Hitachi KM12VC router review
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009 at
3:38 pm
| Hitachi KM12VC 11 Amp 2-1/4-Horsepower Plunge and Fixed Base Variable Speed Router Kit with 1/4-Inch and 1/2-Inch Collets | ||||||||||||||||
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Product Description |
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Hitachi KM12VC router provides really smooth results with enough power and precision even for professionals. Plunge and fixed base attachments are designed to disconnect with a simple release clamp which enables fast and easy changes without using any tools. This router is ideal for carpenters and woodworkers who need a very precise tool, it can easily handle any kind of job: from pattern cutting and chamfering to groove cutting and trimming, this router does it all with ease and precision.
Another great feature of this router is its electronic speed control which maintains constant RPMs even when workload changes, it also has a sturdy nickel plating to keep it scratch and stain free, all in all this is a great router full of useful high end features with modern ergonomic design. Key Technical Specs:
What's in the Box Warranty
BULLETS: 1. Plunge and fixed base router kit with 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch collets 2. 2-1/4-horsepower, 11 amps; variable speed (8,000 to 24,000 rpm) 3. Nickel-plated motor housing for smooth depth adjustments 4. Includes motor, bases, collets, 4 wrenches, 7 template guides and adapter, centering gauge, sub base plate, 10 hex socket bolts, lock nut, case 5. Fixed base weighs 7.3 pounds; plunge base weighs 9.9 pounds; kit weighs 22.8 pounds shipped; 5-year limited manufacturer's warranty | ||||||||||||||||
Product Details
- Plunge and fixed base router kit with 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch collets
- 2-1/4-horsepower, 11 amps; variable speed (8,000 to 24,000 rpm)
- Nickel-plated motor housing for smooth depth adjustments
- Includes plunge and fixed base router; 1/2-inch and 1/4-inch collet chucks, template guide adaptor, centering gauge, sub-base plate, 3 wrenches
- 5-year warranty
Video Reviews
No video reviews found for this product.
Customer Reviews
 Dare I say it? Yes, I dare: Better Than Porter Cable |
| Review Date: March 3, 2005 |
| Reviewer: D. R. Locker, Houston, TX United States |
| I played around with a bunch of routers and router combo packs before settling on this one. I played with the Bosch, Porter Cable, Dewalt, Milwalkee, and Makita, but none of them felt so solid in my hand or ergonically precise as the Hitachi.
Getting it out and using it (a lot already) has only confirmed my decision. This is my first router to own, but I have used and fidgeted with a number of them. I couldn't be happier with my purchase. I really like the smooth feel of the locks on these, and the precision with which you can set them. The depth stop on the plunge base has a great design and the spring is firm enough to force you to make a smooth entry, rather than the motor 'falling' into the workpiece. The motor is a work of art. It is so smooth and quiet compared to many routers. As sound is a product of vibration, I tend to think that a router that is quiet and powerful at the same time is going to be more precise and smooth than a loud and powerful one. It's true that you have to use 2 wrenches to loosen the collet, but I feel more confident in its durability than a locking collet (as noted by another reviewer). I really think this the best 2 1/4 HP router combo on the market. Yes, even better than the old vanguards like Porter Cable and Bosch. It doesn't hurt that it is also a bit cheaper than most. Now if Hitachi would make a D-handle and include the edge guide in the package, then it truly would be the perfect router. But even without those, I still highly recommend this router, whether you buy it with the combo or just the fixed base. |
| Impressive quality right out of the case |
| Review Date: February 23, 2005 |
| Reviewer: E. Rowell, Utah |
| The first thing that I noticed about this router is how solid it is. The motor is surprisingly hefty for its size. I love the ease at which I can switch from the fixed base to the plunge base. The soft start is smooth and yet powerful. One of the things that made me decide on this Hitachi was the fact that I was constantly seeing it being used in the background of woodworking magazine article photos as well as on the covers and in advertisements for different products related to routers. The base locks are a breeze to use, they hold tight and are easily adjustable. I would have been satistied had I paid even more for it regardless of the free palm sander which is also a fine piece of equipment. It is true that it takes two wrenches to loosen the Collette but that is a give and take situation. Locking colletes are convenient but all that extra engineering in the motor housing just isn't necessary and I feel that it would tend to detract from the solid feel and quality of the motor. The router maintains it's RPM under a considerable load. I love this machine and would highly recommend it! |
| Almost perfect. |
| Review Date: January 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: David Hostetler, League City, Texas U.S.A. |
| I purchased the KM12VC kit when I was doing a mess of profiles and needed a 1/2" collet router. I have also owned a Ryobi R161, Black and Decker Firestorm FS1200RP, and PC 690. The Hitachi KM12VC is by far the most pleasant tool to use in my shop. Bid depth adjustments are fairly easy, and everything works as smooth as silk. Soft start keeps the router from trying to twist out of your hands when you fire it up. Simply put, I have used a LOT of different routers over the years, running the gamut from cheap hard to work with tools, the routers costing hundreds of dollars more than the Hitachi. From a usability standpoint, I have not yet laid hands on a router I like better. But it is NOT perfect. There are things about the router I dislike. These are.
