# BIG Viintage Porter Cable router?



## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

Hey all, just found forum when searching for a router i found locally at a resell shop... Im a guitar/violin luthier and always looking for tools... anyway this seems to be a very old porter cable which I like vintage stuff... all polished aluminum housing and the router base says porter cable router base model 5512 , but IM just thinking its the base since I cant find any info on it.. it is HUGE! 50% larger than my standard workhorse D handle 6912 routers which work just fine! anyway the plate on front of router is missing so I cant find the model or power rating of this router... also this collet has no threads but a place for a wrench.. what kind of collet does it use? its a BEAST! I spetd a shiny 15 spot for this router! hope it pays off! lol

Dennis


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

I think the router is a porter cable Rockwell 5142 router but its hard to tell... i cant for the life of me figure out what kind of collet goes in here.. there is a wrench slot on side but there are no threads anywhere.. not even sheered off threads.. its pretty clean inside the collet area and there are 3 angled slants that go down the inside as if something goes in and grips but they are not deep by any means.. is there something Im not seeing?


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

The general design says it's pretty old. I don't know how you'd attach a collet to that either. The collar on the bottom looks to have an internal keyway.


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## sreilly (May 22, 2018)

Can you see the diagram well enough in this link to see if it looks like the collet assembly? https://www.toolpartsdirect.com/rockwell-5142-porter-cable-router.html The parts are 82 and 82A if I'm looking at this right.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I blew it up 300% and it was 83 and 83 A. 83 is obsolete but 83 A has a substitute it says.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

sreilly said:


> Can you see the diagram well enough in this link to see if it looks like the collet assembly? https://www.toolpartsdirect.com/rockwell-5142-porter-cable-router.html The parts are 82 and 82A if I'm looking at this right.


GO to the bottom of the screen and click in "Open in new window" the click on picture and it will display in large format.
Herb


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I blew it up 300% and it was 83 and 83 A. 83 is obsolete but 83 A has a substitute it says.


I dont see where it says substitute, where did you see that? boy this thing is a BEAST!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

In the box on the right if you scroll down about half way.
83A
18051	1/2" ROUTER COLLET *** Obsolete, use 698800 ***	
$0.00

83
859807	*** Obsolete, No Replacement ***

There's no guarantee that the substitute part is available either but it's worth looking into.


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

cool! looking now!


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

well they said that was also discontinued... there is a video on youtube of a person who has this same router and they are checking to see if they can located the part.. actually they believe there is an upgrade that will work for modern collets now THAT would be excellent so crossing fingers!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Dennis I don't know if this will be helpful but it might be worth you looking through the list of models to see if yours is in there. https://elairecorp.com/portercablecollets.html


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

I sent them an email but havent heard back but I think that was before I figured out the model... Ill try again to call


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I'm looking forward to hearing about your experience with them. I haven't dealt with them before but may in the future.


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

im wondering if I can just unscrew the chuck and replace it with a more modern one... its ironic that I cant find any information at all on it being that they must have sold many of them snd had aftermarket parts someplace ! lol i emailed a couple places who didnt carry parts... but Elaire said they dont carry it... i have 2 other places to call this next week .. also I talked to a guy who has a youtube repair video on youtube and he said he thought it should unscrew and then would possibly find something newer that would work... IF i can get it off lo


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I couldn't tell exactly what you had there but most routers have a threaded end and a hollow in the end of the shaft. If you have that then there might be a Musclechuck that will fit on it which is a far superior fix in the long run. https://www.musclechuck.com/shop/


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I couldn't tell exactly what you had there but most routers have a threaded end and a hollow in the end of the shaft. If you have that then there might be a Musclechuck that will fit on it which is a far superior fix in the long run.
> 
> im going to call them today... my chuck threads onto the motor shaft but then is hollow in the top and no other threads so somehow it would have to be an expanding collet separate to the router that either presses into the chuck or is tightened inside it...


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

I just sent them email! cross fingers! lol Im wondering if my style of collet expands to tighten form the collet to expand inside to "lock" in place... there isnt any threads on outside of chuck anyplace but that would make sense...


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

Nothing yet... hard to believe no one has had this issue before lol


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

i found a Dewalt repair center locally and he think it maybe is a common threading on shaft and chuck could be upgraded... i hope so! it looks to be more like a milling chuck maybe just sleve slides in with the milling bit and maybe you tap it or something to release... ?


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

nothing.. just nothing... I THINk it is a 5141 or the like... router but this chuck has a wrench slot on outside but no threads and on inside is smooth also and parallel to sides.. maybe uses a split shaft collet? more like maybe a shaper or milling machine? im perplexed!


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## Archtop67 (Mar 4, 2019)

maybe if anyone knows how I can get this collet off and replace for a newer modern one?


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