ago. It's probably half the thickness and size. I don't think I've ever needed a miter gauge on my router table, anyway. I'm not sure what it's purpose is.
There is one major thing I learned when buying crappy cheap tool. Because it's funky to use I will not use it much. Now most of my tools are on the good and premium side and I find always a way to use them to get the best return from my inveastment.
Marcus! The amount I spend on a new tool usually depends on how much I think I will use it. That router combo is a good example. Nice to have if you need it but not an everyday tool. Shame it broke, you can see from the vid it had almost no wear on any of the parts. Thanks for watching!
Different depth on the fence allows router-based jointing. Pretty cool.
Bought this on sale a month ago and so far no issues. The lift definitely seems janky so I'm not surprised that it was a failure point for you.
Still, at $150 for the table and the router, it's a deal. If the lift fails, I may just turn the kobalt router into a fixed- based and put something more robust into the table
You have the same luck I do. I'm shopping for my 1st Router and table.......finally (65 years old). I had considered the Kobalt and the Skil.....after seeing your malfunction......I'm going Skil. All the reviews I've seen have been favorable.
Richard I’ve been looking at new tables too. The skils a contender for sure. Might splurge on a Bosch. It’s twice the money but pretty sure it would last for a decade or two. Which ever way I go it’ll be a video I’m sure. Thanks for watching and good luck!!
I bought one about 12 yrs ago out of the box the router spindle had a 1/16 in. wobble keep an eye out for that when buying this!
I’ve been looking at everything on the market and I held off a couple years at one point in time I purchased a husky work table with the insert to mount a router but it was made of plastic and I didn’t think it would hold up well with my WEN router which doesn’t even mount to the universe mounting plate so I bought a piece of steel and cut it to fit in the table but as I was looking for a fence to create and everything else I wanted the costs kept rising. So I put that idea on hold and began looking at Facebook marketplace for an inexpensive alternative. But Christmas 2022 and I decided to go ahead and buy the kobalt router table for 129.00 and I got the 15 piece Bosch.25 router bit set for 69 something. Mostly because of the quality of the product. And from watching dozens of videos. I have grown an appreciation of doing things myself and all you need is practice and wood lol.
love your reviews! very detailed and helpful!
I’ve been looking at this set and the skill. Thank you for sharing. Very thorough review. Now I need to see what I can find about the skill table and router set
Thank you Erin! That Skil combo does look tempting and it has some important basic features this lacks, like a T track. Since I’m also in the market for a new router and table 🙄 I’ve been going between the Skil and just shelling out for a Bosch. Either way it’ll be a future video! Thanks for watching!!
don't rely on this router for above table adjustments. It has an issue with plastic cogs that break and makes the above table setting not work. it's a royal pain and apparently been a problem for a long time as it is still in the reviews. it's a good router for one that isn't speed adjustable otherwise, plenty of power.
Thank you so much for this video. I'm a beginner and I've finally burned out my trim router and want to take the next step up to a router and table. I've been looking at this model because of the price point but I have also seen several Skil models and I'll follow up on your mention that they may be a better deal. Thanks!
Glad I could help Dan! Skil recently sent me the 10a fixed router for review and I ordered the table that comes with the combo so probably next month we’ll be checking it out. Thanks for watching!
I caught it on sale for $130 today. Went ahead and got it. If nothing else I got a decent router 🤷♂️
On point. I had the same problem with the height adjustment. It hasn't had much use even though I've had it for a few months. Without that it's useless for me now. The router works good cutting oak and no bogg down
I still can’t believe that thing broke while I was filming it.😂 This was one of my earlier vids and it really threw me for a loop. Gave it to a scrap guy in the alley! Your right it’s a shame because the router wasn’t half bad. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews hilarious moment!😂😂😂😂
I see a lot of negative reasons why not to buy this router table. I do a lot of woodworking and own a cnc plus x amount of tools. I purchased my kobalt router table for $90.00 in a new wrapped box on clearance. It has a 15 amp router and i see everyone else has a 12 amp router. I watched it for a long time versus all the others. The big thing that sold me was the router/table itself. It had listed over $200.00 at one time. Model 1034.2. It was worth it for the router alone. I am cheap and also shop the clearance portion of lowes. I bought a kobalt weedeater for $25.00 on clearance. Do not buy on impulse, shop clearance. Good luck.....
