Porter Cable 7518 collet wrenches are really bad ........

[Bill Huber]

I am real happy with the Porter Cable 7518 I got awhile back but the collet wenches are really bad. The ones that came with the router are stamped and not forged and the faces are not flat and square to the side of the wrench. If you don't have the wrench really flat they just want to slip up and off.

The wenches are 1 1/8" so I just ordered some replacements for Milwalkees routers and they are forged and really work great. I guess I just got a spoiled with the wenches on the Bosch.

[Steven Hsieh]

buy two pair

first pair weld them together
second pair weld them together

[Mike Cutler]

Bill

Same here. The wrenches for the PC's are really junky, but like you, I was lucky to have a pair of the Milwaukee wrenches.

[Don Sundberg]

Good to know as I just pulled the trigger on a new 7518. It's at $299.88 at Amazon currently. I'm glad I have a Milwaukee router to use the wrenches from. Now I just need to get the table extension for the saw and the lift.... one thing at a time.

[Dave Lehnert]

I picked up a 1 1/8 wrench cheap at Tractor Supply.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/jobsmart-reg-combination-wrench-1-1-8-in-13-in-l-3899937

[Jim Neeley]

A picked up an offset wrench to simplify in-table changes.. although I've never had problems with the cheap stock wrenches.

The most common problem comes from overtightening the collet due to the bit being fully seated. If you slip a 1/2" rubber grommit into the collet (and leave it there) then you can insert the bit "all the way" yet the collet will tighten down with much less force. Easier to open as well!

Just my $0.02, for anyone it may help.

Jim

[Peter Quinn]

The Bosch wrenches are so good I use an extra set on my Minimax shaper , same size, the shaper came without wrenches. The PC wrenches are not great, but I've been using them for years, never occurred to me to replace them. Seems logical not to want to fight with them though. Curious to know how it works for you.

[Peter Hawser]

Check out some of the 5 star reviews here on these wrenches - the sarcasm is pretty funny: http://www.amazon.com/Porter-Cable-42596-Router-Wrench/product-reviews/B0009H5LQM/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_five/191-2700254-7462253?ie=UTF8&filterBy=addFiveStar&showViewpoints=0

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