Hello FOG and newbie alert. I hope this is the appropriate place to post this. If it isn’t, apologies in advance.

I recently inherited a DF500 in very good condition and this kind of reignited a very basic skill woodworking bug that has been dormant for a few years because of life. Now that I have a bit more time,  I've managed to complete a couple of things for family that are pretty decent and with some actual straight lines. Slowly I've replaced old and tired tools with better ones and after playing around with the DF500, I am a Festool convert with an AGC18, TS55, CT15 (wife calming device) and an ETS EC 150. Now I'm toying with the idea of getting a router but am somewhat unsure what's the best option to consider. I was looking at the OF1010 or the MFK700.

Honestly, all I intend to use it for is the following:

1.  cutting slots to fit supports in
2.  bevelling edges
3.  cutting chamfers on edges

I am pretty sure the 1010 would do this but the truth is, I have no idea what copying ring works best with 1/4" bits and if I need a different base plate to run the router along the edge of a table or edge of a surface to cut a bevel or chamfer.

Like I said, newbie with limited knowledge but big dreams so please excuse me if these questions are overly basic.

Any help would be greatly appreciated and advice would be eagerly accepted.

Thank you!

"My first router" choice I would go with the Dewalt trim router kit that has both fixed base and plunge base.  I eventually ended up with a OF1010, but still use the DW611 for quick roundovers/chamfers like squall_line suggested.  The Dewalt plunge base has a lot of the same depth adjust features of the OF1010 (only missing microadjust) so you can get accustomed to plunge routers.  The OF1010 has slightly better ergonomics for me with its trigger, but it's not a dealbreaker.

Thanks for all the replies so far. The main reason I was considering the 1010EQB was I can get a very slightly used one for about $380 as the owner wants to upgrade to a 1400. The MFK700 would be new and here, it will cost the same as the used 1010.

Apologies, I should have mentioned this earlier.

I will also do as suggested and check out the cheaper options  but I am wondering if on a cost basis, I'd be missing out not getting that 1010.

I'd not consider the 1400 to be an upgrade...it's just a different tool needed for a different application. Similar to a DF 500 vs DF 700, sometimes you just need both.

The 1010 is my favorite and I'd sell the 1400 before I'd sell the 1010. The 700 is a different animal completely and it's a niche product and not really mainstream for most router applications.

The 1010 will satisfy all 3 of those requirements while the 700 will satisfy 2 of those requirements.

The only issue I see with the OF1010 is that it doesn't take 1/2" shank cutters. So if the OP only plans on buying one router ever, the OF1400 IMHO would be the better choice, unless he's also sure he'll never want to do panels, etc with larger cutters.

Although as stated before,the handling with the 1010 is better than the 1400 due to the weight and design.

I have the original OF900, and it's insanely useful being able to use it one handed, extremely comfortable handle grip. More difficult to do that with the 1400.

Get the 1010 as it's what is needed in most routing jobs. In the cases where a 1/2 router bit needs to be used, get a much cheaper non-Festool router for that. Truth be told, I don't know of any woodworker who doesn't have more than 2 routers. 

P.S. I have a Bosch plunge router, but seldom use it with any 1/2 bits. Most routing is done with the trim router and Craftsman router that accept only the 1/4 bits.

None of the three applications you describe need a copy ring - these rings are only ever needed to guide the router around a template or similar. For chamfering or bevelling edges, all you need is a suitable bearing-guided chamfering bit like this;



The bearing guides the router along the edge of the workpiece and the size/depth of bevel/chamfer is determined by how deep your plunge depth is set. Like this;





You can also use bearing-guided bits to mould all sorts of fancy edges along the workpiece. Slots are best cut using a 2-flute straight bit. To make sure your slots are at 90 degrees to the front edge of your workpiece, I’d strongly recommend that you also invest in a TSO GRS-16 guide rail square - an absolutely invaluable accessory for your rails. Use the device to clamp your rail at 90 degrees to the front edge of your workpiece, and then run your router along the rail. You’ll also find this square invaluable for use with your TS55 when breaking down sheet goods. Perfect square cuts every time.

The used 1010 will do everything you need - nothing else is necessary. Enjoy fulfilling those big dreams 

Kevin

I use it to make templates or finished curves directly on the part.

First reported by Steve Rowe in 2007 (Other Tool Reviews):  Rowe’s review is more complete than mine.  Linked below.

https://www.festoolownersgroup.com/other-tool-reviews/cmt-flexible-template-review/



It allows me to make one-off curved pieces, or to make templates for repeated curved pieces.

It works exactly as advertised.  You first draw the curve.  Then rough cut to within 1/4” to 1/8” of the line with a jig saw.  Then make the final trim with your router with a guided trim bit.

If most of the lines in your builds are straight and square, then an occasional curve softens the look a bit.

Festool makes metric copy rings for the OF 1100. I have most of them but they almost never get used.

I would add:

Routers are one of the safer machine tools in the shop.  Using a router in a router table is more dangerous. 

But alway treat routers with respect.  Though the spinning bits are largely inaccessible to your soft tissue parts, they can be dangerous.

I always allow the bit to stop spinning before lifting the router off the work piece.  Plunge routers are safer in that regard, but still, the bits stop spinning fairly quick, so I wait for that.

One additional post for the OP's benefit regarding the use of copy rings = what they are, and what they're used for. Here's my OF2200 being used with a copy ring (usually known as a 'guide bush' in the UK) to rout butterfly bolt slots on the underside of an oak kitchen worktop. The ring's the silver component highlighted, and it works by pressing against the sides of a routing template (in this case a commercially-bought Unika one for worktop joints), guiding the router around its shape;





Here's another application - this time using another commercial jig (Sautershop) to rout many hundreds of super-clean 5mm shelf pin holes in the vertical sides of a 8-metre long cabinet run I was building for a customer;



Templates can also be home-made. Here's one I knocked up using a scrap panel to rout curves on the ends of a kitchen island - (the same kitchen job as the first two pictures above, actually), You'll notice that the template is inset from the edge of the workpiece - this is to accommodate the distance between the guiding edge of the ring, and the cutting edge of the bit (see the first pic again to see what I mean - the router bit is cutting a narrower shape than the shape of the template itself). In this 'cutting a curve' case - the position of the template adjusted so that the bit is just 'kissing' the workpiece as you start to make the cut from the leading (straight) edge of the template.





I hope the above pics clarify things for you 

Kevin

Although I am a huge fan of the MFK700, it's not for everyone, especially as an "only" router.
It's certainly not a contest, I have more routers than any sane person would consider normal, the OF1010 is one of my top favorites.
I'm definitely in agreement with the others, who have mentioned getting a compact router too. My preference is Makita, but there are others that can handle the job.
The Dewalt is considerably bigger in diameter and also has a "flat edge" on the sub-base. Some like those things, others do not.