Mine says 15amp also and I've had no issues. Not sure why PFA didn't take advantage of the Kobalt warranty and at least give it another try. Love mine...
After reading some reviews on my Lowe’s website I think I’ll continue building my husky work table router table again. Because of the size 1.8ft x 3ft. I think I’ll use an aluminum angle piece as a fence and attach .25” lauan for any height I desire. Using my wen 15 amp plunge router it’s got soft start motor and 8,000- 23,000 rpm. So I’ll have two tables for big and small projects
Have this and my tabletop not flat either. It was a Christmas gift so can't complain much. The miter gauge and miter slot are useless. Way too much play to be accurate in cuts. I've considered cutting the tabs on miter slot and making my own miter gauge but did not. I just mounted the router under my table saw out feed table and routed my own miter slot. Works for me!
my local Lowes has the Bosch 1171 table discounted to $105. Then I have to get a supported router ($125 for the lesser dewalt). I don't know if it is a $100 better setup than the Kobalt, especially for the hobbyist. Likely get this Kobalt setup
I have the same Kobalt table and router. It was a gift, so I don't know what my family paid for it. I use the router with the table and router independent of the table.
The switch on the table is very good. It has two outlets. I use one for the router and the other for the shop vac for dust collection. Flip the switch and both devices turn on. This works very well.
The router has three Phillips head screws for removing and installing it into the table or adding the router plate. This works fine. I do support my router during this process. I have also made my own router templates.
The height adjustment on my router is my biggest complaint. It does not always lock properly. Once, I finally get it dialed in and locked it is fine. I can make repeated cuts and I'm good with that. There have been a few times where I did the "micro-adjusting" by raising and lowering router bit. Not great, but doable and most of the time this is faster than using the built in micro adjuster.
The track is non-standard and nearly useless. I was able jerry rig my Rockler Box Joint Jig to make it work, but it wasn't pretty. The accessories are sub standard.
I hope this helps.
Your right about the switch, it is good quality and the two outlets are a big plus. There were a few small things I meant to mention and demonstrate that got forgotten when the router base broke. Thank you for watching!
Great review - one of the few I see on youtube that aren't driven by free products or, even if it was (but it seems it wasn't), it sounds honest. I look forward to viewing more of your videos.
Thanks for watching!
That skil table looks amazing
Your router isn't broken. Just have to push it up from the bottom when adjusting up. If you need to fine tune, make sure you go above and fine tune down. Good luck if you have to fine tune up. I bought the same combo 2 or 3 years ago for 129. It's on sale now for 149. I don't think it's worth any more than that.
Lol!! I’m going to maintain my position that it’s broken…. Mine went to a scrap guy in the alley. If you manage to get one that doesn’t break for the money it’s a pretty sweet deal. We’re going to do the Skil table in the next month. I’m hoping it’s a better budget option. Thanks for watching!
Funny I ran across your video today. I bought this same Kobalt Router table two years ago and this past July 2022 mine did the same as yours. The exact same thing happened. Kobalt would not honor the warranty so got rid of it. Donated to a fellow woodworker that knew the issue and he was fine with that. I went with a Grizzly Industry router table T28048 for about $225.00 plus router.
Shame to hear about the warranty. I should have tried too but I couldn’t find the receipt. Gave mine to a scrapper in the alley. Looking forward to getting some Grizzly stuff on the channel. We’ll get to them eventually. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for the honesty in your review.
Thank you for this. I was batting the Skil and Kobalt around but this gave me the insight I needed.
Kobalts an obvious no from me. I already have the Skil 10a router and it seems fine but I’ve ordered the table to review. I’m hoping we’ll get to it next month. Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews I have a really old craftsman one from 20 years ago. I may wait to hear your opinion on the Skil.
