This may apply mostly to hand tools (my Veritas plane is SO MUCH NICER than my Stanley), but I do appreciate the nicer stuff.
The plunge router is pretty aggravating to use with the table, so I had been planning on getting a fixed base one in any case.
Yes, Lee Valley do a good job on their planes and there is quite a bit of technology and research going into them. I've had many a good chat with Robin Lee (owner) about them. Though, I do own a few Lie Neilson tools, and they sure are beautiful with all the brass.
As for a router. I worked on the theory that I spend or waste more time swapping bits and getting them setup correctly, that it cost me far less to have multiple routers configured correctly, than one or two really good routers and messing up my work with them not setup right.
I bought my Porter Cable 690s refurb for $75. For my table's I have gone with the newer 894 as they have a better lock system with the collet and used them with a Jessem Master Lift FX & II.
Too many toys and not enough time to really use them.
