# a bad day with a Porter Cable 3 1/4 horse router



## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

I need to hear from someone who has purchased a 3 ¼ horse Porter Cable router motor since the first of the year. I am looking at that time period because I know in the past Porter Cable made a good product.

I ordered mine May 5th and got it 2 weeks later. I built a router table for it and got the unit in service 1st part of June. I noticed the bits were hot when I removed them from the unit. To test the motor, I let the router sit overnight. Next morning I ran the router with no load/ no bit for 3 minutes. The collect was so hot I could not hold my fingers against it.

Porter Cable does not publish a phone number on their web site I had to do the email form. A week later their customer rep sent me a link to start the warranty repair process. 

My nearest repair center is Denver so I shipped the unit there 7-13-20. Per UPS tracking the unit arrived at the repair center 7-14-20.

I received the unit back today 8-19-20 with the same over heating issue. According to the service order enclosed with the router, they had changed just about every part of it. I called the Denver repair center and was told that “we changed almost all of the parts TWICE. Please send the unit back and we will try to exchange or replace it.” 
I asked if it was going take another month to get a different unit and was told to be sure to enclose the service order. The repair tech said 
hopefully that will help speed up the process.

To say I am upset does not even come close. 

The point of my question: Am I just under a bad cloud or have others had this hot collect problem?

Also if you are looking to buy one of these routers, test the unit as soon as you get it.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

That's why so many of us buy Bosch and other brands. Whoever bought out Porter Cable is doing what they've done all the other brands they bought out. Exploiting what's left of a good reputation. However, any bit you use will likely heat up, depending on the material and the amount you're cutting off. Any thing more than 1/8th per pass is my rule.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Tom; it's overheating with no bit and no cutting. Ie it's defective.


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

I have a couple Bosch routers but I wanted a 3 1/4 horse unit and Bosch does not make one. I guess what I am whining about the most is the time line and the actions of their service group. We all get a bad product once in awhile but to just send it back to me still failed!!!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DesertRatTom said:


> That's why so many of us buy Bosch and other brands. Whoever bought out Porter Cable is doing what they've done all the other brands they bought out. Exploiting what's left of a good reputation. However, any bit you use will likely heat up, depending on the material and the amount you're cutting off. Any thing more than 1/8th per pass is my rule.


Tom...
it's overheating while running at idle...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> I need to hear from someone who has purchased a 3 ¼ horse Porter Cable router motor since the first of the year. I am looking at that time period because I know in the past Porter Cable made a good product.


best of luck dealing w/ PC...
*https://www.routerforums.com/395455-post25.html*


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> Next morning I ran the router with no load/ no bit for 3 minutes. The collect was so hot I could not hold my fingers against it..


does the body get hot???
sounds like a bearing failing/failed... 
there is the possibility the router is being run at the wrong voltage... what the data label on the router says it is, isn't what it is...

also.. check for run out and see in the shaft moves up and/or down at all... there should be zero play...
if it does it's the bearings and/or the housing... 
if it's housing... the router is now junk...

unplug the router...
free hand turn the shaft and listen for bearing noise... 
squeaks and grinding noises are a bad sign...
stethoscopes sure are handy... *Lisle 52750 Stethoscope Kit*
for faster turning.. wind a string on the shaft and pull like you were trying to start a lawn mower...

I've dealt w/ Denver...
my money is on they did nothing more than plugged the router in, it ran, you got it back and they billed PC for a warranty...


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## Pcurry (Dec 5, 2013)

Sorry to hear about the experience but as someone thinking about buying a larger table router, glad you posted it.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

It also sounds to me like a bad bearing. It's the only part close to the collet that could be causing the problem. If it's something higher up then the case should get too hot to touch too. PC has used cheap bearings for years. I had two sanders with bearing failures at the same time and Stick has said he had them fail in his routers in other threads about them.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

*Why motors overheat.....*

1. *Electrical overload* caused by excessive voltage supply or overwork by drawing more current will lead to overheating issues. As the motor works harder or under unusual load, heat will be the chief byproduct, leading to failure. Speed controller has issues or failed.

