Ratings & Reviews for Bosch 15-Amp Adjustable MDF Router Table

Work in Progress

I am a beginner in wood working with routers, I fine this table a challenge to assembly but it is very nice. The basic features are what I need to get started. It's portability and versatility are a plus. The sliding features of the fence could be smoother.

Solid basic construction but...

I purchased this product (RA1181) about three years ago and recently I have been using it quite a lot. There were some design flaws as noted by other reviewers, mainly the vertical fences, which are made of MDF tend to expand and contract and do not allow for perfect routing as they are slightly different in thickness. This creates a problem when the the board moves between fences. I have milled my own fences from maple and I was them constantly for less friction, this has alleviated the problem...

Warped top

I saved up for ever to be able to buy this. And just my luck the top is completely warped. I am devestated. Worst part is an emergency came up and I was not able to return in time. I am stuck with a very heavy paper weight. I was looking forward to this day for a long time and now I couldn't be any more disappointed.

Great Router Bench

I bought the router table last month. It set up good (took about an hour) following the directions. Straight edge across top showed it was level. Proceeded to make some doors & trim work & everything came out nice. You won't be disappointed.

Cannot be used with certain routers!

Overall the quality is okay; hard to tell if the main plastic table body will hold up. Certain routers do not fit the mounting plate. The manual specifies the adapter part number needed... But when you call Bosch they say there is no such part and that you should drill new hole to fit your router! A real pain if you don't have a drill press! Table had a alight warp corner to corner; maybe 1/16 the inch. Plate insert is aluminum and won't deflect with heavy routers. Will suffice for amateur and s...

Does what it says it does very precisely...

The reason I only gave it a three star rating, is that I needed a Porter Cable style bushing table insert. I found that the table including the table insert are NON standard. My new Leigh RT400 dovetail jig won't work, so I put it up for sale and purchased another table built for Porter Cable table inserts. Thanks for taking your time to read this, and hopefully will help someone else with this..

Well built

Should have a panel on the back as well and they should be heavier material for better stability. The on/off switch is attached to the front panel and is flimsy. There is not a good solid feel when actuating the switch.

Nice replacement

I purchased this to replace an 18" table I had been using for 30 years...a substantial upgrade. It was easy to assemble and works quite well. My 30 year old router did not align with any of the holes so opted to upgrade the router as well. My only criticism would be that I think the item is a bit pricey.

Best value for bench top router tables

Just bought this router table for my Ridgid router R29302. Being that I am very meticulous, it took me a few hours to set up the whole table with the router on it, but in the end it was worth it. Even with the plastic legs, it feels very solid and stable. It would be even more solid if I eventually mount and screw the whole router table onto a piece of 1/2" plywood. Vibration is very minimal with the router turned on, which is good. The double-outlet safety switch module is a big plus although t...

This table along with the 1617EVSPK Router Combo replaced an old Craftsman fixed base router and a table that I had made. The ease of use and precision I can achieve are head and shoulders better than what I used to have. At some point I will be buying the RA1165 base to leave permanently mounted to the table, freeing up my fixed base. I would buy this again or recommend it to a friend in a heart beat. I find that I use the jointing feature a lot. It works great jointing small stuff and doe...

Almost perfect

All in all, very good. Solid and stable. Assembly took a little bit more work than it should have. But, that's a one time shot. Bosch recommends using an adjustable wrench for the various nuts. It is much easier to use a double-ended 3/8"x7/16" open end wrench. In fact, Bosch should include one along with the allen wrench. The main reason I don't give it 5 stars is because Bosch used machine screws with lock nuts to secure the mounting plate to the top. This necessitates reaching under the t...

Great Table, But I don't really like the RA1165

I bought the RA1181 over a month ago but haven't got it working yet. The problem is with the RA1165 router table base which has a design flaw. If you move the router too far down, you push off and loose an e-ring which is necessary for operation. Bosch is aware of the problem but has not corrected it.

Great table

I have used this table to make moldings and several other small and large items. The table handled them excellently. It is easy to install the router and even more easy is to adjust the router once it's installed. It is a of very rugged construction, very stiff while in use. Perfect for both large and small shops/projects.

Excellent Value

I bought this table to satisfy a part time craving to build stuff. It's absolutely that kind of device. I haven't had any issues and set up was a breeze. I read a lot of reviews ranging from awesome to awful...I figured be my own judge. Definitely would recommend to the weekend woodworker.

Good table

This is my first router table, and it does the job. If I had a gripe it would be dust collection. Other than collecting at the fence it's non-existent. The grooves on the table get in the way of stock too.

Purchased site unseen

I purchased the RA1181 online, where I could get the best price. I had never seen one of the tables before I unboxed this table. I was disappointed. I have some issues with this product. First the table is so roughly textured wood would not slide across the table easily, the fence that comes with it won't even slide on the surface. I spent over an hour sanding the top with 320 grit sand paper to get it smooth enough for wood to slide on it, but the fence is still binding. The fence catches on th...

Great Router table top

I had a craftsmen router table I upgraded to a Bosch professional router table the table top is so solid and wide making it easy to run long trim through. The fence is easily adjustable and is easy to make perfectly straight since it's all one piece unlike some. Plus it comes with 2 feather boards with indentations on the fence and on the table so you can easily mount them without even using clamp. Plus it has a cubbie hole on the side making a nice place to keep wrenches bits, etc.

Good table

the table is fine with most routers except I have a Porter Cable 7518 and trying to find a mounting plate is a killer. the mounting plate should have had this hole pattern considering the 7518 was one of the highest rated for a router table. Still trying to find a way to make it work.

Why no MITER GAUAGE

This router table as a great reputation that's why I purchased it but why no miter gage and if you have this table what miter garage do you use.