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I've been out of circulation for a bit and I was in Lowes earlier and saw it . It looks pretty good to me and has a plunge base for it also. Just wondering if anyone has one. I'm disappointed in my Bosch Colt at this point as the fine tuning depth adjustment is working like crap. This Dewalt to me looks pretty good and even has LEDs.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0049Z ... -6&seller=

Hmmm, no hits yet?

Hi Chris,

I don't know about the DeWalt, but I have the Bosch Colt and I don't have any issues with the depth ajustment. What problem do you have with it?

I'm just worries I may need to watch-out for something that did not happen yet...

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Well, when running the last batch of rolling pin sanders it just would jam up. I'd loosen the clamp enough so I could turn the thumb screw and it would either jam or not move so I'd loosen the clamp a little more and it would fall a thread I guess. I tried a quick cleaning of the threads but it still gave me problems. I suppose if I gave it a good cleaning and a little lube it will work a bit better but I was in the mode to turn not screw around with the depth setup. I really never did like that design as it seemed I saw a few in Lowes display that had issues. This DeWalt has a more standard screw and ring setup. I was just about to give one a go and maybe even spring for the plunge base package(Which if is a good base makes the system a plus in my book) until what I thought was going to be a simple front disc brake job of $150 turned into new rotors and calipers and inner and outter bearings at $479 this morning. Ouch!
Is this router a fairly new Dewalt product? I have to say from the few minutes I spent handling it in the store it seems pretty solid and has some nice bells and whistles and 1 1/4hp. might be a good replacement for the PC310. I'm just wondering about runout and the such but I don't think it will be an issue.

Hi Chris,

I have the earlier DW616 model with those same bases- quite similar (1 3/4hp)
My only complaint - and a large one - was the idiotic spindle lock - only one detent, and huge pressure required to keep it engaged - makes bit changing an unnecessary chore.
The DWP611 appears to have fixed that problem with a "large, low pressure spindle lock button"
That would make a perfect tool for me - the height adjustments on both the fixed and plunge bases work really well.

Hope this helps!

Rob

Chris

I know that American Woodworker thought highly of this new Dewalt router, and gave it an "Editors Pick" over the new Porter Cable.

Bob

PC doesn't have the LED lights and isn't variable speed. right now on Amazon the PC is $5 less for the fixed base and $14 less for Plunge base package. The lights and variable speed is worth $5 more. I would think the vacuum attachments are the same.
I found that review yesterday and I'm going to get one og the packages as soon as I come up with the cash.
From what I can see it should be a an easy job to add a precision adjustment pivot like the Karol base to it since the edge guide connects with rods to the base, at least on the plunge base but the front might need to be cut away for small circles.

FWIW, that new Dewalt router rocks. I have a Colt also, and I liked it a lot when I bought it because there was really nothing else that competed with it, but the Dewalt blows it away. Ditto on the comments about setting the depth on the Colt. The mechanism is so finicky that slight differences in manufacturing will either give you a great mechanism or a lousy one (like mine). The new Dewalt/PC are like a beefed up version of the old PC310 (which they should have NEVER discontinued IMHO).

For anyone who doesn't know, Dewalt and PC are the same company, i.e. Black and Decker. As far as I can tell, they are rebranding everything so that PC turns into the homeowner grade line, and Dewalt turns into the pro woodworker line, hence the Dewalt gets variable speed and lights. I don't know that for a fact, but it just seems how they're positioning themselves. You'll also notice that Delta ended up with the Dewalt scroll saw (another company owned by Black and Decker), though I'm not sure what will come of that since Delta has just been sold to a company in...um....Taiwan I think. Delta still makes Unisaws in the US. Now how strange is that. A Taiwanese company manufacturing tools in the US. LOL I never thought I'd see that happen.

And of course, it's all owned by Stanley now.

re: Bosch
You'll notice that an awful lot of Craftsman routers are quite similar to the Bosch routers. That's not to say that they're built exactly the same, or that they use the same bearings etc, but there's obviously a little inbreeding going on there too.

I agree with you on PC being made the down grade, that is a shame. I see myself using the plunge for cutting rosette channels and for other things because of the abillity of the base accepting PC guide bushings. Sometimes my 690 is a bit larger then I would like for certain jobs.
I see this putting a hurting on the Bishop Cochran base.

Many power tools look nearly identical, but aren't always equal. Years ago when I was shopping for my first thickness planer, I asked a Delta rep. why their 12" planer was about $100 more than the identical off shore brands. He told me that the Delta was built on the same production line in Taiwon as were the others, but that Delta had their own quality control personel inspecting the machines, while the other brands did not. That was why they could provide a 3 year warranty as opposed to a 1 year. I bought the Delta, and 18 years later, my nephew is still using it.
With the routers, or any power tools 15 amps or lower, check the warranty, how it is worded, and who does the warranty work. Whoever gives the best warranty for the similar machine is the one I wood likely buy. If the routers have a built in speed control, I would avoid it and get a model without. If the speed control breaks, the router will not work at all. If you need speed control, get a separate unit for about $30.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

dang Chris, we've missed you!!

WE need to all chip in and get you some mini-proxon tools so you can work in the cab of your truck. Remember, you have to have a mandatory 10 hours of non-drive time. Allowing for 8 hours of sleep and a p!$$ break, you still have an hour to whip out a jig and video for us!

Stay safe on the road. We think of you often.
Steve

Thanks for the thoughts but the truckin job didn't work out and I've been back home since 3/17. I had a lovely Gray Hound ride from Atlanta to Tampa.
Since I resigned and walked away from the walk-away lease program I don't qualify for unemployment but I got lucky enough to find a $12 hr. job until something better opens up and I've been making some jigs for sale to help get me by and buy more material. Just finished cutting up parts for another batch of Centerline Finders. I'll start machining them tomorrow if I behave myself tonight.

Hey Chris;
Good too see you back here!
I had a look at the Dewalt this week, but don't REALLY need another trimmer at this point. It looks like a skookum little tool.
Around Christmas time I picked up a Ridgid (From Home Depot, of course) & am VERY impressed.
These guys fixed everything I don't like about lam trimmers. The depth adjustment & on / off switch are two of my favourite features. The switch is on top of the tool. A quick slap with your hand & your done. No fiddling with a rocker switch or double checking the switch position before you plug it in. This is now my go-to trimmer.
It's more expensive that the Colt (I own two of them) & worth every penny.
Just one more thing to consider...
If you buy the DW, I hope you post a report on it.

I usually run my routers and dremels and vacuum attached to them through a footswitch with a splitter for the vacuum. Press and hold momentary contact type which allows me to have both hands on the router when starting and if something should happen the router will stop when I remove my foot. I've been hooking up alot of my machines to footswitches. My Sanding station has a on/ off which I like since the machine switch is in the back.(idiot design) My 10"bandsaw with my ablam cutting jig is on a footswitch too.
I'm waiting for them to go on sale again at HF and I'm putting one on the drill press.

I've had no problems with my Colts (6 of them). How is the collet on the DeWalt, as I hate the collet on my PC310 because you have to beat it to get it to release.

I haven't seen a router without a self-releasing collet in a long time. The 310 had an older style collet. You almost always had to tap those to get them to release.

tough to beat the Makita 1101...

I have to tap all of my PC routers including the 7310 and 680.