2. *Low resistance* is the most common reason behind electric motor failure. Degradation of motor windings by heat will pave the way for short-circuits and leakages, which leave the motor at risk for failure. AKA insufficient isolation between the conductors or motor windings or insufficient insulation. The motor, internally, could be physically damaged.

3. *Contamination* of dust and debris will raise the internal temperature of a motor and keep it from cooling, which leads to excessive heat over a longer period of time. This generally occurs without proper maintenance or venting for particles.

4. *Start-stop frequency* plays a big role in heat damage. Excessively starting, stopping, and starting your motor again won’t allow it to cool properly. The result is a high-heat environment that wears on the integrity of components.

5. *Vibration* from a condition like *soft foot** failed/failing or loose bearings, misalignment, or even *corrosion*** which leads to excessive heat. If vibrations are severe enough, they’ll raise temperatures to unsafe levels and stress components beyond their capacity for heat.

6. *Manufacturing* w/ substandard components. Insufficient wire insulation. Poorly constructed field or commentator. The cooling fan could be installed backwards. 

*Note:*
*Soft foot is machine frame distortion relative to the armature's center of operational axis. in tools caused by poor manufacturing practices and poorer QC not catching the issue...
**Corrosion generally is a result of subpar components.

See if something *at this link* will be of help...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> I have a couple Bosch routers but I wanted a 3 1/4 horse unit and Bosch does not make one. I guess what I am whining about the most is the time line and the actions of their service group. We all get a bad product once in awhile but to just send it back to me still failed!!!


see if you can find a 1619 by Bosch..
go w/ a Triton...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

I purchased not one but two PC75182,( motors only )

I joined here and unfortunately didn’t ask before I purchased. Haven’t heard one good thing about the newer ones here , bad bearings etc .
I’ve never installed one in a lift yet , so I don’t know what to expect . 
These reviews on amazon add to my fears. I mean it’s one thing changing out a bearing ,but another if the bearing doesn’t stay in position any more . Pretty much 900 bucks down the drain for me I suspect.
Almost tired of this game 

https://www.amazon.ca/Porter-Cable-75182-Variable-Speed-Router/dp/B0007SXHXM



> I have been using this router motor for years on my CNC machines. I have purchased around 36 of these motors for the past 12 years.
> Lately the new ones are failing within 50 hours of use in that the top bearing gets loose -- That is -- the bearing does not have a tight fitting either to the shaft or to the housing. That causes the bearing to move up and the shaft to wobble. In the past I would only need to maintain these motors every 200 hours for new brushes and about every 400 hours for new bearings. Only after many years of use would I have problems with the bearing getting lose in the housing and/or shaft.
> The problem I have now is that for some reason the housing for the top ball bearing is not available as a replacement part, making these motors unusable.
> Very disappointing.





> After owning this router for less than six months, with only occasional use, it has now developed a bearing issue...it's either failed or come loose, allowing for visible play in the collet and unacceptable routing results (bit chatter). This unit replaced another 3hp router that I had used for over 15 years, and this was my first Porter-Cable power tool. I purchased it based on rave reviews and their reputation for producing quality tools. I'm going to withhold my ultimate opinion of this company and its tool pending their response to my circumstance. To say the least, for a $300+ tool to fail inside of a year, based on my use of it, is extremely concerning. May have to go back to the 'old' brand.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

RainMan 2.0 said:


> I purchased not one but two PC75182,( motors only )
> 
> I joined here and unfortunately didn’t ask before I purchased. Haven’t heard one good thing about the newer ones here , bad bearings etc .
> I’ve never installed one in a lift yet , so I don’t know what to expect .
> ...


try 2,000 dollars....

from an earlier post.
5. Vibration from a condition like soft foot* failed/failing or loose bearings, misalignment, or even corrosion** which leads to excessive heat. If vibrations are severe enough, they’ll raise temperatures to unsafe levels and stress components beyond their capacity for heat.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> It also sounds to me like a bad bearing. It's the only part close to the collet that could be causing the problem. If it's something higher up then the case should get too hot to touch too. PC has used cheap bearings for years. I had two sanders with bearing failures at the same time and Stick has said he had them fail in his routers in other threads about them.


Have roller skate bearings will travel....


