# never used a riuter before



## kylemcguire (Jan 13, 2012)

Hi everyone, I am kyle. I am starting to work with wood and have a 30 yr old but b never been used Wen 1700K5 router. Does anyone know where I can getr an operating manual for this router?


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

Welcome Kyle.
What type of router do you have??


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome, Kyle.

I am not familiar with that router "Wen 1700K5 router.".


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

kylemcguire said:


> Hi everyone, I am kyle. I am starting to work with wood and have a 30 yr old but b never been used Wen 1700K5 router. Does anyone know where I can getr an operating manual for this router?


Hi Kyle - Welcome to the forum
I could only find reference to that router in a 1975 issue of Fine Woodworking and a 1976 issue of Popular Mechanics but couldn't get into the magazines themselves to get any information. The WEN power products site didn't yield anything either. 
There is a forum dedicated to Old Woodworking Machinery that may be able to help.


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## RT1000 (Jan 9, 2007)

Welcome to the Forum:cray::cray: Kyle: I remember the eighties I used to sell Wen power tools. I hope today’s tools are better then yesterdays where. I may or may not be sarcastic when I say the first project you make is a little tiny Casket that fit’s the Wen 1700K5 and when it is finished we start a New thread where we can all gather around and morn its funeral. But I will tell ya the .38 special Drill driver was ahead of it time I made a small fortune selling those drills Not mush of a drill but for 39.95 you got a drill that look so mush like a .38 special Good luck finding a manual


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## SteveVanhousen (Dec 14, 2011)

I also remember the Wen drills, not sure where you could find a manual though, perhaps on ebay if you are willing to pay for it or sometimes there are websites that have old manuals scanned online.


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## SteveVanhousen (Dec 14, 2011)

And welcome, there is a great deal of info I have learned from these forums already so you will be up to speed in no time


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Kyle, I suggest you keep the Wen in an unused condition and offer it for sale. Odds are good someone will have fond memories about it and buy it. Routers have come a long way since then and I think you would be much happier working with a newer model which will have more power and features.


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## Sawatzky (Jan 1, 2009)

I received one of those exact routers from my mother-in-law when I was first getting started in woodworking that she found in her garage. After playing with it for a little bit I realized it was a VERY cheap and basically unusable router. I think even a Black & Decker or Harbor Freight router would be superior to the Wen. If it was me I would leave it in the box and try to sell it on ebay. They seem to show up there from time to time.


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