Hate to ask for yet another tool comparision ... but ...

[Bill]

I need to invest (ie; spend real money) in a "one-time buy, use 'til I die" router.

I am considering the following three candidates

• Milwaukee 5625

• Hitachi MV-12

• PC 7519

The Hitachi is the price and features list winner at just under $170. It appears to come with the most toys for $110 less. The Milwaukee comes in at just under $280. The PC 7519 likewise weighs in at just about $280.

I'm not real thrilled about the PC rotating barrel height adjustment, having read some mention of aluminum to aluminum contact. As a former machinist, I can assure you that that particular thought is about as 'happy-making' as seeing something wiggling under my skin.

That leaves tha Milwaukee and the Hitachi. ISTR that I've read a strong recommendation for the Milwaukee at some point in the past ... but that particular review may have been written before the debut of the Hitachi.

Since I'm stuck with either buying an import or making my own from scratch, I'm not too antsy about buying something made in one country or the other.

So ... what d'ya say, gang? The red one or the green?

Bill

[Teamcasa]

I have two of the PC 7519's - One for hand work, one in the router table. Both work great. I even have one of the older PC 3hp speedtronic. Its still going strong. As for the Milwaukee 5625, I have not direct experience but my other, many other, Milwaukee tools have never let me down.

Dave

[else24]

I've got an MV-12 and I like it, but I'm under no illusions. If I run into several projects that give it a real workout, time after time, I don't think it'll handle the action like a Milwaukee or a PC would.

Not saying I don't like it, I just don't think it's a workhorse, give-to-my-kids-when-get-too-old kinda router. I could be wrong and it'll still be making sawdust long after I'm gone, but I dunno.

[Bill]

Thanks Dave & Else24.

Nearly $300 seems like a lot to pop for a router ... but I'm tired of compromises.

Milwaukee 5625, come to papa!

Bill

[Rick's Cabinet Shop]

FWIW, I had a PC 7518 and the rotating barrel thing was a PIA when it got fine dust in it. also hard to wrench the bits out while it was in the table. The aluminum to aluminum contact also sucked. I bought the Bosch 1619EVS and I love it... Makes stiles and rails and raised panels with no problem.. After you figure out how to release the spring mechanism from the plunge, it works great in a table / cabinet. Also has a one finger button to hold chuck while turning nut with other one to change bits. Nice micro adjustment also when in the table. Something I could never do with the PC

7518. Check out to compare prices, they have it for $279.00...

Rick

[Tim]

Good choice; I am done buying cheap tools. (not really, but I am trying to be done)

[Robert Krecak]

Bill, I own PC and Milwaukee routers. Both are good but I'd have give Milwaukee the nod for overall quality and ease of use. The collet on the Milwaukee is built far better than the PC. Also, it's pretty easy to replace the bearings on the Milwaukee.

Bob

[Bigpole]

[Swingman]

By now you should be convinced that 7518's "run hot", basically because they're all motor and that heat has to go somewhere.

Can't say much for the 7519, but that's not a good reason for not using a

7518 where it was designed to be used, in a router table, where "running hot" is not a big issue.

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

I absolutely agree. The PC 7518 has many fine qualities, the biggest being power. Power equals heat. Mounting it in a table equals no cares about heat.

[Upscale]

Aren't you being a little too literal here? These motors need *some* air flow to take away heat and keep them within proper operating temperature. Agreed, it's not a big requirement that one has to do anything special in regards to cooling when the router is mounted in a router table, but any enclosure (partial or complete) is going to hamper air flow more than when the router is used out of a table. And, cooling *might* be a concern if the router is in a completely enclosed router table construction.

[Bigpole]

[Tall Oak]

I have the smaller Mil for about a year now and am very happy with it. As for Hitachi?

There aren't any Mil tools I wouldn't buy and I can't really say that for Hitachi!

[Mortimer Schnerd, RN]

Mine is mounted on a wing of my tablesaw, so it is very well ventilated... at least as well as it would be if it were handheld. Frankly, as long as nothing starts smoking, I don't really care if it gets hot. I've never seen it get so warm that it caused me to give it any thought.

[Teamcasa]

Sorry - Correction - I have the 7518's (5 speed) not the 7519 (fixed speed). Dave

"Teamcasa" >

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[Pat Barber]

I have "several" routers. I'm not aware of any way to run a large electric motor for any period of time and not generating a fair amount of heat.

My 7518 has run for several multi-hour sessions with little or no harm to me or the router.

If the bit is too hot to remove, I would think something is either wrong with the router or the bit or the operator.

I have rarely found the tools to be at fault.

Bigpole wrote:

[Swingman]

Likewise ... I have a number of routers and, in all fairness to 'Bigpole', the 7518 is indeed the king of "hot" amongst the lot, but I rarely have to touch the damn thing.

I'm not much of an 'edumacated engine ear', but I'd bet that the surrounding ALL metal case of the 7518 (with the handholds) is purposely engineered as a heat sink. Result is that it does get hot from that BIG motor it's wrapped around, and not surprisingly.

Even my little Bosch Colt motor gets too hot to touch after rounding over a few hundred linear feet, but it is insulated by the handhold, which the 7518 is not.

The 7518 has been a workhorse in my router table and has paid for itself many times over ... I do hate to see it dissed when it's not being used within its design parameters.

[Max]

"Bill" wrote

I have an MV12 in a router table and I've made plenty of cabinet doors with it. I have another MV12 that I use with a 1/2" straight bit to operate against a straight edge to straighten long boards. I have a MV 8 that I use for round over & chamfering edges. I have 3/8" and 1/2" Hitachi drills and a 4" mini-grinder. None of the Hitachi tools have given me any problems whatsoever. On the other hand, I have several Milwaukee tools and none of them have ever failed me either.

Max