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> try 2,000 dollars....
> 
> from an earlier post.
> 5. Vibration from a condition like soft foot* failed/failing or loose bearings, misalignment, or even corrosion** which leads to excessive heat. If vibrations are severe enough, they’ll raise temperatures to unsafe levels and stress components beyond their capacity for heat.


Just checked my amazon account and I bought them back in 2014 . To bad they already botched them up by the. . My old PC690 has been awesome


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Sorry to hear you had so many problems with service. I would offer for you to replace the bearing with a good one but if the upper and lower housings are not in alignment it would just repeat the problem in a short time. If in fact they replaced the bearing twice it would mean they tested it after the first replacement and realized they should replace it again. The horrible part is they must have tested it again, it failed, and sent it back to you anyway. So, that says they either did nothing at all or sent it back with no conscience.

I agree with the recommendation to return it for refund and purchase another brand...Bosch 1619 or the Triton. There certainly is no repair for the anxiety they've cost you and that deserves to hit them "in the wallet"...


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## gmercer_48083 (Jul 18, 2012)

I am surprised they didn't replace it or offer a refund.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> It also sounds to me like a bad bearing. It's the only part close to the collet that could be causing the problem. If it's something higher up then the case should get too hot to touch too. PC has used cheap bearings for years. I had two sanders with bearing failures at the same time and Stick has said he had them fail in his routers in other threads about them.


the more I think about it....
the more I believe the center axis is off... 
cheap bearings aren't helping the issue either...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Stick486 said:


> the more I think about it....
> the more I believe the center axis is off...
> cheap bearings aren't helping the issue either...


That is a good possibility. Out of alignment would case lateral loading on the bearing even without the motor being under a load which could generate the heat he's getting.


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## Bstrom (Jan 2, 2020)

It's a sad day in the tool world - don't know which brands you can trust or not. Bosch is still owned by Bosch so they may be the holdout for quality. Guess to make and sell what we want is too cost intensive for them to make a buck. I'm all Bosch on power tools...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Bstrom said:


> It's a sad day in the tool world - don't know which brands you can trust or not. Bosch is still owned by Bosch so they may be the holdout for quality. Guess to make and sell what we want is too cost intensive for them to make a buck. I'm all Bosch on power tools...


Bosch has a few duds...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> the more I think about it....
> the more I believe the center axis is off...
> cheap bearings aren't helping the issue either...


That would explain a lot


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Stick486 said:


> the more I think about it....
> the more I believe the center axis is off...
> cheap bearings aren't helping the issue either...


That would explain a lot, and it was mentioned before that there may be a problem with the chassis alignment. 
I think Ill throw both of mine in the dump before even trying them , and just buy the 1617 for my lift and be done with it . Sounds as though there going to be an issue at some point regardless. 
Bosch’s 1617 seems reasonably priced also


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I have an idea. PC should include an extra set of bearings with the purchase, just to make it last beyound the warrentee period. Or maybe sell the router w/o bearings and let the customer find and replace the bearings. Just thinking out loud,
Herb


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Herb Stoops said:


> I have an idea. PC should include an extra set of bearings with the purchase, just to make it last beyound the warrentee period. Or maybe sell the router w/o bearings and let the customer find and replace the bearings. Just thinking out loud,
> Herb


But the problem may be bigger than that Herb . If there’s an alignment issue with the rotor , than it’s pretty much a write off .
And if you read my thread with the amazon review , the bearing no longer sits properly in the chassis , causing play . 
There pretty much paper weights from what I’m gathering, and to think I spent over $1,000 on two of them back in the day .
I’m pretty sure they were garbage back in 2014 when I purchased mine . Not sure how far you had to go back to get a reliable one


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

They were still good in 1999,must be a 2k problem got them.
Herb


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

My favorite router used to be Porter Cable but you can't talk me into buying one now. I still use my old Porter Cable routers now, have one in my router table, but if buying a new one I'd be looking at Bosch first.

It does sound like something is just not right about that router, if it is poor machining of the parts that could cause the overheating problem, but the big question is how many have the same problem. That could point to a quality control/inspection problem in the manufacturing process. If not caught in time or at all, it is a hit or miss proposition when buying a new router from them.


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Thanks everyone for your input. After some slightly spirited discussion with the repair center manager, I am moving forward with getting a refund for the cost of the router from Porter Cable. 