#1. Toggle switch for the on / off function. It works, but seems like it belongs in a B29, not on a woodworking router. *** UPDATE *** I have been using this router for I guess a little over a year now. I have gotten to where I really like the toggle switch. It has been trouble free, and solid. Simplicity wins the day with this switch. It works as good as the day I bought the router. #2. Lack of a collet lock. My Ryobi and B&D both have this feature, the Hitachi doesn't. I have to manhandle 2 collet wrenches to add /remove bits. *** UPDATE *** I have found the 2 wrench routine to be very easy to get accustomed to. I find it FAR easier to do bit changes with this than the B&D. While these are certainly negatives, the nice features, the smooth, and quiet operation, and the fact that this router has yet to leave me wanting for power, make it likely I will buy a second one so I can keep bit depth set for doing tasks like dovetails... *** UPDATE *** The negatives ended up being far less negative than I had initially thought. I have been so impressed with this router that I am leaving the fixed base in my Ryobi BT3100 table saw extension wing. To top that off, I ordered my second one yesterday. To say I am pleased with this router is an understatement. I have spun everything from tiny bits, to massive bits with this ting. I have never been left wanting, even with a giant panel raising bit... (Just take several shallower passes and work your way to full depth... |
| Never better |
| Review Date: December 6, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Bryan Hootman, Tucson AZ |
| I have been an avid woodworker for many years. This is without a doubt the best and easiest to use router I have ever owned. I have always used Porter Cable or some other big name brand. But this guy puts them all to shame. It's very well machined, the motor and base plate fit together tighter than others and they still move very freely. The whole router just feels better made. You can see & feel the quality of this router the minute you lift it out of the storage case. Which by the way is the nicest case I have ever seen. I usually toss the cases I get but this one is so well thought out I kept it to store all the extras that came with the router and other things I like to keep close for routing. |
| Great buy |
| Review Date: August 29, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Haoleb, Hawaii |
| This is the first plunge router I have used, I needed to get one to cut holes for some subwoofers I built. I shopped around the local suspects, Lowes, HD etc and none of them had anything decent in the price range I wanted to spend in. Of course there are better routers out there but unless your ready to drop a few hundred bucks on one then I think this is a great product. I read about others having problems with the collets. I have found once you loosen it, you need to keep unscrewing the nut and it will get tight again and you must loosen it past that second point THEN it will release the bits very easily.
Overall the router is easy to use, has good power and runs very smoothly. The other routers I have used were all your standard issue porter cable's and they do not run nearly as smooth. Also when I bought this router I thought "why would i care about a soft start?" even such a small thing as that makes it nice as the router doesnt want to jump out of your hand when you turn it on. The adjustable speed is nice but I have only really used the higher settings. Perhaps if different router bits came with a guide as to what kind of RPM they work with best it would be more useful. The case is nice although the little compartment in there I throw all the cutting template thing in always opens and dumps them out. Both the plunge and fixed base seem pretty nicely made. Having never used a plunge base It took a little bit of reading the directions to figure out what all the levers and things were for. The directions are quite poor. overall I wish I bought this a long time ago. There are so many things I didnt know you could do with a router that would have been handy. This seems like an excellent buy at $130 bucks with free shipping. |
| Hitachi for the win |
| Review Date: March 22, 2008 |
| Reviewer: Austin Shoemaker, Cold Spring, KY |
| Value is the one one word that sums up this kit. I don't want to beat a dead horse, but I agree that you'll be hard pressed to find a better deal than this Hitachi kit. I've never used the Bosch that so many rave about, but I have used the Porter Cable kit and some old Craftsman fixed base routers. I'd put the Hitachi at about the same level as the Porter Cable. Better availability of accessories would put it at or above the PC in my opinion. It's solid and easy to use. The only two very minor gripes for me are the position of the on/off switch and the stiffness of the plunge base (I probably just need to lube it). The gripes aren't enough to warrant less than 5 stars though. I look forward to using this router for years to come! |
Tagged with: Hitachi • KM12VC • Router
Filed under: Hitachi • Routers
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