Makita DRT50 router
Product description
The Makita DRT50 is an 18-volt brushless cordless router that gives you a clean finish with no cords or extension leads. The compact body sits in one hand: round over the edges of countertops and shelves, run chamfers, rout hinge mortises and lock bodies into doors, and cut grooves for back panels and shelf supports. Stepless speed control from 10,000 to 30,000 rpm gives you the right speed for the bit size and material – small chamfer bits at full speed, large profile bits slower. Constant speed control keeps the revs steady even under load and the soft start prevents a jolt, so the machine does not run away from you as you begin. The included plunge base with its 40 mm stroke extends the machine to stopped grooves and plunge cuts in the middle of a panel, and the straight guide lets you run grooves parallel to an edge exactly to measure. The LED light illuminates the tip of the bit, so you can see the cut line inside a cabinet and in dim light. Router bits are not included in the rental – bring your own with a 6 or 8 mm shank, or ask us for a suitable bit.
Technical details
- Voltage
- 18 V
- Motor
- brushless
- Speed
- 10,000–30,000 rpm (stepless control)
- Collet sizes
- 6 mm and 8 mm
- Plunge base stroke
- 40 mm
- Features
- constant speed control, soft start, electric brake, LED light
- Applications
- edge rounding and chamfering, grooves, hinge mortises, plunge cuts
Included in rental
- Makita DRT50 router
- plunge base (40 mm stroke)
- straight guide
- 18 V battery and charger
- carrying case
Frequently asked questions
Do my own router bits fit the machine?
They do, as long as the bit shank is 6 mm or 8 mm – those are the DRT50’s collet sizes. An imperial 1/4" (6.35 mm) or a heavy 12 mm shank will not fit, so check your bits before pickup.
What jobs is a router worth renting for?
The most common are rounding and chamfering the edges of countertops and shelves, routing hinge mortises and lock bodies into doors, and cutting grooves for back panels and supports. The compact machine handles these well – it is not intended for heavy table routing or wide profile bits.
Is the battery enough for the whole job?
On a single charge you can rout the edges of a typical kitchen countertop or dozens of shelf edges. The charger comes along, so you can top up as you work and the job never stops.
What is the difference between a router and a trimmer?
The DRT50 is both: with the standard base it is a light trimmer for chamfers, roundovers and bearing-guided bits, and with the included plunge base it becomes a router that lets you plunge the bit into the middle of a panel and cut stopped grooves. Heavy profile bits and table routing call for a bigger machine.
How do I get a clean finish without tear-out?
Work around outside edges counter-clockwise and around inside edges clockwise, so the bit pulls the router into the work. Take the depth in two light passes rather than one deep one, and keep the base firmly against the surface. Rout the end grain first, so routing the sides cleans up any tear-out.