Quote Originally Posted by WoodKnot View Post
Just had a look on the specification for my little Dewalt D26200 - which is just really the motor unit.

It has Variable speed control from 16,000 to 27,000

So reading between the lines - fast enough for wood but not slow enough for plastic or metals.
Definitely too fast for some aluminium, but it's not just about RPM, it is also about the cutters you use, the diameter of them, the cutting speed (feed rate) and also the material. Not all aluminium is the same, and there are different plastics also.

Quote Originally Posted by WoodKnot View Post
Plastics may be something I am interested in, but generally find most polymers that I have used wrap themselves around cutters and are a pain of having to stop frequently to clean them up, especially mid cut.
As said, that may depend on many things, but most likely is the speed rate being too low, or the cutter is the wrong sort. I have had issues with some acrylic which melted on the cutter all the time, but eventually, I managed. It must however be difficult using a manual router because you don't really know the feed rate and can't really keep it constant. As soon as you slow down a bit too much, some plastics and aluminium melts and glues onto the cutter. Some times it helps if you spray with water, but I don't normally do that.