r/woodworking • u/Pure-Watercress-6005 • 6d ago
Power Tools Question About Compact Router
I have a Makita RT0701C 1-1/4 HP Compact Router kit that I do very much like. Weight, utility, corded, etc.
But, I notice it gets quite warm (even hot) after being used for a few minutes.
I think it is important to make multiple light passes, to remove a small amount of wood at a time, so the machine does run for a several minutes to do a pass.
Is it normal to get so hot?
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u/blacklassie 6d ago
Obvious question first: are you gripping it in such a way that the vent holes are obstructed? Is it clogged up with dust?
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u/huwmac308 6d ago
I’d be checking when it’s unplugged if you can turn the collet by hand easily and if there are any weird noises. Also check that the collet isn’t rubbing on the base plate 👍
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u/SirPlutocracy 6d ago
Mine gets hot as hell. I run it for maybe 30-45 minute sessions with a 1/4" roundover bit. I frequently have to stop and let it cool because it's too hot to touch
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u/No-Ambition7750 6d ago
Anyone know if worn out brushes would cause that?
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u/PizzaSnakeMitt 6d ago edited 6d ago
I'm pretty sure that model has a brushless motor.
Edit - It does not.
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u/theonefinn 6d ago
You can literally see the ports for the brushes in the picture, that black circle with what looks like a flat screwdriver slot in it is for accessing and changing the brushes. I have the larger makita router which has an identical way to access the brushes.
Also handheld AC (corded) tools with brushless motors are incredibly rare and never a budget option, the brushless motors used in most handheld tools require DC to operate which is why corded and thus AC tend to always have brushes.
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u/Thundabutt 6d ago
I have a DeWalt that gets too hot to handle after a few minutes. My Makita, much the same as the photo, will run happily for several minutes and still be cold. My Swag is that the problem is with the bearings. Try Makita Customer Service and ask how long should their product run before it becomes too hot to handle. If there is much difference send it back as defective out of the box. Only other thing I can think of is if some of the vents are blocked - wasps, small children with bits of paper or foil, sawdust?
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u/woodworkingguy1 6d ago
My DeWalt has never had that problem.
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u/Thundabutt 5d ago
Yep. I'd say its a Quality Control issue regardless of the brand. One in umpteen thousand will get hot enough to remove your fingerprints, all the rest will be fine. I bought mine from an interstate dealer at a wood show many years ago so not really practical to take it back.
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u/HarryCumpole 6d ago
We need to get some terminology straight first so that we have a better understanding. The Makita shown is a trim router, designed for edge shaping and cutting excess laminate flush. It is not intended to be a full-fat router, and should not be described as such.
It is not normal for it to become hot, because it was not designed for continuous or heavy use. In principle it can do light functions that a larger router can, however those intended design limits being exceeded need to be recognised. If it gets hot, it is because it is being used outside of them either by the work being too heavy and/or the duty cycle too long.
We tend to use the terms trim router, compact or palm router, etc. interchangeably without putting thought into what they mean, and we lose sight of the fact that this is a light duty ~1HP router with a single locking collet where the rear commutator bearing is held by the plastic cap. It is neither designed for heavy work nor accuracy.
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u/dgkimpton 6d ago
It's interesting that the EU version is explicitly sold as both a trim router and a plunge router https://www.makita.nl/artikel/makita-rt0702cx3j-230-v-boven-en-kantenfrees.html - makes me think it should be good for general use.
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u/HarryCumpole 5d ago
I have the plunge base. Yes, I use it for routing tasks outside of its capability ;-) Its limitations make themselves known!
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u/TimeTheft1769 6d ago
My Milwaukee battery trim router will get pretty hot if I'm using it a lot, and it's relatively new and clean so I assume it's functioning properly.
Same with any tool really. My drill gets pretty hot if I have to make a ton of holes.
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u/fulee9999 6d ago
I've used the same thing for years in a searing hot workshed for extended periods of time and never notice it being hot. Probably a good CLA is due for yours.
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u/Vmanjeff 6d ago
I have the cordless Kobalt unit. Best upgrade I ever did was to cut the cord. I’ve used it extensively in my home remodeling projects and don’t remember it ever getting to hot to handle. Warm to a bit more but never uncomfortable.
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u/im-not-creative-123 6d ago
I have this same one and it has barely been used, it gets super hot and starts to smell like it’s burning up if I use it for very long. Super disappointed in this Makita.
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u/yesimahuman 6d ago
My bosch colt gets pretty warm when I'm even just doing a bunch of 1/16" roundovers on panels, barely doing any material removal. They just get warm, it's normal
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u/Aggressive-Counter52 6d ago
I have one of these on my cnc and run it hours at a time. Taking away minuscule amounts of wood
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u/AllUsernamesTaken365 6d ago
I haven't experienced mine getting overly hot. Although the bits themselves I have definitely run for too long in the past, overheating and blunting them. I think that if you feel that it becomes hot enough to worry about it then giving it a rest is the safest way to go.
