# Craftsman 135.17508



## dcherney1 (Jan 30, 2012)

Looking to buy one with router table.Want to know approximate what years this model was sold?


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

I bought one of these a little more than a week ago, and it isn't a bad unit at all for the price. When paying 65.00 bucks delivered for a router, table & 15 piece bit set, I expected it to be cheaply made, but 'functional'. Had I paid full retail (100-150) and sales tax, my feelings would have been hurt some, but I would have kept it anyway.

I found a post here dated Nov 29, 2006 where a guy was talking about it being on sale, with the table for $109.00 from sears. Neither the manual for the table or motor had a date printed in them.


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## dcherney1 (Jan 30, 2012)

Thank you for the info. From the picutures on the internet this looked like a heavy duty cast industrial style table and router. Asking price plus $22 for shipping comes to about $125. I asume this was a combo kit.


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## wbh1963 (Oct 11, 2011)

135.17508 is the number for the Router. 26501 is the number for a "Very Cheap" router table that was sold as a kit with the 17508 router. This table is anything but "heavy duty". This table has a 3/4" MDF top, and doesn't use a mounting plate insert of any kind. On the underside of the table, directly where the router is attached a circular relief is cut out of the MDF top, reducing it's thickness to 1/2" (at the most). The router is held in place with 3 or 4 (depends on the exact router used) 8-32 machine screws. A critic would call that 'half assed', an optomist would say it is 'functional for now'. Over time, vibrations from using it will cause the heads of the countersunk screws to 'chip away' at the MDF table top, causing problems.

In my opinion, the Ryobi Starter kit at Home Depot for 99.00 bucks is a 'better deal' than 120ish for a 136.17508 router and 26501 table. They are pretty much the same quality of product, bottom of the line starter stuff. 99.00 for new with warranty just makes more sense than 120.00 for a used Craftsman.

The one I picked up was 50.00 for the router, table and a set of bits (cheap ones, harbor freight, but worth 20.00 to 30.00 alone). I gave him another 15.00 for delivery. 

I should also point out that a router with as little power as this one will be able to use very few bits on hardwoods. Cutting a 1/4" slot it can handle easily. Contouring the edge on a drawer face or cabinet door would have it sputtering all over the place.

I just wanted to clarify my opinion. I rolled the dice for 65.00 and did ok, and I will probably end up picking up one of the Ryobi 99.00 wonder (wonder why I bought it!) sets when I get around to it. As long as the Craftsman I got holds up, there won't be a rush to do that though.


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## dcherney1 (Jan 30, 2012)

My gut instinct said to pass this by,you just cofirmed what I didn't want. I had no idea this was an MDF top. Photos can be unjustified to what looks like metal top when it's not. Thank you for the ifo.


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## Hog (Jan 16, 2012)

For what it's worth, I just bought a new Craftsman router and it was fantastic. Granted I'm a newbie and have no comparisons


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