I am going thru him to get it from PC corporate so it will be about 6 weeks to get the refund but I am free of the problem child router and in the end he did help me solve the issue.

There are lemons in every brand. I am not condemning PC but would just as soon not take another chance on PC. In this case according the service manager there are no replacement routers available at this time so that lets me off the hook on that account.

So………………….. I do not want to get rid of my Jessem lift and I want a 3 hp router for my table. Unless one of you raises a hand says “don’t do it” I planning on getting a Milwaukee 5625-20. Home Depot is offering one for almost the same price as my PC. Per the reviews it may have the same switch dirt issues that my Bosch 23 had but I guess I am used to that.

It is surprising that as lifts become more popular, fewer 3 hp routers are being offered that are lift compatible.

Thank you all again for letting me vent.


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## Arcola60 (Jul 4, 2009)

Possible heating issues: Misalignment of Housing bearing fits, (replacing bearings will not correct)
Undersized fit (bearing OD) does not allow for thermal growth. Typical clearance is: .0005-.0015 loose to bearing OD.
Replacing bearings will not correct this issue also.

These two, along with other conditions that were mentioned could cause repeated heating with or without an amperage load.

The problem lies that most technicians do not have the experience to understand or know to check for these minor flaws.
There is probably minimal QC checks during, and after.
All of this cost money, and cuts into the profit margin.

Just my thoughts.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> Thanks everyone for your input. After some slightly spirited discussion with the repair center manager, I am moving forward with getting a refund for the cost of the router from Porter Cable.
> 
> I am going thru him to get it from PC corporate so it will be about 6 weeks to get the refund but I am free of the problem child router and in the end he did help me solve the issue.
> 
> ...


Milwaukee motors are decent...
talk to JessEm.. they sell a 3+ HP motor w/ external speed control.. at least they did...

what issue did you have w/ the 23???

what ever you do, vent the motor... scroll down to find the discussion *in this here link*...


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Stick

I had the 23 in a Bosch table. Every so often it would stop running. The led lights on the motor would remain lit indicating the motor had power. After reading some review complaints found that dust was prone to get into the on/off switch in the handle. I got into the habit of blowing out the switch after each job. That seems to make the problem go away. I also took the handle apart and blew it out every 12 -18 months. 

I was too lazy to deal with Bosch to get a new switch or see if they had a fix. When I used the 23 as a fixed base router, I really liked the concept of having the switch in the router handles instead of having to remove my hand from the tool to shut it off. It was a good machine.

I turned over both the router and table to my son. I still have a 1617 and Bosch palm router. Called Bosch today and asked them to get back into the over 3 hp router market. I was told "maybe someday" oh well.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Bosch CS/TS is outstanding...
call them..
they fixed a couple of mine that were more than 10 years out of warranty...

FWIW.. hold up on the compressed air an go w/ vacuum...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well out of curiosity I ran mine on the bench for three minutes at full speed . The chassis warmed up a bit but the collet was barely warm to the touch .
I’ve heard horror stories with brand new ones out of the box that were having issues , so maybe mine is ok . Guess time will tell .
For as much as I’m going to use it , I suspect the crappy bearings will last forever . 
I must say the things a beast . When set to high , even with soft start you really gotta hang onto it .
And I never realized how much air flow comes out of the head till now


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

[/QUOTE]FWIW.. hold up on the compressed air an go w/ vacuum...[/QUOTE]

I don’t know what FWIW means but dog gone it Stick you don’t miss a thing. Bad as my wife. The lovely nurse I have been married to for 45 years is always on me about safety. 

You are very correct that it is always better to capture contaminants than blow them around in the air especially now a days. 

Good Safety Catch!

(I get on my computer to escape the wife’s lectures and I get caught here!) There is no rest for the wicked. lol


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

I also see I don't know how to post a quote


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Charlie68 said:


> I also see I don't know how to post a quote


If you mean a quote from a poster,go to the bottom of their post window and there is the BOLD word QUOTE. Click on that and you will open your own window and see what they said ,and right below give your response.
Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> > FWIW.. hold up on the compressed air an go w/ vacuum...
> 
> 
> 1... I don’t know what FWIW means
> ...


