# Porter Cable 690



## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

This was the shop router in the day..

Dewalt, Milwaukee, PC, Bosch,etc. In 2020 which brand was the routing leader in pro shop, home shop or in the carpentry field??


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

Looks like the PC 690 must still be the best router for the money....


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## WoodFrog (Mar 28, 2020)

Well, other than the fact that they are no longer making the 690...yeah. I ended up sourcing one used, earlier this year, as that was what I wanted. I don't know what is currently considered the best available home shop router, have to wait for someone with more experience than me to reply.


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

At the time they were $99 routers. Made them very popular..


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I bought a 690LR (new) earlier this year, or sometime last year. It was on sale, $99.00. I never owned one, and it was a great price.
I didn't realize it was a single speed router. I bought a variable speed controller. I will probably use it when I build my horizontal slot mortiser. It will primarily be dedicated for that unit, as I have multiple routers: sizes, and brands.
All of the routers perform well, no real dislikes with any of them. It would be hard for me to choose, "an all around favorite". I try to be neutral and not sold on a specific brand. I like options!
It is unfortunate when you hear stories of customers needing replacement parts only to find that the unit is obsolete. weather it is a router, sander, planer, etc. I have been in that situation, as well as others.


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

I haven't found a use for a multi speed router out of the table. Anything that requires down shifting Im usually routing in the table...

Sounds like a nice feature, but something else to go wrong with a router only needing one speed


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Arcola60 said:


> I bought a 690LR (new) earlier this year, or sometime last year. It was on sale, $99.00. I never owned one, and it was a great price.
> I didn't realize it was a single speed router. I bought a variable speed controller. I will probably use it when I build my horizontal slot mortiser. It will primarily be dedicated for that unit, as I have multiple routers: sizes, and brands.
> All of the routers perform well, no real dislikes with any of them. It would be hard for me to choose, "an all around favorite". I try to be neutral and not sold on a specific brand. I like options!
> It is unfortunate when you hear stories of customers needing replacement parts only to find that the unit is obsolete. weather it is a router, sander, planer, etc. I have been in that situation, as well as others.


Yes great buy on the PC


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

Problem is once the new 690's aren't around what s the next router?

Are there no defenders of Makita, Bosch, Milwaukee, dewalt? Will the PC be the shop router of 2021?


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I have an older pc690 and love it . Was heartbroken to here it was discontinued . I just bought bosches 1617 and like it better , but it’s also much larger .
Will probably be buying a second 1617 for table mounting also 


I also have two brand new pc7518 motors only ,but never used them other to test .
Stick has a real hate on for them so I’ll probably be selling them . Actually had them sold once ,but was to lazy to ship them


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

The Bosch 1617 is a great router and I've used it, but where is he price on the Bosch? Didn't Bosch have trouble with the metal in the years past? Something with the base locking up and wouldnt turn?


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

So the Porter cable came in at $99 and the Bosch coming in at $169 that's a big jump. There's are no routers inbetween these two good routers?


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

The PC is a 1/3/4 HP, Bosch is a 2 1/4 HP with variable speed. I caught a Bosch on sale for $139. I scooped it up to be able to leave the fixed base in my RT. Dual motors, I can leave one in the table.
Like I said, I just love options!


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

PC at 13/4 is fine for anything out of the table. Because the route is 21/4 and variable I haven't found an advantage.

It sounds like they drop a little bigger hp and a variable speed in to sell it better. The Bosch 2 1/4 variable seems in between the Porter cable and a 3+ router would make more sense...

To me, the 690 at $99 holds a great value...at aditional cost the Bosch is a great router. But with wasted features. Like a sunroof or push button doors on a car...


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

I agree. I think the prices reflect what is being provided, across the board.

Most 1 3/4 Hp routers don't provide a 1/2" collet. Most just come with 1/4", the 690 does!


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## GO'C (Jun 21, 2020)

I have an old 690, and I love it. May I ask, is it worth buying the plunge base for it while I still can? 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

If you can find a plunge base at a reasonable cost you should buy it...


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

@GO'C 

Welcome to the forum.


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## GO'C (Jun 21, 2020)

Thank you! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

The PC 690 was a work horse but they still have some at Lowes. The PC 890 is not available anywhere I can find. I have a PC 690 but my old one burned up by using a speed control. I think that Porter Cable being owned by Black and Decker has decided to consolidate their product offerings and the venerable PC is out. I cannot remember the model but the big 3hp one is still available in places but if you want a PC you better get it while you can.


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

I finally took a look at Lowes. The 690 is still available. I also noted that router in general are going up in price...


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

Trying to get a look at your home page and nothing comes up. Did a search for jackdurencabinets.com and just jack duren cabinets and no web site. Has this changed?


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

I shut the main shop down many years ago. I got caught in the bubble many did at the time. I kept the shop open till about 3 years ago or rather writing the shop off till 3 years ago...


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

My original name in the 80's was "WoodArt". But by the time I got around to writing off a business I notice an Australian shop called WoodArt and changed it to Rebelwork Woodworking. When I opened a shop fulltime, there was concern about the name so I changed it to Jack Duren Cabinets...When I shut it down after a few years I went back to Rebelwork Woodworking...


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

So what was the objection to Rebelwork. Was the nasty PC police after you or were you self censoring?


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## ger21 (Feb 10, 2019)

While trying to find a new 7518 for our shop, it appears that Porter Cable will no longer be making any routers.

I think I have three 690's, a 7518 and an 892 from when they were first released. The older ones are certainly better than the newer ones. I really like the 892

Our shop has about twenty 690's, most being 10-15 years old or older. They last forever.

If you want a 690 replacement, I'd look at Bosch, Makita, or Milwaukee. I think where the 690 had a huge advantage, was in the collets, and their guide bushings, which are (were) the industry standard.
A tougher question to answer is what will replace the 7518? Milwaukee makes the only other fixed base 3+HP router, and they are sold out for at least another month, probably due to the lack of 7518's.


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

Its not that there arent other replacements for PC, it's the cost. It was the reasonably cost products that had people lining up for more.

There were other routers, just s few dollars more.

Every cabinet shop on the mid-west was using PC routers. PC sanders and Bosch jigsaws. If you changed jobs you pretty much were using this combo..


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## Rich Engelhardt (Nov 10, 2008)

I have a 690 - but - in all honesty, I use my cordless Makita instead for everything.


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## Rebelwork Woodworking (Sep 11, 2004)

I'm not a cordless guy except for screw guns, Paslode , Tv remotes and work lights...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I have an older 690 which I have mounted temporarily in the wing of my cabinet saw . Great little router imo ,and when I install a Bosch router their instead, I want to dedicate the 690 to a circle cutter jig .
I’m using a Makita router in the jig now, but it’s got terrible run out from side to side when you adjust its depth . Piece of garbage imo .

Just before I joined the forum , I purchased 2 PC75182 , which is motor only . I also bought an Incra lift for the so called router table I was going to build ,but never got around to .
Anyways Stick came up with good points about quality control with the latest PC routers , so I never did bother using them. I plugged one in though ,and it seemed fine to me l, as I’ve heard of bearing noise right out of the box .
They are still in the garage collecting dust . Had them sold for less than half price in Ontario,(I think it was $400 for both) but I was too lazy to get a shipping quote for the guy at the time , so their they sit .
Not too concerned though , as maybe I’ll use them yet


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