I have always avoided using a router. 

They just seem to be sharp and unpredictable. I imagine they’d run amok and slice me up.

Apparently not. I bought this cheap 850W plunge router and put it together without incident.

I had a specific project in mind – which required making a lot of grooves in a cupboard frame, to fit plywood panels – so I finally relented and decided that I needed a router after all – despite all the dangers, imaginary or real.

I had to do a bit of experimenting with setting up jigs and clamps to position the grooves in a predictable and consistent placement, but once that was sorted, this new tool just worked exactly as advertised.

I did break one router bit very early on – this was because I had the speed too low and then had to push sideways too hard on the bit, to make any progress. Once I turned up the speed, the new bit worked without incident.