I've aquired a westfield les paul copy to screw with

[MDV]

Sorry meant to post this link

http://www.powertooldirect.co.uk/trend_woodworking_from_trend_routers-cm-119-3814.html

Although the T5EB is cheaper here

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74218/Power-Tools/Routers-Planers/Trend-T5EB-850W-Router

The T4EK is an 850w router very easy to use as it has a very small body

The T5EB is an 850w low power professional router which benefits from electronic speed control

I would probably recommend the T4EK because it would be really easy to use

Trend set the industry standard for routers most manufactures use their dimensions so that all the trend jigs etc will fit their routers.

Bosch tools are excellent but they do three grades green, and two grades of professional blue tools in general the green tools are designed for light domestic use. Any router will do the job as long as the bit is sharp, you are not cutting too deep or with too large a bit depending on the hardness of the woods. High quality router bits can be very expensive £20 each but there are some decent sets at a reasonable price. I have a ternd set. I spent a lot of time investigating routers and talking to professional woodworkers before I got one.

Thanks but they're a bit much till I have some router skillz - I'm gonna go with the bosch

[Bradock PI]

Hehe I was actually suggesting the T4EK because it would be much easier to use than the bosch and it is about the same price,  I am sure the bosch will serve you well.

The bosch equivalent to the TK5EB is something like

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/68002/Power-Tools/Corded-Screwdrivers/Bosch-GKF600-600W-Router

The main difference for the more expensive routers is the high precision depth adjustments which you need for inlays and the like

NB I have about 7 Bosch powertools (4 green) 1 Trend a few Hitachi and a Dewalt so its not that I am obsessed with Trend  :chain:

[MDV]

Hehe I was actually suggesting the T4EK because it would be much easier to use than the bosch and it is about the same price,  I am sure the bosch will serve you well.

The bosch equivalent to the TK5EB is something like

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/68002/Power-Tools/Corded-Screwdrivers/Bosch-GKF600-600W-Router

The main difference for the more expensive routers is the high precision depth adjustments which you need for inlays and the like

NB I have about 7 Bosch powertools (4 green) 1 Trend a few Hitachi and a Dewalt so its not that I am obsessed with Trend  :chain:

Ah, so it is, I only looked at the tk5.

I'll um and ah a bit.

Why do you think the trend will be easier to use?

[Bradock PI]

Size mainly and if you can handle them with one hand it is easier to see what you are doing. The small body offers less obstruction to know where you are. If you can nip to a DIY shop and try holding them and seeing how you would see what your are doing and control the bit. Some are designed to work well with jigs and guides others for freehand work. Only issue is if using one hand have to limit how much wood you are trying to cut.

Gets some scr@p hard and softwood and practice before you go near anything that matters - avoid high resin woods like new pine and any old woods with tars or laquers as this will wreck your bits.

[Dreichlift]

Just ideas, contour the body and put in a Jem style monkey grip. Spray it blood red and replace the binding with real ebony to practice wood bending. Reshape the back of the neck (been said already I think), install a fender S1 switch and see how many pickup combinations you can make. Rout out a battery cavity and build an active booster circuit, and finally strip it all back and reverse engineer everything you've done and start over. Filling in cavities for trems and holes is hard to do well I'm told.