# Porter-Cable from House Sale



## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Hi:

Recently I bought a Porter-Cable Model 1100 with model 1101 base, at a house sale for $18.00! It came with a steel carrying case, a bunch of bits, and 4-5 various things like a steel guide.

Anyways it seems to run fine. The problem is twofold. First it was obviously never ever cleaned out. So I would love to be able to clean it up. Second is serious. The 10 foot power cable's insulation has become brittle over time and I need to totally replace the power cable before using anymore. 

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to open it up. I have systematically taken every bolt off that I can. It still does not come apart!

Any ideas? 

Thanks,
Rich


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rich

If you can't take it down you may want to take it into a repair shop and let them replace the cord for you...

The earliest Porter-Cable router dates back to 1906, the ancestor of what was to become a long-lived dynasty. The Guild model 1100 was one of a whole line of power tools Porter-Cable produced under the Guild brand. Although its dome-topped motor housing doesn't lend itself well to bit changes - it won't stand on the bench upside down - its visual attractiveness still pleases woodworkers today in the modernized form of the Porter-Cable model 100

single-speed, 1-1/2-horsepower (1100-watt) workhorse, this little router will go on shaping edges and routing grooves and dadoes mile after mile. It features a releasing collet that prevents the bit from seizing and comes with both 1/4- and 1/2-inch (6.3- and 12.7-millimeter) collets. [The related Porter Cable 693 PK with plunge base kit is also popular. 

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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Thank you for that information on my Porter-Cable Model 1100 router. While this router looks nothing like the ones you included on the last post it was good to get some more information on it.

I wrote to Porter-Cable and they were nice enough to snail-mail a set of instructions for their model 100 router which looks very much like the one I have but updated a bit. I got that two days ago and annoyingly enough it has nothing on how to maintenance the thing. Imagine if you had to send your lawnmower into the show every time you needed to hose it down!

I really would prefer to just replace the cord myself if possible. I like to learn how to maintenance my own tools. I am quite fimiliar with electrical work having taken 4 years of electronics/electrical. So replacing a simple cord should be no issue.

Attached is a PDF to a diagram that I think is nearly what I have.

My problem is just that it is not clear how to actually remove the case. There are two long bolts (part 211) located at the bottom of the unit. Once removed the lower half of the aluminum case spins freely. Please note that I do not have a part 214 on this model. I think I need to remove part 83 to allow the lower half of the aluminum case slide free. I cannot seem to figure out how to remove this part though. Any ideas?

Thanks again for all that information you gave me.

Richard Krone


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rich

That's a real key with the Sears tools to have the right model number...

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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Richard, I own an original Rockwell router which is the same as a PC 100 and you are correct, the collet and nut must be removed (part 83) to allow the case to separate. The case screws (part 211) must be removed. Yes, it is a pain but a new cord is essential for safety's sake. What state do you live in?

*PEOPLE, PLEASE LIST YOUR STATE/PROVENCE AND COUNTRY IN YOUR PROFILE SO WE CAN GIVE YOU THE BEST HELP AVAILABLE!*


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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Mike:

I am in Erie, Pennsylvania USA. Have you taken your Cable-Porter Router Model 100 apart? Have you found any sites which detail how to take that nut off? I can get the two screws off with no issues but the nut well it spins and I dont know how to stop it spinning so that I can put a wrench to it to remove it. I don't want to damage the router if I can help it and I can't afford to UPS it to a repair place and then pay a high repair fee.

Any ideas would be great! 

Thanks


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Richard

You may want to drop a PM or a email to
AAA MOTORS ,he is a member of the forum and may have a tip or two for you 

http://www.routerforums.com/members/aaa-motors-15347.html

AAA ELECTRIC MOTORS INC WE REPAIR ROUTER MOTORS 

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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Thanks for that suggestion. I have emailed him since I do not yet have the minimum # of posts yet to use the pvt message feature.

 Thanks


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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Hi:

I still have not figured out how to remove the nut that holds the router together so that I can replace the cord. Does anyone have any suggestions about this?


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Richard,

Look inside the shaft, there may be a screw head of some type. This may be a setup very similar to that of power hand drills to change out chucks.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Richard

You may want to post a PICTURE or two, sometimes some can see something you don't or to say something you miss.. 

I know it's a long shot but it can't hurt to try it..

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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Hi: 

Your are right I need to post a few pics so here they are.

This is a frontal view of the Model 100 Porter-Cable Router:
http://imagecloset.com/view12/b39956877b3e3ce84a851a2a5bc90885/PICT3834.JPG

This is a bottom view of the nut on this router. I can remove all four visible screws from the router. Yet its the nut that holds the collet that I cannot remove. I believe that this is the part that I need to remove to be able to open the router. There are no other screws, pins, latches, or lips visible on the outside of this router. That would be to easy! 
http://imagecloset.com/view12/40714ab9005c917e12bc16f165edcb95/PICT3836.JPG

Any help or suggestions figuring out how to open this little router would be great.

