# Looking for feedback on Milwaukee 5616-24



## jnbrown (Apr 14, 2013)

After agonizing over deciding which router to buy I decided on the Milwaukee 5616-24.
I will be using it in a table and out with the fixed and plunge base.
I know Milwaukee is now Chinese owned and not the company it used to be. But that is true of just about all power tool companies these days unless you can afford something like Festool. I recently had a bad experience with a Delta product that caused me a lot of wasted time and frustration. I also looked closely at the Bosch MRC23 which many here seem to recommend and the Triton MOF001. What put me off about the Bosch was that it requires 3 different dust collection systems depending on how the router is being used and seem to be very expensive for cheap plastic add ons compared to the built dust collection of the Milwaukee and Triton. I reaslize that none of these dust collections work that great but something is better than nothing. Triton seems to have a nice product but seems to lack any kind of customer support, not even a phone number. While I like the features of the Milwaukee there are a number of concerns I have about it and wonder if anybody here can comment. Most of the concerns have to do with the plunge base:

Depth stop is not accurate.

Depth stop can vibrate loose.

Motor can back out of plunge base while plunging, requires drilling and tapping a hole for a set screw to prevent this.

Springs are too strong.

Since I will be doing M&T joints with it I need a good plunge base.
Anyway I asked my wife to order one through HD for my Xmas present this year.
If I don't like it I have 30 days to return it to HD.

Thanks


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## GregLittleWoodworks (Dec 9, 2014)

*Milwaukee Router*

I have the same Milwaukee router and in the past it has been a dependable one...However, I do not use it in a router table but primarily use it for hand held routing. The one problem I have had is the collet sticking a lot. The bits always seem to get stuck and difficult to remove. I have replaced the collet once and it was OK for about a month or so before having the same problem. Now, because of this it gathers dust more than it gets used.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I had one of those on a fixed base,and mounted on my Rockler router table, It was a powerful unit performed very well, I liked it because of the height adjustment was on top and when mounted under the table you could adjust the height from above the table with a key down thru the table top, also liked the cam lock on the base, All these features were new to routing at the time. I didn't use it freehand as I had other routers set up for that. Rockler didn't have a plate insert drilled for it so I got one for a PC and drilled it to match the Milwaukee. I had a PC 695 too so I could use that same table plate to mount the PC if I wanted to. I know you will like it. The outside case is weird looking but if you have big hands like I do ,it fits your hand comfortably.
Hope this Helps,
Herb


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Have studied.
Analysis here. 
Lost the motor and both castings in a robbery, 
but still have one of the first 10 off the US pipeline.


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## jnbrown (Apr 14, 2013)

Quillman said:


> Have studied.
> Analysis here.
> Lost the motor and both castings in a robbery,
> but still have one of the first 10 off the US pipeline.


Think I read that before. I guess all routers in this category are not perfect so I will just have to give it a try and see if it works for me.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

You will like it, I guarantee. It is not a bottom of the line router.

Herb


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