Accessories

Solid work router with limitations
I am a professional timberframer and we use the 3612 to rout out our pockets, wire chases, housings, etc. My last router was the 3612c, the variable speed model, and that aspect of the machine was its biggest drawback. I had no need to reduce power, and after putting the machine through the timber frame paces the wires to the variable speed function burned through. Unfortunately Makita's engineers make it so that a repair is impossible, and I was left with buying a new machine. In our workshop this router lasts about two years. It's a solid tool with a lot of power and plunge capacity. I highly recommend it, with the caveat that everyday usage will limit its lifespan.

Great router and even better price
This is a replacement for the prior 3 1/2 hp Makita router. It finally quit working after being used in a shop built tenon machine for 24 years and making many,many,tenons. When it was pulled from that fixture, it was put on a trammel and used to cut round table tops out of 5/4 red oak. It's a beast of a router and I highly recommend it.

10+ years strong... nothing beats it.
I have nothing but praise for the Makita 3612 plunge router. I have used it for about ten years on furniture and cabinetry projects in maple, oak, pine, fir, cedar, redwood, others, and have never had any trouble with it with any table mounted, handheld, or plunge routing project. I bought it gently used from the father of a friend who had owned it for at least 3 additional years, and have used it on many furniture and cabinetry projects for my family.

The pros of this unit:
1) Immensely strong, as is stated in other reviews. Not even the hardest and most figured sugar maple slows the 3612 down.
2) Well built with craftsmanship. The motor shaft is still tight and smooth after 10 years of table mounted use. I have not needed to replace any component on the unit in all my use. I have even done plunge and rabbet operations for 1 1/2" deep grooves with no issue. Amazing machine. I keep it clean, so perhaps I have avoided other problems that might come up.
3) Smooth operation. The router spins up smoothly with or without the use of a speed controller. I have used it with a speed control unit very successfully, with little or no loss of power and torque for table mounted applications.
4) I recently bought a Router Raizer unit to use with the 3612. The installation of this add on has made the unit even more useful and valuable for table mounted applications. Topside elevation changes are very well controlled using this system, and the system works seamlessly with the original Makita functionality. This made the system even more useful to me. The newer 3612s have an efficient height control knob, whereas the older units did not. I might not have needed the Router Raizer with a newer unit.
5) An absolute pro for 1/2" shank bits and panel raising bits. This machine is perfect for table mounting and can handle any bit you want to attempt. I have used a wide variety on a lot of different woods and have never found an issue or limitation.
6) Well balanced with good handle ergonomics. Some people may argue this point, but I feel the positioning of the handles, switches, and levers are very functional and easy to manage when plunge or template routing with the unit. Like I've said above, I really like this router.

The cons of this unit:
1) Heavyweight. While this may also double as a strength, the power of the system comes at a price. The 3612 can get a bit heavy for handheld use at uncomfortable angles and heights.
2) Not a large number of accessories available by third parties. While Rockler and others do carry table plates and universal baseplate mounts to utilize Porter Cable template inserts, there are not as many options other than those Makita supplies with the unit (edge guide, etc.)
3) Also tied to the strength of the unit, I have found it to be almost too powerful when using 1/4" bits. The router isn't struggling even in a hard cut, and can sometimes result in damage to the 1/4 bit because you feel that you can push harder laterally than the bit shaft can handle without damage. I have broken 1/4" shaft bits during template half blind dovetail cutting in maple. This isn't really the fault of the 3612, but power can have its price.
4) The lack of the speed control in the 3612 as compared to the 3612C is a bit of an issue. It does require an external speed controller when working in hard to route materials like maple, hemlock, and other hard woods. The 3612C has a 5 speed control, which is sufficient for most applications. If I were to replace or buy a second 3612, I would most certainly acquire the 3612C in order to get the speed control and soft start built into the unit.

Buying another after my 19 yo was stolen
I just ordered the variable speed version of this router to replace a 3612B (square base) that I bought in 1985. This has to be, without a doubt, the sturdiest router around. It just can't be beat for the price, I just went down and looked at the competition this week and they are either way more expensive or junky. My only regret is that the square base (quite a bit larger than the round) doesn't seem to be available anymore. It was great being able to turn it upside down, lock it in a vice, adjust the fence in, and use it as a mini router-table.

Some doubts
This is a brand new purchase and so far I am underwhelmed. It was bought, after as much consideration as i could, including advice from Lee Valley. I cancelled an order for the Dewalt based on these recommendations. It seems big and powerful. But....

I am using it as a table mounted router, for use with the Veritas jack lifter. And the first thing that happened when i tried to fit a 1/4 in bit, was that the collet adaptor fell into the throat, necessitating unmounting to get the darn thing out. Why is this sophisticated machine not supplied with a 1/4 collet, like its opposition?

And the next thing that happened was that it blew the breakers on my subpanel. I have had many machines on this circuit, and this is the first time this has happened.
I have an arc fault breaker on the circuit, as this will be a bedroom when my renovations are completed. It runs fine on juice supplied from a regular breaker, from another part of the house. Now I must just get used to the long wires snaking through the house.

The power, smoothness and utility are obvious. But these are aggravations.