Ryobi 1600W router depth gauge | is it accurate?

Is the depth gauge on the Ryobi 1600W router accurate? Can you rely on it to make accurate depth cuts. In this quick video I show you how to set the depth of cut and make adjustments to get accurate depth cuts every time.
If you've ever asked, "how to set a router depth gauge", then this video is for you.
#ryobi
#ryobitools
#ryobitoolsusa

[@nicholascaldwell6079]

"Mystifying" seems to be a common complaint with Ryobi tools, thanks to their utterly incomprehensible manuals. You'd think that was a pretty serious health and safety problem for the company! Thank you so much for this video, as I was struggling endlessly with what those numbers actually meant.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi Nicholas. Sorry for my late reply. You're most welcome. I'm glad you got value out of the video. Have a great day.

[@simonebooyse6927]

Thank you. I agree. These past 10+ year good instructions have been difficult to come by. Great video it's just wat I was looking for. ☺️👍🏻

[@ColinKlupiec]

My pleasure. The router itself is OK but the instructions are next to useless. Glad you got value from the video. Have a great day.

[@gregghernandez2714]

Here in America I understand many use this as a under table router. This is because it does have a pretty powerful motor for the cost. What is nice is you don't need to buy one of those expensive router lifts either. Just a hex head bolt and a coupling nut should do it. Honey Badger Woodworking has a very good tutorial on how she did it. It is pretty cool. Thanks for your excellent tutorial.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Thanks, that's really useful to know. I'm also constantly surprised at how good the slow start is. Very smooth. You get a lot of router for the price. 😀

[@gilbertmoase8113]

Thank you Colin for the technically lucid and concise explanatory video - you nailed it in a few minutes! BTW the 'Ikea' pictographs in the Ryobi instructions are mystifying and no use whatsoever. Initially the depth measuring rod calibration made no sense to me but you demystified the 'how to' for me on this brilliantly. The trial cutting on scrap material is a great lesson for DIYers like myself (and the Vernier callipers are definitely the next purchase for my project tool kit too). I'm now much more confident to proceed.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi Gilbert. Thank you for your kind feedback. I really appreciate it. Glad you got value from this video. Have a great day. 😀

[@noelwrightpersonal]

If I can get accuracy of 0.5mm I'm generally pretty happy with it!

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi Noel. I agree, 0.5mm accuracy is pretty good. These days it's getting harder to 'see' 0.5mm anyway.

[@attepitkanen7358]

Thanks, this was helpful!

[@ColinKlupiec]

You're welcome. Glad you got value out of that. Have a great day.😀

[@Venomator.]

Hi Colin and thank you for the height review video, very helpful indeed… 👍🏻 Quick question - I have one of these on its way to me (in UK) shortly and wondered if the dust extraction adaptor is part of the package? I’ve just watched an unboxing and could not tell if there was one included - if not, where are they available from please? Thanks again and hi from the UK… 👍🏻 🖖🏻

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi, thanks for the kind feedback. Yes, the router comes with the dust extraction adapter. But it's not that great. Very brittle and easy to break. So I designed my own. I made a video about it here kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4XVZYaHgdeIrqs I've also just posted about this print being done with a mix of tough resins. If you're interested I can send you one. Send me an email to [e-mail]

[@WuduFever]

Great video Mr. Klupiec. I'm thinking about getting my old trusty 'King Craft KBF 1200' (best router under 100€ one could get over here in Germany, imo) replaced by the Ryobi since the plunge lock doesn't work properly anymore and this one is the only router of it's price range having a power lock on button. Thanks for the quick glance at the tool.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi Volker, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this helpful...and so nice to receive a comment from Germany. Meine Familie ist auch Deutsch. Wohne schon seit 1973 in Australien.

[@superme63]

Thanks for that. Very informative. I didn't know if I was doing something wrong. Any clue why they would make it so that zero is at 7cm? Mine is bang on 7cm too. You'd think it would make more sense not to mould in the pre-cut plunge distance, as that is not what needs to be measured.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Thanks for your feedback. Same zero point…spooky. It will vary a bit depending on the bit you’re using and which step on the step gauge you’re marking off. The Festool OF1400 router has a different system which allows you to set a more intuitive zero point, but it’s also 9 times the price of this one.

[@Weazelmania]

For the money, it's a great router. Anything Ryobi, considering the price, is excellent imo and I run Milwaukee as normal and felt with DeWalt and Makita over the years but I also keep Ryobi because if it gets stolen or broken, it's cheap to replace. Thanks for the video.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi there, thanks for the comment. I agree, for the price Ryobi makes stuff with compelling value. The dust port is quite brittle on this router, but I’m working on a fix for that.

[@Weazelmania]

@@ColinKlupiec that would be good to see. I have the previous iteration model of this one and used it yesterday but was having issues hitting the plunge all the way, hence I landed here. I think the onl problem I ever had with it was the plunge would stick at times and I broke the plastic front guard but otherwise I've used it to make very accurate cuts and even built guitar bodies with it with almost no tolerance issues once all fitted.

[@rjg31]

Thanks Colin - do you know if this router can be used for a router table?

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi, thanks for leaving a question. I had a look at the manual (very difficult to decipher). There's no mention of router table use, and looking at the base it's hard to see how you'd attach it to a router table. My guess is no. 😐

[@tonypegler9080]

I found that the dust exraction work better going LTR, going RTL the sawdust was blown to the left. In the manual in Diag 6 what is the small metal plate for, has anyone worked that out ?

[@nicholascaldwell6079]

With the hole in the centre? It's a bushing for guided template cuts, but, well, not a very good one.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Not sure, I'll have to try that. I'm working on a new design for the dust port as well. The standard one works OK, but it's made of very brittle plastic.

[@suzannedospassos8375]

My router bit does not go below the plate.. pushing down .. what am I doing wrong.

[@ColinKlupiec]

Hi there. Thanks for your question. That problem usually happens when the depth stop (vertical measuring rod) comes into contact with the rotating step gauge on the base of the router. Either raise the depth stop, or rotate the step gauge to allow more room for the router bit to move down. 😀

[@Stratigic_Cheese_Reserve]

Now $169 Router yaaay Inflation

[@ColinKlupiec]

It will probably be $179 soon. 🤣

[@user-rg6tp3nu6t]

That gauge on the ryobi router is rubbish comment that it is "plasticy" is right.

[@ColinKlupiec]

True that.