DW618 router gloat & question...

[Brian Matthews]

Howdy all,

Just tried out my Xmas present to me - Dewalt DW618 router combo set from Home Depot. Set included plunge base, fixed base, D-handle base, and edge guide for $300 CDN. This set seemed to only be in the stores for a month or two, and I have noticed that now it is pulled from the Canadian HD website. I ended up getting the last one in Calgary which was the floor model in "my" store. Glad I was able to get one as I had been reading old posts here and was down to a choice between it or the Bosch combo kit. As always, SMC provided excellent info and opinions. Bonus for me was that I didn't know this kit included the edge guide until the sales clerk brought down the case and opened it to ensure all the parts and manuals were still there!

Great machine as far as I can see, have only tried it mounted upside-down in the new router table I made prior to purchase. I know, I know, photos will follow, in fact I likely owe several pics as I have been outfitting a shop in my basement for the last couple of months. LOML has a long list of furniture for me, and has been good enough to let me outfit part of our basement with a new jointer, planer, drill press, and dust collecter to go along with the bandsaw I bought 2 years ago. Anyhow, that is another post...

Here's my issue: I have used only 2 or 3 different routers mounted in a table and never run into this before - the DW618 cools itself by blowing air out the bottom of the router past the bit. I suppose this is a great feature when using the router "bit down", but it sends a very annoying flow of sawdust directly up when mounted in the table. This is only a problem when running with a bearing & no fence. I know that I can/should (and will) make an acrylic guard that sits above the bit, and that should stop the fountain of sawdust.

Anyone else run into this problem? If so, what was your solution?

HoHoHo,
Brian

[Roy Wall]

Brian,

In addition to the acrylic cover..... an Vac Port right behind the fence/bit area should do the trick.

I have always heard good news about the DW618 - congrats on a great router!

[Hoa Dinh]

Here's my issue: I have used only 2 or 3 different routers mounted in a table and never run into this before - the DW618 cools itself by blowing air out the bottom of the router past the bit. I suppose this is a great feature when using the router "bit down", but it sends a very annoying flow of sawdust directly up when mounted in the table. This is only a problem when running with a bearing & no fence. I know that I can/should (and will) make an acrylic guard that sits above the bit, and that should stop the fountain of sawdust.
Hey Brian,

I myself have a router kit DW618, but don't use it in a table long enough to notice this problem.

I believe the Hitachi M12V, which resides permanently in my router table, has the same "problem." Besides cooling, a benefit of this "problem" is to prevent as much dust as possible from getting inside the motor. So it's a good thing (I know, I know, you are not complaining).

To handle "the fountain of sawdust," you can either:

1. Make a guard that sits above the bit as you mentioned in your post. Mine looks like this (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/hoa_dinh@sbcglobal.net/album/576460762322157837/photo/294928803247604601/7). The RT top is stamped steel so I use rare-earth magnets to attached the guard to the top. But you can use threaded inserts and T-knobs in general.

2. Use a dust hood attached to the base. I don't have a photo, but that's how I'm currently using my Freud 1700 in the backup router table. It is similar to the one above the subbase in this photo (http://new.photos.yahoo.com/hoa_dinh@sbcglobal.net/album/576460762322156812/photo/294928803443486680/4).

[glenn bradley]

Roy's got it. I have a cabinet below with dust collection and a dust collection port at the fence. Add the guard and things will improve.

[Jim Becker]

Excellent tool! Congratulations on your "holiday gift to you"!!