It definitely needs better inserts that is why I am here if you are gonna be using smaller pieces, am making sign bases with a 1/8 mortis for plexiglass signs it was fine when I was using a 2x4 but when I switched to 1x2 for smaller signs the corner of the boards keep getting caught in the gap in the middle of cuts I like having unmangled fingers. It is awesome for the price don't see why they cheaped out on that I could care less about the miter gauge on a router table the straight gauge is awesome, but I am never taking it out of the table that is what palm router are for... it is still a great purchase, but this just seems stupid to me.
same here on my side with gear. I struggle with adjustments but have found if i put pressure underneath, I am able to get it dialed in. However, fine tuning is a burden and major headache. If i were to go back in time and knew of this issue, this would not ave been purchased. For the money at the time it seemed a good deal for me. It was the router that sold me, and now it is the router that would cause me not to purchase again. It does what I need at moment, but the time will come when this will get donated to another needy new woodworker. Watching deals and auctions for next router table and router purchase
Thanks for the comment!
I would love to see you review the Skil combo router table!
Soon! Very soon! I’m looking forward to that one too! Thanks for watching!
I bought this on Monday but I realized that’s it’s more for cabinets and i won’t really have any purpose for it lol so I’m returning it to Lowe’s and just getting a jigsaw or the small router for door hinge’s since I do handyman work more
Other then that it’s a great tools the table makes 10x better
Thanks for watching Ariel!
I also have this router table, and I have that same problem with it dropping, i get passed it by holding the bottom (top) of the router with slight upward pressure while I lift it and then I usually don’t run into the same problem
That works. I did it for a very short while. I got passed it by throwing it out in the alley. 😂 We’ve got the Skil combo coming up in a month or so. Thanks for watching Alex!
I unfortunately own that piece of crap too. Mine was made under the "Blue Hawk" name for Lowes. You at least got the aluminum table. Mine had a very crappy MDF table that all the screws immediatly striped out of. Was able to salvage the plastic legs and mount plate for a rebuilt table top. Still stuck with the crappy, bad adjusting router with crappy collets. I wouldn't wish this unit on my worst enemy!
Lol! The only advantage the aluminum table had for me was the scraper in the alley looked happy when I handed it to him! Thanks for watching!
don't rely on this router for above table adjustments. It has an issue with plastic cogs that break and makes the above table setting not work. it's a royal pain and apparently been a problem for a long time as it is still in the reviews. Otherwise, it's a good router for one that isn't speed adjustable, plenty of power.
on the track not being standard T track… i made the mistake of buying craftsman table saw… same issue. 🤬
What's a better alternative
Awesome thank you for pulling the dang thing out from underneath. Subscribed.
Thank you Micah!
Maybe I'm using mine wrong but I can't use the adjustment key with the dust hose attachment in place
i fixed the insert issue with hot melt glue to level them.
I just purchased this on sale at Lowes yesterday (9/10/22). I got it setup and played with it today and started cutting on my project. It seemed startup full speed, then with minimal load it would go down to a slow speed. I would have to turn it off and back on. After using it for about 30 minutes, it just stopped. The lights come on, but no rotation. Looks like I'm going to return it my next trip to my closest Lowes (70 miles).
Sorry to hear Frank! If your going to buy another combo like this make sure it has proper channel cut into the table. If you ever want to mount a store bought jig it’ll make your life easier. Good luck with the next one!
Did you try to bring it back to the store for a warranty claim? They have a 5 year warranty.
No but in hindsight I wish I had. Would have been nice to find out how Kobalt is handling warranty claims. Thanks for the comment!
Whats the name of the company that sells inserts for my Kobalt router? Great review on the router thanks for sharing
Hello Jim. I put the link in the description for everyone. If you buy them let us know how they work out. Thanks for watching!
Bought this new/used for $50 but i need to get the wrenches and table inserts. Seemed like a deal at the time. Haven't used it yet so i guess we'll see lol
$50 is a good price. I’d send you the inserts if I still had them. I gave this to a scrapper in the alley. Hopefully you have better luck. Thanks for watching!
Many the Kobalt tool manufacturer could not hold the price point low. If they tooled a t-track in this tool royalty may be due the t-track paten holder.
Possibly, but my guess is it’s just a cost saving measure. I would never buy another tool with one of these sort-of-a miter slot. Attaching jigs to a router table gives you a ton of additional functionality which is great if you have limited space. Thanks for watching!
