Bosch Colt Palm Router Combination Kit Gets Your Trim Routing Off to a Great Start
Jobs go much easier when everything works the way it’s supposed to and you have all the tools you need. For carpenters and woodworkers, the Bosch Colt palm router combination kit has what you need to make your trim router jobs fun again.
Pros
- Excellent power and speed
- Plunge base, edge guide, and case included
- Ergonomic design that promotes visibility
- LED lights keep shadows from messing with your visibility
- Ball-joint cord swivel
Cons
- Motor gets pretty warm during extended use
Recommendation
You’ll do your best trim router work when you have the right accessories to produce excellent results and that’s what the Bosch Colt palm router combination kit provides. The router is as capable as anything else in the 1.25 HP class with a feature set that makes routing jobs more efficient and weekend projects more fun.
While there are other router and combo options available for less, I really like the quality and result I’m getting from Bosch. If you’re in need of a trim router, the Colt is a solid bet for any Pro.
Key Features
Bonus Goodies
Let’s start with dessert. There are several ways to buy the updated Bosch Colt palm router and the combination kit (Bosch GKF125CEPK) is the most comprehensive. It includes the edge guide, plunge base, and blow-molded case.
Edge Guide
To install the edge guide, you need to unscrew the base plate from your fixed base to screw on the adapter. Once you do that, you can put the base plate back and just leave the adapter in place whether you’re using the edge guide or not.
You have a pretty solid range of edge length to work with—up to 3-5/8″ from the center.
The only improvement I’d make at this stage is to create a captured nut system for the guide. It’s free when you don’t have the guide attached to the base and possible to lose if you’re not careful.
Plunge Base
I really, really like Bosch’s plunge base design. It’s simple to nail down the depth you want to plunge and the action is super-smooth. There’s a spring lock depth control on the left. Push it down with your thumb to plunge or raise and release to lock at any given depth. I like that you can complete the entire operation with both hands on the base—an essential function for perfect plunges.
Fixed Base Height Adjustment
The Bosch Colt palm router’s fixed base includes what Bosch calls a “ground-breaking” system. It consists of a knob that controls how much a door on the side is open.
Fully closed, the height is locked down. With the knob in the middle, you can use the micro-adjustment knob below the door. In its most open position, the router moves freely to switch bases or macro height adjustments.
Overall, the system works well. The micro-adjustment knob seems a little sluggish compared to what I expected, but it’s very controlled and accurate.
One thing that slightly hampers its potential accuracy is simply the visibility of the measurements on the router front. They’re etched in black and tough to see. It actually got better once I got a little sawdust in the etchings for contrast.
LED Lights
A pair of incredibly helpful LED lights keep the area around the collet well-lit.
Finger Support Pockets
Two pockets on the fixed base give you a place to intentionally place your fingers. It lets you get a second hand on the router for better control while helping you keep your hand out of your line of sight and away from the spinning bit.
Additional Features
- Spindle lock eliminates the need for two wrenches to change bits.
- Ball-joint cord swivel reduces the chances of a short at the motor connection and lets you position the cord more easily.
Performance
The Bosch Colt palm router is has a 7-amp, 1.25 horsepower motor that spins your bit up to 35,000 RPM. Using the infinitely variable speed dial at the top, you can tone it down as slow as 16,000 RPM.
That’s plenty of speed to work with, but what about when the bit hits a load? Bosch includes electronic controls that draw more power to keep the RPMs up when you’re working in hardwoods or with larger bits.
That all sounds great in theory, but theory doesn’t always match reality. So I got out some scrap wood to run a variety of tests on, including round overs, edge guided borders, and some free-hand work with the plunge base.
The router handles all the basics just fine. To take things up a notch, I decided to see how it could handle some deeper plunging and more aggressive bits.
The Bosch Colt does a very fine job of keeping its RPMs up and can clear an impressive amount of material for a trim router. Thanks to its variable speed dial, I could adjust the RPMs to a level that allowed me to maintain quality results with any bit in our set.
One thing I notice, though, is that there is some heat build-up when you’re using the router for an extended period. It was just shy of being uncomfortable, but I didn’t feel the need to use gloves solely for heat protection.
Price
The retail price for just the Bosch Colt palm router is $125, and you can get the combination kit we’re using for $219. Considering the plunge base is $99 on its own, getting the edge guide and case as part of the deal is pretty sweet.
There are similar kits from Makita with a bit less power at a lower price. Most of the other kits out there have a plunge base but forgo the edge guide.
The Bottom Line
You’ll do your best trim router work when you have the right accessories to produce excellent results and that’s what the Bosch Colt palm router combination kit provides. The router is as capable as anything else in the 1.25 HP class with a feature set that makes routing jobs more efficient and weekend projects more fun.
While there are other router and combo options available for less, I really like the quality and result I’m getting from Bosch. If you’re in need of a trim router, the Colt is a solid bet for any Pro.