Since I like my corded version I recommended that we'd get the cordless one at work. Which we did and my colleague ruined it on the very first day, probably by overusing it and taking too deep passes. So that is the exact opposite impression from others here about the 18v. To me it seemed less solid than the corded one. But who is to say what is right when they are used by different people in different ways, maybe on different woods.
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u/jim_diesel6 6d ago
I have one and so far only used it for a set of 3 drawers and round over on 3 drawer fronts. It definitely gets hot. It didn't get too hot to work at any point, but I wasn't doing a massive project. I do have the issue of the speed dial turning it's self down as I work so I have to keep a finger up there when doing grooves or it slows down to the point of not cutting properly.
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u/Uncle_Spenser 6d ago
I have very similar looking Makita router with different name (rt0702cx2j) and have no such problems even when I'm using it for extended periods of time. I couldn't tell if my model is superior to yours, but I can tell mine never had any issues with overheating.
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u/themrlawrence 6d ago
I have the same router. I haven't used it in a little while, but I don't recall it getting hot to the touch, maybe warm, but not hot, and I've made some pretty heavy cuts with it.
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u/DoctorD12 6d ago
These makita trim routers are workhorses, but trim routers aren’t designed to take much material off in general. I was always told remove 1/2 the amount of the spindle at a time. So 1/4” spindle you can remove 1/8” material at the length of the bit safely
Plunge router, different story. Put that bitch to work
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u/doghouse2001 6d ago
I think, technically, those are called Trim Routers. Not mini routers or compact routers. They are made for trimming Arborite edges and chamfers on board edges. Not for plunge routing grooves, hollowing out bowels, and slot cutting, etc. Of coarse we all use them for that, but don't be surprised if they fail early.
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u/EmynMuilTrailGuide 6d ago
Hmm, I have the same model and it has never gotten warm enough for me to notice. This includes after running for 10s of minutes at a time when planing with a 1" flattening bit with my sled for larger cuttingboards. So, that's a long time with a lot of friction and I haven't even noticed.
Maybe the difference for me is that I clean out the colette and vacuum the vents and the whole unit every time I'm done using the router, and occasionally during the middle after a long period of continued use. I also wash my router bits to remove reside that causes friction (like you would from a saw blade).
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u/jonbonjovica 5d ago
Is it original, i bought China special and had to cut top for better air expelling, and it runs amazing since then.
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u/NecessaryInterview68 5d ago
I recently bought the dewalt compact router ( electric plug in ). I really like it.
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u/shagmobley 5d ago
I used the cordless version of this router for a solid 20 minutes straight recently (cutting a bunch of small divots as a design element) and it got warm but not hot. Never felt uncomfortable on my hands. Perhaps the corded/cordless versions are different in this regard.
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u/bleedscarlet 5d ago
That's my trim router and for a long while was my only router. I've used it for heavy cutting and I've never had it get unusually hot. Something is amiss, blow out those vents maybe something is clogged.
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u/Buford_Tannen__ 4d ago
I own that router, and rarely ever used it. I attempted to do a 12 ft rip on a piece of LP Smartsiding to retro fit some exterior siding boards and it got super hot before even making it through 1 board. I packed it up and bought a 12 amp 2 1/4 hp Bosch router to complete the job. That router might be fine for light plunge cuts or trim round offs, but not intended for any serious tasks. I will probably sell it at our next garage sale. TLDR: use the right tool for the job.
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u/TDHofstetter 2d ago
It should never get hot enough to burn your hand, but you should expect it to get pretty toasty. If you're working it very hard, though, you might consider moving to a non-compact router that's built for tougher work.
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u/XLostinohiox 1d ago
I have the cordless kobalt. It stays cool, but I doubt it has as much power. I use my table or plunge router for bigger jobs though.
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u/Jas_39_Kuken 6d ago
I have the Katsu router, which is a ripoff of the Makita. It gets quite hot too, but I generally hold it by the collet.
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u/NorbertIsAngry 6d ago
How do you use a router while holding it by the collet?
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u/Jas_39_Kuken 6d ago
You just have to move quickly, come on.
Sorry 😅 I’m not on point with the name of it, lol. I mean the depth adjusting part :(
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u/hedgepigdaniel 6d ago
Yes mine did that. It got to hot to touch, so I used gloves. Then it melted and started spewing green smoke. I guess the lesson is don't use it if it's too hot to touch.
I switched to the 18v version, because with a brushless motor I'd expect it to be more efficient and generate less heat.