Reddit reviews DEWALT Router, Fixed Base, Variable Speed, 1-1/4-HP Max Torque (DWP611)

If you can:

http://www.tacticalmachining.com/80-products/80-ar15-lower-receivers/blemished-80-ar-15-lower.html

http://www.80percentarms.com/collections/lower-jigs/products/80-ar-15-easy-jig

http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWP611-Torque-Variable-Compact/dp/B0048EFUV8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1449170225&sr=8-2&keywords=laminate+router

+1 for Starrett Square, 6 or 12 inch, whichever he doesn't have.

Compact router to compliment a big one he might have?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0048EFUV8?vs=1&vs=1

Fancy glue scraper:
http://www.benchcrafted.com/Skraper.htm

I do like planes because they're pretty: low angle 102 in bronze.
https://www.lie-nielsen.com/product/small-block-planes

I have the Dewalt DW618 and I really like it.

http://smile.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW618PK-12-AMP-Fixed-Base-Variable-Speed/dp/B00006JKXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452215648&sr=8-1&keywords=dewalt+618

I also recently got the 1 1/4 HP Dewalt DWP611, and I am really surprised by how powerful it is for its size.

http://smile.amazon.com/DEWALT-DWP611-Torque-Variable-Compact/dp/B0048EFUV8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452215796&sr=8-1&keywords=dewalt+611

Not nearly as hard as it looks. You could do the polymer80 pistol in your bathroom.

Once you drill the pin holes (do this first), don't try and force your pins to fit with a hammer, especially not with the locking blocks inserted.

If they don't fit, put it back in the jig & do a second pass through with your bit while rotating your drill slightly. It'll widen the hole just enough for the proper alignment. If you're worried that hole is too big, use some red locktite & it won't go anywhere.

Go slow with the dremel.

With ARs, I like raw lowers. I'm typically going to coat them, and I'd rather err on the side of it never breaking than buying a polymer lower.

This polymer one is $80

This aluminum one is $45, and I've never found the blemish that got coated anyway.

There are cheaper ones out there, but that blemished one is a decent price and I like the company. Machining isn't bad at all. After your first couple, you can breeze through milling.

I recommend a router & jig unless you're comfortable with your machining work. I started with this router & this jig.

If you've got the money & see yourself doing this often, maybe put a down payment on a Ghost Gunner3.

As for your builds, get a good idea of what you want before you throw cash at something you're less likely to use in the long run. You probably know this hobby isn't cheap.

I'm starting a new build with a 13.7 in barrel because it's not a 16 inches. Something like this goes into other areas you'd want to learn up on like buffer weights, gas tube lengths, & receiver extensions I don't want to fool with in a lower I could just switch uppers for.

Keep in mind things like this when you're building
^TL/DR: You can start a lower as a pistol & change it over to a rifle, and then back to a pistol no problem. I don't think you can turn a lower that was originally a rifle into a pistol.

What is your budget? That's a good price for that router with all of the bells and whistles. Here is basically the same router without all the attachments.