1... For What It's Worth...
2... I missed my afternoon snack, pre-nap and actual nap... 
3... WHOA!!! Oh boy... prayers to you...
4... There are places in your tool that you *DO NOT* want to inject swarf into... So not beneficial to the tool as in you can ruin/destroy it.......

FWIW...
*NEVER* use canned air on tools...

*because of flammable ingredients...* 
When canned gas is tilted, the liquefied and highly flammable gas can be released into the air and onto surfaces it contacts. This can be especially dangerous in poorly ventilated areas. When a flammable atmosphere is created, flames, sparks and electrical switches can ignite the concentrated gas, causing a flash fire.


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Stick 
I have a air compressor but good point about canned air. A bit of trivia, at work it was common practice to turn the can upside down and use the cold propellent/Freon to hunt for components failing when heating up. Times change


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> Stick
> I have a air compressor but good point about canned air. A bit of trivia, at work it was common practice to turn the can upside down and use the cold propellent/Freon to hunt for components failing when heating up. Times change


Freon sometimes, butane more often...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Charlie68 said:


> I also see I don't know how to post a quote


Use the "Reply with Quote" button. If you want to reply about a specific part of someones post you can go into the quoted text and delete the parts that don't apply just like you can delete parts of your own text. 

And for the advanced user, if you would like to insert replies to different parts of a quote you can do that too. Any quote starts with the word QUOTE in brackets and ends with the slash and the word quote in brackets. You can go the where you would like to insert a reply and type in the left bracket, /QUOTE, and then the right bracket. That section will then be quoted separately. Once you finish replying type the word quote in brackets again and the rest will remain quoted as before. You can do that as many times as you want. It usually helps to color your text a different color when you do that. Click on the capital letter A in the menu bar and you'll get a palette of colors to pick from.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

cursor the reply header icons for what they do....
advanced gives you more icons....


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> Stick you don’t miss a thing.


same thing today..
I missed my afternoon snack, pre-nap and actual nap...


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Stick486 said:


> same thing today..
> I missed my afternoon snack, pre-nap and actual nap...



Trying to do a quote again.


I don't know about you Stick but I get a little cranky when I miss my snack so hopefully I have don't anything to upset you:smile:


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Worked that time. thanks for the help everyone


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> Trying to do a quote again.
> 
> 
> I don't know about you Stick but I get a little cranky when I miss my snack so hopefully I have don't anything to upset you:smile:


slept right through 2 snacks and 4 naps...
good reason to get cranky...


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well with any luck I’ll get a bite guys . Hard to in these times though 

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-view-details.html?adId=1519570242


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## Gary Lee (Jul 9, 2007)

I need to hear from someone who has purchased a 3 ¼ horse Porter Cable router motor since the first of the year. I am looking at that time period because I know in the past Porter Cable made a good product.


Haven't purchased a PC router this year, nor the last 10-15 yrs. Can't help you there Charlie. I agree with the bearing as an issue.
I own about a dozen PC routers, 5 of the 3 1/4 hp, 6+ of the 1 3/4 hp. Several mounted semi permanent on laminated 24x24x3/4 ply,
so I can pull out what profile needed for project. Same with the cabinet door profiles. Some used for the job site.
Have only bought 1 or 2 new (20 yrs ago). The rest I purchased used from shops I have worked at, flea markets, pawn shops, or other tradesmen.
All of them are at least 15 yrs old, several 25+ yrs
I have never had a failure. And only replaced one plastic motor fan that I broke by accident.
I do have an ancient very small PC plastic laminate trimmer I rebuilt, because I abused it on job sited overloading w/too large of a bits.
PC made good quality products. I still have my old 3x24 A3 worm drive, from probably the 50's-60's.
Black and Decker was one of the first to sell out their name. Others then followed, so I do not buy much new shop tools, except the cordless tools. 
When I started my carpentry trade many moons ago, friends would ask to borrow my drill or skill saw, or come by to get me to rip some plywood.
Very few people had wood working tools except the tradesmen. Then the cheaper consumer line of tools hit the market.
Today, everybody, house wives and hobbyist, has more tools than I do, affordably, all from china.
The old dependable tool names are mostly now all cheap china junk. I buy tools if it is old,and has zerk fittings. Maintain able...


