Makita RF1101 Router Questions

[waahhoo]

I was about to order a spare Makita RT0701C from Amazon and saw the Makita RF1101 2 1/4 HP that comes with both 1/4 and 1/2 collets. I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this router. I couldn’t find the size mount I would need for it online. I have the 65 mm spindle mount that came with my OneFinity. Seemed like it might be a nice upgrade to a more powerful router if there’s a way to mount it.

Thanks.

[Aiph5u (Aiph5u (not affiliated with Onefinity))]

Hey waahhoo,

the Onefinity offers the stock 65 mm mount and the optional 80 mm spindle mount. Since the Makita RF1101 seems to have a 82.55 mm motor housing, you will hardly be able to mount it to the Onefinity.

Note that outside of the U.S.A., the Makita RT070x hand trim router always comes with 6 and 8 mm collets. You can get them as replacement parts in order to use bits with 6 and 8 mm shanks.

@Aiph5u

www.makita.de: RT0700C (discontinued)
www.makita.de: RT0702C (current model)

Screenshot: Excerpt from Makita Catalogue. As you can see here, not only is 6 and 8 mm the standard collet size, but there are only cordless hand trim routers left in Japan. Brushless DC motors – not the badest thing!

@Aiph5u

As explained here, the Makita has no torque at high speeds (and wood is milled at high speeds) and with this type of motor, the speed decreases with the load, and when slowed down the current increases, and with it, the heat, while the fan then turns too slowly. So you know what to avoid: Too high load. Also I would not use bits larger than 1/2" with the Makita (especially avoid large diameter surfacing bits as it was always during their use that the router burned up). Makita does not offer bits larger that 1/2" for the RT070x.

Images: The author of this post owns this RT0702C Makita hand trim router for the use as laminate trimmer. It comes with 6 and 8 mm collets.

@Aiph5u

I can’t help you if you want to order them in the U.S. or Canada, but here I get them:

A-86181 at ebay.de
A-86197 at ebay.de
Makita 8 mm A-86181 at idealo.de
Makita 6 mm A-86197 at idealo.de
Makita A-86181 at heise online Preisvergleich / Deutschland
Makita A-86197 at heise online Preisvergleich / Deutschland

@Aiph5u

You can buy them as Makita spare parts anywhere outside the U.S.:

• A-86197 – Makita RT0702C collet 6 mm
• A-86181 – Makita RT0702C collet 8 mm

@Andros

I just received a 6mm and 8mm collets from a supplier on Ebay.

Makita 763636-3 6mm Collet Cone 3620 RT0700 RT0701 MT361 RP0900 3709 3710 MTR050 | eBay
Makita 763618-5 8mm Collet Cone 3620 3608B RTO700C RT0701C RPO900 DRT50 MT361 | eBay

I had my doubts about the cone 8mm but it seems fine.

→ You may also be able to get collets with other sizes, metric as well as imperial/U.S. customary, for the Makita RT070x.

@Aiph5u

What is bit sad and often leads to problems is that the proprietary Makita collets do not hold the bit as safely as an ER collet does.

Unlike ER collets, which clamp the bit shaft over a longer length and therefore much reliably, the Makita collet just clamps the bit on the beginning of shaft (see length of conical part on picture, it is extremely short on Makita):

Makita collet

ER collet

@Aiph5u

There exists Makita-style routers that have real ER collets, e.g. the Carbide router that would also fit the Onefinity CNC. Of course a real ER collet is a huge advantage over a router collet and avoids the lots of issues of router not holding the bit.

@Aiph5u

Further reading

The Makita router ate the big log – Post #1 by Bear
Makita Router Overload – Post #1 by RexH
Fire Safety in workshop – Post #9 by Aiph5u
Largest clearance bit the Makita router can use – Post #2 by Aiph5u
Makita Bearing went Bad – #4 by ConvenientWoodwork

[waahhoo]

Thank you very much for all the info, I really appreciate it. I think my best bet is to save up for a spindle. I’m also going to try one of the chip breaker bits from IDC. It if performs as advertised, that should speed up some of my machine times until I upgrade.