Maybe someone will make a table that accepts the t-track as a drop in addition. Wouldn't that be sweet?
Nice review, sorry for your pain. Not flat, not variable speed, funky miter slot and broken with minimal use. Not what I'm looking for. I just ordered the Bosch RA1181 aluminum table with Bosch 1617EVS variable speed router to attach to the Ridgid 4560 table saw. Had to buy offset wrenches (to change the router bit from above while the router remains mounted under the table) Bosch RA1152 separately. Also ordered the Rockler Dust Right Router Table Dust Bucket. Not ideal, but free shipping and all that I wanted to spend and not much more than the shipping cost for a big full cast iron table saw. (A 250 lb. $689 saw ships free, but a 550 lb. $2,000 saw costs $350 to ship). Hopefully I can make it work.
All quality components! I’m sure it’s going to work great for you. I’ve been eyeballing the Sawstop saw mount table. 27inches deep should be good for my Delta with some drilling. Thanks for watching. FYI I read your email and I’ll msg you back shortly. Been a busy week. Thanks for watching Jerry!
Oh snap! Tyson Fury does wood working and tool reviews!!! Who knew🤷🏻♂️
Lol!!!!! I’ve been called worse! Hard to believe that guys 7 inches taller than me. Thanks for watching!
"...or an orange cat that you don't trust" ohhhhh, that's what it's for! Luckily, my workshop cat isn't the orange one.
Smart move Timmy never trust the Orange ones!! Thanks for watching!!
My issue with this is the fence
I will be returning my Kobalt table and router today. Very disappointed. Day one, it worked just fine. The next morning went into garage to work on it some more and the lift just didn't work. Couldn't understand why, but made the decision not to bother with Kobalt customer service. Just packed up the box and will be returning it to Lowes. Your description of the lift problem was perect, but for it to last just one day (with gentle use) is disappointing. This turns me off buying any Kobalt products going forward.
That’s crazy but at least you still have the option to return it. I gave mine to a scrap guy in the alley! Good luck and thanks for watching!
Thanks John
Thanks for watching!
Just bought one today.
Hope you have better luck than I. Thanks for watching!
great review
Thanks for watching Manuel!
Looking at getting one after work.
Current price is 129
I hope it work out well for ya! Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews bought a planer instead
@@stanmondzelewski9253 Probably for the best. Should be checking out the Skil router combo soon. Looks promising.
@@ProjectsForAllReviews just found out my old craftsman 113 table saw had a router table wing option, looking for one of them now.
Still need a router though
@@ProjectsForAllReviews bought it anyway.
Mine has that hump in the same spot, but runs front to back across the table.
May take my belt sander to it and see if i can get it flat
For $129 it is good for me. I wrote this comment in the beginning of the video now?
Love it. Now $205 with a 100 peace chicken nuggets and a toy... DEAL! All day long...
Has anyone had machine shop cut the mitre guage slot so that a T track could be inserted?
Interesting idea Tom! Shame I gave this to a scrapper in the alley. Could have cut this and done some really mediocre tig welding for you. Pretty sure you could do it without a machine shop and If I remember correct it probably has enough thickness in the table to make it work. Thanks for watching!
You can use the router itself and the fence that's on it to cut those off.
@@WVgunfun I've had success modifying my Craftsman table saw by removing the tabs with a router, and making slides out of HDPE commercial cutting boards. I tried finding a machine shop to do it, but their rate was $140.00 /hr. So it was cheaper to buy new than to pay that. Very happy with my DIY result.
@@ProjectsForAllReviews Not really enough thickness for the slot, as it turns out.
Bought this - wish I hadn’t. Nothing aftermarket fits the slots and the router adjustment is a joke. Buy something else.
I have the same router and table. I also have the same issue of having the gear skip. Could you find the reason why the lift mechanism suddenly stopped working correctly? Any suggestions on how to fix it?
Ill take a closer look at the base this week. If I can get it apart without voiding the potential warranty ill update this reply. As for a reason I can only guess but possibly the teeth between the gear halves are too small or not properly hardened?? Could be user error on my part, I don't remember cranking it with the lock latch shut but I wouldn't put it past me! Don't know how long you've had yours but on Lowes it said 5 year warranty. Thanks for watching!
