Bosch GOF 1600 CE Questions & Answers

Hi Jens, If it's cutting out, it's usually a sign the thermal protection is being activated. I've only run into this problem with my GOF1600CE when I was using a large surfacing bit to flatten some slabs of ironbark on a 38 degree day.. and I obviously set the depth too deep. So that's my fault. I initially thought I was having an intermittent power connection issue... but I soon learned to go easier on it, and it has worked reliably since.

That said...

The friend who recommended this model to me, said his started misbehaving. He took it to his local service centre, in the end he was told that the bearings and motor brushes needed replacement and installation and parts came to $96. But that was a few years ago.. I think 2017 or so.

If you're out of warranty, and you have the inclination and skills, try cracking it open and cleaning it out/lubricating the bearings. When I cleaned mine out, I found the air ports clogged with dust, and the bearings definitely benefited from some lube.

I didn't find the service manual, but I found these diagrams helpful:

external link 

I hope this helps. Hamish.

Hi Peter, The fixed base is very difficult to find. However, to my knowledge, there isn't a commercially available router lift (to give you above table adjustments) for this router anywhere. Mostly because the size is sufficiently different from the normal U.S. cylindrical routers. Even if you did separate the router from the base in order to mount it, and found a router lift that could fit it (not all would) remember that the GOF1600CE trigger is part of the base, rather than the router itself. As such, you'd need to "hotwire" it or create a custom interface to the rail contacts that the base switch uses. Some people have done it, but it's a DIY job for sure on the mount, the router lift, and the switch.

I did a ton of research on this and wasn't satisfied by the options. I actually found that it's easier to simply buy a router lift + router motor combination. In the end, I opted to replace the router entirely with a CNC spindle kit + router lift + adaptor to reduce the noise, and up the power to 2.2KW. However, this obviously won't suit everyone.

I think the greatest limitation with this router are the problems with mounts, switch placement, and compatible hardware. I think Bosch never considered it to be anything but a largely "stand alone" device... other than bits, and dust collection of course!

Good luck, I am sorry I wasn't more help. Hamish.

P.S. Australian routers are, for the most part, too big and/or not cylindrical enough to fit into the more common router lifts. Most of the common models here sold in places like Bunnings, Sydney Tools, and other places is that they simply do not work with router lifts at all. I was honestly surprised how hard it was to find a suitable router motor here in Aus. You might want to have a look at a dedicated wood working store. If you have a browse at the routing > router table accessories section of the Timbecon website, you can at least get a compatible set.

Thanks Harmo, concise answer. In the meanwhile I did discover Timbecon who supply a round profile motor which will fit nicely the router lifts. There is one better, a product that has a remote connection that includes on / off and emergency stop as well as speed control. This I found on external link . It costs a significant amount but for the functionality may be worth it. Even when I had access to a spindle moulder, the biggest pain was changing speeds by way of a belt and pulley system. This approach is as simple as you can get.

By the way, you mentioned using a CNC spindle kit. How does this compare to a round profile motor? Cheers.

Sorry Peter for the incredibly delayed response. I only just found it while adding an update to my router review. I'll answer your question in the hope it helps others reading this. ROUND BODY ROUTER MOTOR VS. SPINDLE:

The CNC spindle is a much more expensive option as it requires a variable frequency drive (VFD) to "simulate" the three phase power from what is (for me at least) a single phase circuit, and the motor of a spindle is built to much greater accuracy than a typical router motor. This might not have much impact for wood working but it certainly does if you ever use your router on soft metals.... as some do.

If you buy the Timbecon "spindle kit" along with their router lift and router table (as I ended up doing to ensure compatibility), you might be wondering "Why on Earth did I spend so much?". The round body router will work, but is fundamentally built like a typical router motor. It's probably good for 1000-2000 hours of continuous use, and has a bit more vibration, noise, and "run out" which really aren't problems... considering the tolerances required in wood working.... but are certainly things which limit it's life span and contribute to operating noise levels.

But since I use the router table extensively, I was pleasantly surprised when I got it working, just how easy it was to use, and how quiet the overall kit ended up being. In fact, when the bits aren't chewing material, the noisiest part of my spindle kit, is the 40mm fan in the VFD itself.

The spindle motor itself is designed for continuous, and industrial use. Even cheap-ish spindles are usually rated to have an operational life span of tens of thousands of hours, sometimes even 100K, they are much quieter, and the "run out" is reduced... which does seem to give routed edges a smoothness that can be seen in rare woodworking circumstances. That said, the spindle is not without it's challenges.

The spindle in the kit is worth... maybe $250-400, and the VFD is probably somewhere in the $300-450 range. So why spend the $1000+ that Timbecon charges? It includes an expensive custom, and heavily shielded cable, pre-soldered to the spindle-specific plug, and most of the basic VFD configuration done for you. When you're just starting out this is a huge relief since the VFDs have scores, sometimes 150 parameters to consider and set accordingly. Usually the first 50 or so are all that you need to worry about though.

So I constructed an all-Timbecon router table, router lift, and CNC kit (the spindle included an adaptor which made it fit into the router lift)... which I wouldn't have gotten if I made it with disparate parts. The adaptor was EXTREMELY tight, and difficult to fit to the spindle itself, but once it was on, it locked on very well.

Back to the spindle kit.... and how it was delivered.

Timbecon actually had this thing configured to run backwards (not good for a router table) so I had to re-wire it (swapping two black motor wires on the speed controller) so it would run in a forwards direction. I also added a PC water cooling pump/reservoir, along with a 360mm (3x 120mm fan) radiator to keep the water cooled spindle within operating temperatures. After a minor glitch with the pump, I also added a temperature and flow meter (with alarm) to the coolant piping, just in case there's a problem. Again this is even more money, but it has probably run for about 5000-6000 hrs since I built it. That's at least 3 round profile motor lifespans, and it's showing no signs of issues.

The spindle is deceptive when wood working. You think it's at maybe 6000 RPM but it can be cruising at 24000 RPM... and you simply wouldn't know the difference.. unless you're familiar with the pitch of its noise at each speed... or you put a chuck of wood into the bit.

So to sum up... the spindle kit will last longer, is more powerful, is quieter, you have a ridiculous amount of speed control, you can program it so it avoids resonant frequencies, or which minimum speeds necessary to maintain torque. It CAN run backwards (although for a wood router, I can't imagine why that would be needed) and the ER20 collet can run 1/2" shanked bits, or any smaller bits that might be better suited for CNC work, can also be added with the smaller collets that might come in an ER20 set.

The down sides are the cost, that some electrical work has to be done to install the VFD (I have an electronics background and an electrician buddy to check my work). But if you know how to wire a light switch, then you should be able to get the basic wiring right. The motor wire is the most dangerous, and you MUST have it BOTH shielded AND earthed correctly, else it will be an electrical hazard (spindle and all) and the amount of RFI/EMI the VFD pumps out is actually impressive, and this needs consideration for the wiring and other equipment nearby.

I'm sorry if this answer is both long winded, and late, but I hope it helps.

Dear Harmo, thank you for your detailed response. It reinforces the old adage that you only get what you pay for. Cheers.