Thanks!
Rich


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rich

It's looks like one of the push in nuts, one that you may see on old alliances,,
It takes a pair of needle nose plies to push in both parts and then pull it out and up from the hole..it's snap in type, that's to say it locks in place once it's in the right place in the motor .

Some are round and some are out of round but they work almost the same way..they put presser on the cord by deforming it just a litte bit..


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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

I will have to check out the cord to see if you are right. Any idea how to get the steel blot that holds the collet off of the router?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

I would say it should not come off,,,it looks like it's part of the main shaft,(press fit thing) the older one could only take on 1/4" bits, but it needs the out part of the collet to lock the bit in place...looks like a cone nut in away....


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Richard.Krone said:


> I will have to check out the cord to see if you are right. Any idea how to get the steel blot that holds the collet off of the router?


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

If I'm seeing things correctly, the collet looks like it's a hexigon shape as well, just like the nut?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi 

Just took one more look at it,, and it looks like a old type that works backwards from the norm..

That's to say it all there,,, but the cone goes down inside of the main nut,,,it looks like it can come off with the right puller, the 3 holes in the motor base but you may not want to play with it , if it's working, just clean it up just a bit...

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## Richard.Krone (May 11, 2008)

Yeah I don't want to take it apart but well I need to replace the cord on this thing.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

It may be best if you simply found a repair shop. They would have the proper tooling to remove and reinstall the parts. That is if you feel it's worth it.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Ok, so we are on the same sheet of music what you have is a model 1100 router which is different from a model 100. My router is a Rockwell. As you can see in the photo there is a different line cord entry into the housing. On the model 100 and the Rockwell you remove the brushes, then the two main body screws and that allows the case to come apart. You do not need to remove the collet nut from the shaft. The shaft stays captive in the bottom of the housing. It will require a bit of patience to get the case apart


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## JohnnyArmstrong (Sep 1, 2010)

*So, I took mine apart*

I'm going to use layman's terms to write about how it comes apart. 

The round part at the top and the sleeve come apart by prying them, they are simply pressed together and go back together very easily. Yes, you have to take out the long screw and I also took out my brushes. When taking out the brushes, remember, they are spring loaded in there and that black cap will fly away if you don't keep it in check. 

Now what happened to me was that fan thing at the bottom was split in half so I also had to take that nut off the bottom to separate the armature, of the thing with all the copper wire wound up around it, from the sleeve. I knew taking a monkey wrench would be a bad move, so I put on a glove and just held it as I wrenched off the nut. It came off pretty easily, maybe 15 lbs of force. it's pressed in the bearing and a punch and a coffee can with some of those white packing peanuts makes separating that a breeze. a couple taps is all it takes.

now while I have the thing apart I clean and lube it. I don't have the fan part to put back in there yet but it'll be usable again without sounding like it's a death trap. 

Now my little 1101 just zips along.


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## 01stairguy (Apr 18, 2010)

JohnnyArmstrong said:


> I'm going to use layman's terms to write about how it comes apart.
> 
> The round part at the top and the sleeve come apart by prying them, they are simply pressed together and go back together very easily. Yes, you have to take out the long screw and I also took out my brushes. When taking out the brushes, remember, they are spring loaded in there and that black cap will fly away if you don't keep it in check.
> 
> ...


i have same model,and mine over heaths or gets hot within 5 seconds,im just wonderin whats the reason i heard could be the lower bearing ,becuase the top bearing works well, and on the other hand when i turn it on the speed goes slow then high ,and so on it will stay on high speed or will idle the speed if you put it upside down, i dont know if it could be the switch, i dont know whats the reaction of a switch going bad , do you all have any advise guys


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Ron

That's a very old Porter Cable router it's time to buy a new one, I'm almost sure a 690 motor will drop right in but not 100% sure...some the older ones had guide pins in a diff.place on the motor...pawn shop time...

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01stairguy said:


> i have same model,and mine over heaths or gets hot within 5 seconds,im just wonderin whats the reason i heard could be the lower bearing ,becuase the top bearing works well, and on the other hand when i turn it on the speed goes slow then high ,and so on it will stay on high speed or will idle the speed if you put it upside down, i dont know if it could be the switch, i dont know whats the reaction of a switch going bad , do you all have any advise guys


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## 01stairguy (Apr 18, 2010)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Ron
> 
> That's a very old Porter Cable router it's time to buy a new one, I'm almost sure a 690 motor will drop right in but not 100% sure...some the older ones had guide pins in a diff.place on the motor...pawn shop time...
> 
> ========


well i love vintage tools and i started to collect them and whenever ican get my hands on snything like that , im all over it, i think it is nice when you can keep a tool running for so long, dont ger me wrong i have a lot of brand new tools as well


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## JohnnyArmstrong (Sep 1, 2010)

01stairguy said:


> i have same model,and mine over heaths or gets hot within 5 seconds,im just wonderin whats the reason i heard could be the lower bearing ,becuase the top bearing works well, and on the other hand when i turn it on the speed goes slow then high ,and so on it will stay on high speed or will idle the speed if you put it upside down, i dont know if it could be the switch, i dont know whats the reaction of a switch going bad , do you all have any advise guys




when I had taken the sleeve off I gave the armature a spin and walked away, came back about a minute later and it was still spinning. that bearing is held in by one of those circular pins with 2 holes in it that's like a ring. looks like it would be some sort of standard american bearing size and would be available at any local bearing shop.


