porter-cable router

[Mike Ballard]

Hi -

Posted a couple/few weeks ago about a PC893pk mainshaft/collet getting very hot to the touch (bought it from Amazon/TC). I told PC about it and the guy didn't hesitate to say the router was defective and to send it back.

Rec'd a replacement today so nervously hooked it up and tried it. Same exact thing!! After 30-60s using a 1/4" shank cove bit cutting about 1/8" deep with some maple the collet gets so hot that putting my fingers to it for five seconds will burn my fingers (the electrical cord/plug is as cool as can be). My 690 NEVER did anything like that. So this one must be defective also. I also noticed that with the router unplugged and rotating the shaft counter-clockwise I hear a squeak-squeak somewhere inside (only when rotating counter-clockwise).

I checked the serial numbers and the original was #041229. The new one's is #041712. I don't know PC ser # but am wondering if it's what it looks like - they're about 500 routers apart? Would anyone know if that's true?

Has anyone else had anything like this with an 89x router? Is your serial # anywhere near either of these two? I don't want to be returning these every couple weeks so does anyone have any personal experience with PC in making sure I get something that isn't defective even though I didn't buy it from PC?

I've been out of ww'ing a bit and always took PC QC for granted - are they the new B&D or something or is this just a run of bad luck?

Mike

[P©WÉ®T©©LMAN]

Sounds like either a bad batch of bearings getting hot or heat transfer from either a dull or overworked bit, make sure also that the bit is not pushed too far into the collet that it bottoms out on the shaft end, that tends to cause the shaft & bearing to get hot which can cause premature bearing failure.

Try running the router without a bit in it for about five minutes, if it is still that hot then it has to be an overheating bottom bearing.

Good luck

[BruceR]

Squeaking is commonly from the brushes. Remove the brushes (noting their orientation and location) and spin the shaft.

-Bruce

[Leon]

Snip

IMHO if the router is truely defective, it will poop out long before its warranty runs out. Will the router get hot when just running for the same amount of time with out cutting? This will rule out heat transfer from the bit to the collet.

My 690 NEVER did anything like that. So this one must be

I have a 16 year old Bosch router that has done that from about the second year. I believe this to be the brushes making the noise. That tends to be a squeekey clean surface. ICBW

I think you may be reading too much into this. Again, use the router and see if it holds up, you should have a year for it to fail if it is going to.

[TeamCasa]

Snip- about a PC893pk mainshaft/collet getting very hot to the touch - Mike

[Mike Ballard]

Thanks all. I take it no one else experiences this kind of heat with this particular motor?

Bit/collet have nothing to do with my particular problem (I never jam it all the way in and this happened using 3 or 4 different bits on two new routers). I load them exactly the same way I do with my 690. I also ran the new router for 30s without a collet and the mainshaft got very warm (clearly on its way to hot).

I talked to PC again and fortunately there's a PC facility about 35 mins away so I'll take it to them next week to find out just what's wrong...

Mike

[Mike Ballard]

In case anyone searches and finds this, the PC tech took a look at the replacement router today and he can't determine what's wrong with it unless I leave it there (for some in-depth investigation where it gets sent to Texas). He replaced both shaft bearings and the thing still overheats. He guessed for whatever reason the bearings are not 90 degrees to the shaft, generating the excessive heat but he can't know for sure (and this is the real PC factory svc ctr - not some independent).

My problem is that I don't want to pay $250 for a router and immediately send it out to be worked on. That's bullshit. I bought this initially six weeks ago and where Amazon/PC have my money, I've had two ten pound door stops over the past month and a half.

So if anyone is considering buying this router motor from Amazon.com, best of luck. If there was a defective batch of routers that got out it appears Amazon.com got their share since this is the second in a row I've had with the problem (517 units apart). Maybe they've gone through them all by now, and maybe they haven't.

The best the tech could say (besides not getting the tool until maybe more than 2 months after I paid for it) is to return it to Amazon and buy it from another outlet, keeping my fingers crossed. I heard today on the drive back that B&D bought Pentair - how ironic...

Mike