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## Charlie68 (Dec 30, 2019)

Thanks Gary
I went ahead and got a Milwaukee 5625. PC Corporate is refunding my money on the 7518. As I said we all get lemons now and then but I was really disappointed in the Dewalt repair center in Denver. If I had gone to the Minnesota repair center maybe things would have been better. 

Home Depot had the Milwaukee router for only $15 more than the PC so life is not that bad.

A lot of this is really on me. I was in a hurry to work on a project so I put the PC router in service as soon as I got it. I did not take the time to check the unit when I got it, doing any stress testing, getting a base line etc. I can’t say lesson learned because I knew better.
The Milwaukee weighs less than the PC tho it claims to be 3 ½ hp while the PC is a 3 ¼ unit. The Milwaukee router motor runs cool with no load for an 
extended time. As a stress test I put a 3 ½ inch raised panel bit in it and tried to take a full cut through soft pine (yes I know not acceptable usage but it was a STRESS test). I was able to shut the router down. I wish I had tried the same cut with the PC so I could compare. I am not sure I could have shut the PC down doing the same test. Overall the PC router felt like a beefier unit.

The Milwaukee is nice; its base has a better lift design than Bosch for being mounted under a table if you don’t want to buy a separate lift. Comparing my Bosch to the Milwaukee, the Milwaukee’s motor case is slick and slides in its base. My Bosch’s case feels like fine sandpaper. I sometimes had minor issues with moving it up and down under my table.

If I had the budget I would look for an older PC router motor and use the Milwaukee for a spare. There are just too many people using the PC to say the unit is not a good unit. I would do my own repair tho.


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## srjaynes49 (Feb 9, 2010)

I have 3 high amperage routers. They include 3 Hitachi M12v plunge routers, 2 of which reside in tables and one that is used free-hand. I also have the Festool OF-2200, which is used free-hand. None of them get beyond warm spinning a bit no-load for 3 to 5 minutes. The same can be said of my several Porter Cable 690 & 890 Series routers, 3 of which are table mounted. DEMAND a replacement!


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## srjaynes49 (Feb 9, 2010)

Count count on Thursday’s... I have FOUR high amperage routers. HP ratings are for marketing departments! It’s wattage divided by 745. Anything else is pure hokem. 3.5 HP would be over 2600 watts or nearly 22 amps at 120. Volts. Try that on your 15 amp circuit breaks kiddies!


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

srjaynes49 said:


> Count count on Thursday’s... I have FOUR high amperage routers. HP ratings are for marketing departments! It’s wattage divided by 745. Anything else is pure hokem. 3.5 HP would be over 2600 watts or nearly 22 amps at 120. Volts. Try that on your 15 amp circuit breaks kiddies!


have a read..

.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Hey all , I found a buyer for my 75182’s . His only concern was that they had to be Type 3 .
I didn’t know this till I checked mine , and they are both Type 3 .
Is that a good thing ?


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## schmitt32linedrill (Apr 23, 2013)

Charlie68 said:


> I need to hear from someone who has purchased a 3 ¼ horse Porter Cable router motor since the first of the year. I am looking at that time period because I know in the past Porter Cable made a good product.
> 
> I ordered mine May 5th and got it 2 weeks later. I built a router table for it and got the unit in service 1st part of June. I noticed the bits were hot when I removed them from the unit. To test the motor, I let the router sit overnight. Next morning I ran the router with no load/ no bit for 3 minutes. The collect was so hot I could not hold my fingers against it.
> 
> ...


It could be that that large router is not intended to be mounted upside down on a table. I had a lot of bearing trouble with table mounted routers, years ago. these were smaller units with no variable speed control. 

We always had at couple of 3-1/4 hp PCs in the shop. We used them for all the cutting of 1.125 inch particle board used in counter tops etc. We would screw the router to a board of the right length for the radius of a curve then just pivot around a screw or dowel drilled into our wood floor.

We once did an Oak communion rail with a 30 foot radius. In my commercial shop we would use the router to make curved ribs for furniture parts that were wrapped with bendable plywood, such as 3 ply Luan or 1/8 bending Birch. We could then laminate or cover with flexable veneer. Picture quality is not good because I re photographed old 35mm prints.


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