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## allthunbs (Jun 22, 2008)

01stairguy said:


> i have same model,and mine over heaths or gets hot within 5 seconds,im just wonderin whats the reason i heard could be the lower bearing ,becuase the top bearing works well, and on the other hand when i turn it on the speed goes slow then high ,and so on it will stay on high speed or will idle the speed if you put it upside down, i dont know if it could be the switch, i dont know whats the reaction of a switch going bad , do you all have any advise guys


Hi Ron:

Replace the bearings before you fry the armature. Follow the information above to disassemble and you should find the bearings seated in the casting on one half. Failing that, they'll be pressed onto the armature and you'll need a puller to get them off. Bearings should be readily available. If you don't feel comfortable working with electricity, take it to a reputable repair depot.


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## 01stairguy (Apr 18, 2010)

allthunbs said:


> Hi Ron:
> 
> Replace the bearings before you fry the armature. Follow the information above to disassemble and you should find the bearings seated in the casting on one half. Failing that, they'll be pressed onto the armature and you'll need a puller to get them off. Bearings should be readily available. If you don't feel comfortable working with electricity, take it to a reputable repair depot.


you are right thanks , i didnt think about that.


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## Joesf (Nov 27, 2010)

I just opened up an old 100M PC router today. It ran but I don't think it would have done much work. The bearings need replacing , needs a new cord, brushes are OK. We shall see.


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## rog5950 (Jul 28, 2010)

I recently came into possesion of a model 1100 like yours, so I am reading this post hoping to find and owners manual to eventually get 1 or 2 replacement pcs.


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## PRDarnell (Mar 21, 2012)

*PC Information/ Parts/ Etc.*



rog5950 said:


> I recently came into possesion of a model 1100 like yours, so I am reading this post hoping to find and owners manual to eventually get 1 or 2 replacement pcs.


You might want to give a call to Ron Ruchubka at Syracuse Industrial Sales, 1850 Lemoyne Avenue Syracuse, NY 13208, Phone: (315) 478-5751. He can be a bit gruff sometimes but he's a wealth of information about older PC tools. Porter-Cable began here in Syracuse around 1906. His store used to be in the original P-C outlet storefront.

Ron "helped" me rebuild a very old PC belt sander that had been heavily abused. He had some parts that no one else on the web could get. If I had a problem at one stage or other and he had a spare minute he'd take me back into the repair area and show me what to do even though I hadn't brought my tool in with me.

He couldn't supply me with a manual, however. 

Hope this helps!

Paul


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

PRDarnell said:


> You might want to give a call to Ron Ruchubka at Syracuse Industrial Sales, 1850 Lemoyne Avenue Syracuse, NY 13208, Phone: (315) 478-5751. He can be a bit gruff sometimes but he's a wealth of information about older PC tools. Porter-Cable began here in Syracuse around 1906. His store used to be in the original P-C outlet storefront.
> 
> Ron "helped" me rebuild a very old PC belt sander that had been heavily abused. He had some parts that no one else on the web could get. If I had a problem at one stage or other and he had a spare minute he'd take me back into the repair area and show me what to do even though I hadn't brought my tool in with me.
> 
> ...



Welcome to the forum, Paul.

The original post was from 2008, but your information will help someone further down the track....


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## Timberline Construction (Jul 26, 2013)

I had the same problem with my P-C 1100. I removed the thread inserts on the body with a vice grips and drilled a 7/64 inch hole 7/8 of an inch from the bottom of the router in the groove where the insets were inserted. I inserted an allen wrench to hold the fan and unscrewed the nut on the bottom that is the outside part of the collet. It unscrewed easily otherwise I was prepared to drill another hole in the opposite thread insert grove to distribute the load. When the thread inserts are reinserted the hole(s) cannot be seen.
Good luck.


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## wendya (Aug 1, 2013)

I have a 1100 Porter Cable Router we are trying to take apart to repair the on off button. Any help. We've taken out allot of screws but can't get it apart.
thanks for you help


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## wendya (Aug 1, 2013)

thanks


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

wendya said:


> thanks



Welcome to the forum.

Sometimes it takes longer than 20 minutes to get a response....


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