Review on Bosch Benchtop Router Table RA1181 by Jason Paredes

This is my first and only router table. Of all the tools I own, I *hate* this thing right off the bat and am about to upgrade. I'll spend everything to get a proper router table after using this one. It's a shame, because otherwise I have great confidence in Bosch products. Build was ok, not as bad as other reviewers write. But it is more difficult and takes longer than average for a modern instrument. Pros: - Metal countertop - luckily mine is perfectly flat. I feel sorry for the other owners, because if it is turned off, all the work related to it will be shot. - Comes with accessories such as perforated panels - Multiple popular routers can be installed - Power switch controls two outputs. One for the router, one for something else. usually this is a shop vacuum cleaner / vacuum cleaner. I love this feature. Cons: - Expensive for what it is. The fact that it contains metal does not justify its high cost. LOW accuracy of working parts. I would pay more for tools with some alignment or setting accuracy. It doesn't have it. You can see almost everything. Even then, don't think your cuts will be good.- Metal tabletop with plastic legs. I keep mine under the closet when not in use. It's horribly unbalanced when moved - the router's platen is often not level with the table surface due to vibration and use. Yes, getting up is easy, but I have to do it on almost EVERY board I ride this thing on. The milling plate rests on several screws at the corners of the plate. You can either turn the screw in or out to raise or lower the corners of the mounting plate. When running parts from above, the vibrations of the router bit cutting into the wood loosen these screws. Your part will move or even rest against the vertical hole plate if you set it up fairly firmly. Adjustment knobs are designed to punish the user. You have to align the accessories with floating latches that swing. I can't even describe it. I hate using accessories so much I just threw them away. Spring boards, transparent dust cover - The fence is difficult to adjust. It works great when you get it, but this type of fence might do better on a table saw. The two knobs independently adjust the depth. However, on a router table, you must independently align the fence with the router bit AND the corner guide. I usually align with the router, tighten one side of the fence, then align at 2 points with the angle guide, then set the fence and then tighten the other knob. Bam, not aligned with the router. Then I tried to align myself with the miter track first, except for the beat. But if I make it, there will always be small adjustments to the racquet. Bring it out of alignment with the miter guide. Back and forth etc. I hate it. Playing around with this design distracts from working on the project. - Installed a Bosch router - difficult to reach to adjust router height and change bits as the design of the table does not allow for easy access to the router. - Very poor quality accessories. I don't trust perforated boards. It's like they're replicas of real penboards to pose for a product photo and that's it. The spares holder on the right side of the desk is for your wrenches, height adjustment screw, extra plates, etc. But it's just the main pocket that's meant to store everything. The problem is that the pieces fall on the floor and it's difficult to find what you're looking for. As it is set back, accessibility is poor and impossible to see anything. All you have to do is take everything, take what you want and put everything back. This router table reminds me of the 1980's design when they just launched things and didn't care about usability. But I've been spoiled by other manufacturers who almost make the tool disappear so you can focus on your project. It makes me more efficient and focused on my work. This milling table is not suitable in design and execution. I will say that I hate this table so much it ruined my impression of anything Bosch blue forever. Never again risk money on something that takes time away from my projects.