used router advice please?

[keith ouellette]

I am thinking of buying a PC 6902 1 3/4 hp router motor with a 1001 fixed base and a 6931 plunge base.

Its all one kit and doesn't seem to have been used much. The price is right at $125 and I need a new plunge router.

From what I can tell from the net; this one is fixed speed (like 25k rpm kinda fast for my taste) and doesn't have a soft start. anyone have or have used this set before? what do you think of it.

[Bill Davis]

I had a 690 for several years and basically learned routing on it. It's basic, quite adequate, and has handled whatever I tossed its way. I was thinking of 'upgrading' so looked around quite a bit at the newer, fancier, more powerful, more bells-and-whistles routers available. Saw a lot of nice well thought out features and some of the other variety as well. My old 690 was still working fine so what does a guy do? Tough decision right. Well I ended up getting another fixed base PC690 so now I have two. There are times when two are nice to have like when doing dovetails on my Akeda. Saves switching bits. Saw that at a woodworking show and it really made sense. I like my 690's!

[mickey cassiba]

Keith
The 690 series are very rugged routers. We use them(5) daily in our door shop and the specialty shop. We are using the single speed version for everything from hinge mortising to bull nosing hardwood stair treads and counter tops. We also have a few larger routers but the guys prefer the 690s. The single speed hasn't presented any problems with the 1" round over bits. One thing I did notice when I worked for PC was a lot of them developed problems with the fan end bearing. It's a PITA to change. Try before you buy. They also eat brushes but they're cheap at the service center.
They were, and are one of PC's most popular products, though the newer ones(Silver top) don't seem to stand up as well.
Mickey

[mike holden]

Keith, I own four of these motors and have both the fixed and plunge bases. I like them, and would buy another. The lack of a soft start is not an issue, and unless you are turning big bits in a router table you dont need variable speed.

Mike