Is the fence removable for a flush-cutting bit with a template?
Yes you can remove the fence easily. Loosen the 3 wing nuts on the back side and I comes right off. Reattaches in seconds too. Thanks for the comment David!
I have the same height adjustment slipping issue. Any fixes or jacks on dealing with that would be appreciated!
Wish I had an answer for you but ended up tossing mine. Didn’t look repairable. Good luck and thanks for watching!
I’m taking mine back for a refund. Called Kobalt and they have no fix or hack to make the slippage stop. Their answer is to exchange it.
Cool you have the option. I’ve been eyeballing the Skil combo and some others. We’ll get more combos in for review soon!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews I just ordered the Skil combo set for $199. Hoping it works better. Many videos on it and the table side adjustments seem to work much better.
took this back and bought the Skil Router and Router table combo. The adjustment is designed much better, and frankly so is the router table with its built in storage on the legs. For about a $60 increase over the Kobalt combo, I'm glad I traded "up".....
What if I had 3 orange cats I don’t trust? 😆
I was thinking about buy the Kobalt router table but now I might look for something else. Any suggestions.
Garry! I would seem we are both looking for something else! 😂 Check out the Skil table. Amazon has a combo with 10amp router for $200 and table only for $130. This will probably be the next router review for me, but Ill do some more looking this weekend. Thanks for watching and let us know what you get!
Have reviewed the one harber freight had.i thing it's a Chicago brand.
Without a fix for the lift issues, I would not suggest this router and table. It is impossible to set the bit height when installed in the table.
It does seem possible to raise and lower by hand from underneath the table, but it is difficult to make small adjustments.
You just release the clamp, push the release button, and raise and lower the motor by hand.
Certainly not ideal, but not the end of the world for my uses. For any sort of larger scale production work it would be an obvious deal breaker though. If time is money then this is not the router for that job.
@@StillLivinginthewoods remove the split gear spring and install shims quick release wont work but it should hold the router in place
Some people don't really know as much as they claim.Bottom line God bless you
Thanks Patrick!
Lowes has these for $50 dollars in my area. Wtf u paying $180 for it. Beat mine to death and nothing has broken on it. It's user error on your part
Anyone find a better combo?
I have not but hoping to get more router combos for review soon! Thanks for watching!
@@ProjectsForAllReviews Home Depot currently has this combo for $378 (free shipping) Bosch 15 Amp Corded 27 in. x 18 in. Aluminum Router Table with Bonus 12 Amp Corded 2.25 HP Variable Speed Fixed-Base Router
I got to ask question for everybody which is your favorite Cobalt tool?
My XTR Sawzaw. But I have several Kobalt tools I really love. Yours?
12" sliding compound miter saw. love it! Can cut wider boards now.
Don't use the laser guide, test blade position before actually cutting.
Anyone install a standard t-track on this unit?
I regret throwing this out for just this reason! If I see one dirt cheap I’ll grab it and do this for a video. Thanks for the comment!
The orange cat did look untrustworthy !
😂 You aint kidding!
Buy router come with free table
Ok if ya live in STATES,BUT IF YA SHIP IT TO PHILIPPINES ITS DOUBBLE THE PRICE😂😂😂😂😂
Why no t-tracks? proper t-tracks can't be cast or injection molded, which is why you see these "would you believe it is a t-track". Notice the holes underneath the spots where the top of the t-track is present. These accomodate the bottom half of the mold for those features. "They had to machine it anyway": I see no evidence of that. miter slot was clearly not machined. Most of the features were cast in. They probably surfaced the top, perhaps on a planer. No expensive machine tools involved. Probably wouldn't have been too hard to run a t-slot milling cutter down the miter slot on a dedicated fixture but it adds cost/takes time. Cheap tools tend to get these wonky molded t-slots.
Hello Mark! Thanks for the comment. To my eye at the time I thought the ring around the router mount and possibly some of the other features had been CNCd into the top. Looking at a pic online now ( I no longer own it) I think your right and it’s all in the mold. Doesn’t change my complaint but I stand corrected. Thanks for watching!