I am looking for feedback on the the porter-cable 690lrvs or the dewalt 616. I am considering these brands because I have been happy with other tools I own by them. I am not using them for professional work. I mainly build cabinets and other projects around the house.
thanks
john
Tough call. LRVS with strange and some times stubborn toggle motor lock, the DW's is perfect.
616 single speed, 690 soft start with VS. 690 a little smaller with a million miles behind it. DW relatively new. Both up/down mechanisms sloppy and unpredictable. Have both (618 in my case), like both, would grab either for the same job. Lots of micro- differences, none so powerful as to be a deal maker. Perfect tools? Hardly, but good value and will last a long time.
The DW has one big advantage though. JOAT would not have to re-paint it yellow.
I have the DW618 also, with both fixed and plunge bases. I have been VERY happy with this router, and I have used the variable speed quite a bit, and I like the soft start, so if you see a deal on the 618, I'd recommend that over the 616. Good luck, Andy
the porter-cable is a great router, but if you are planning to use it for any precision work that uses a guide bushing, you will *never* be able to get it acurately centered..... Other than that, I'm on my second one (the first one burned out a bearing after being used for a job that it was really too small for)....
I read that here, but the only routers I use with my Leigh D4 are 690s, and I've never had an issue. I center the bushing using a brass centering cone each time I change bits. After I center the bushing, I usually change the cutting height once the bit is installed. You'd think I'd see the problem, but I don't.
I have several brands of routers, so if I did have a problem, it's easy enough for me to change.
The bushing being off center typically does not become a problem as long as you keep the router clocked in the same direction. I just finished building
10 drawers using the F1 finger joint jig on the Leigh and the bit was almost touching the bushing on one side and had 4 times the clearance on the other side. The joints came out just fine. Turn the router around so that the opposite side is facing you mid stream and you have big problems.Try harder. Mine's centered.
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