Router: Borrow or Buy?
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A router transforms basic woodworking into craft-level work. If you build furniture, install trim, or do any project where edge profiles and joinery matter, buy one. For a single project where you need a roundover on a tabletop, borrow.
The Numbers
Why Borrow
- If you need one edge profile on one project, borrowing for a day saves the $150+ buy-in
- Router bits are an ongoing investment ($10-40 each). Borrowing from someone who already has a bit collection saves that cost.
- Routers take practice to control. If you have never used one, borrow first and try it on scrap wood before committing.
- A chamfer or roundover on a single project does not justify buying a router and the bits to go with it
Why Buy
- Edge profiles (roundover, chamfer, ogee) make the difference between "I built this" and "this looks store-bought"
- Dado cuts, rabbets, and mortises: a router cuts joinery that other tools cannot
- With a router table, it becomes a mini shaper for small parts and repeated profiles
- A fixed-base router with a 1/4" collet starts at $100. That is the entry point for dramatically better-looking projects.
- The bit collection grows over time. Each bit unlocks a new profile or joinery technique.
Check Before You Buy
Someone in your neighborhood probably owns a router and uses it a few times a year. Borrowing saves money, saves garage space, and keeps tools in use instead of collecting dust.
See How FriendsWithTools WorksCommon Questions
Fixed-base vs plunge router: which should I buy first?
Fixed-base for most beginners. It is simpler, lighter, and handles edge profiling, dado cuts with a guide, and template routing. A plunge router drops the bit into the middle of a workpiece, which is needed for mortises, inlays, and stopped cuts. If you can afford a combo kit (both bases, one motor), that covers everything. If not, start with fixed-base.
What router bits should I start with?
Five bits cover most beginner needs: a 1/4" roundover, a 45-degree chamfer, a flush-trim bit, a 1/4" straight bit, and a 1/2" straight bit. That set costs $30-50 total and handles edge profiling, template routing, dados, and rabbets. Buy carbide-tipped bits. High-speed steel dulls fast on plywood and hardwood.