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Thread: Porter Cable routers R.I.P ?

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    Phoenix AZ Area
    Posts
    2,505
    SBD has a long history of buying tool brands with high quality and a strong brand once they start to struggle financially. SBD quickly puts the premium brand on cheaply built tools. In the case of Porter Cable for example they keep some of the old tools around and try to cost reduce them but the real tragedy is how the slap the premium brand of crap catching buyers who are unaware. Some call this brand raping. It's amazing what has happened with tool prices in real dollars. Here are a couple examples. I started my tool buying addiction early. I saved and saved and bought a made in the USA high quality 1" stroke Craftsman jig saw in 1972. On sale half off it was like $79, 1972 dollars. According an inflation tool on the webs, 100 dollars in 1972 are equivalent to 626.11 dollars in 2020. So that $79 in 1972 is $494 today. A couple of years later I bought a 1/2" Black and Decker drill. They had three grades. this was the top grade and I paid like $90 for it. I've only replaced the cord, once, and it's still a great drill 45 years later. I also bought a Stanley router for similar money. Made in china has enabled us to get a lot more for our money but we have to be careful as much is super cheaply made.

  2. #32
    Join Date
    Dec 2019
    Location
    The old pueblo in el norte.
    Posts
    1,844
    Yep, people expect cheaper and cheaper cost tools. So that's what they get. People complain heavily when you start talking equivalently priced items.
    ~mike

    happy in my mud hut

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
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    7,551
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Bain View Post
    If that’s true, it might be time to purchase a back-up 7518 for my router table. That is one I wouldn’t want to be without.
    I have not a clue about quality or longevity but it is possible to buy replacement router motors that should fit lifts intended for PC7518 router motors. Here is one source:

    https://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shop...r_motor_anchor

    middle of the page.

  4. #34
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    152
    I work at a national woodworking retailer (not a big box) and we have been told that there will be no more PC routers. The reason we've been told, take it or leave it, is that their supply of motors and possibly other electronic components has fizzled. Who knows. I saw some paperwork saying that their replacement for PC will be Dewalt.

  5. #35
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    1,592
    Quote Originally Posted by John Conklin View Post
    I work at a national woodworking retailer (not a big box) and we have been told that there will be no more PC routers. The reason we've been told, take it or leave it, is that their supply of motors and possibly other electronic components has fizzled. Who knows. I saw some paperwork saying that their replacement for PC will be Dewalt.
    Sounds like a well crafted corporate message that, between the lines, says "get lost".

    How is it SBD can get motors and electronics for DeWalt routers but not PC ? They are pretty similar and I bet most manufacturers if asked, would love to increase they're output by 25,50,100% to an existing customer. The sales rep would practically be foaming at the mouth. Heck, the PC electronics weren't all that reliable to begin with.

    Wish they'd just fess up and say they don't sell enough to warrant the hassle of keeping the SKU's.

  6. #36
    My 30 year 690 is on it's last legs. Any suggestions for a good quality replacement.

  7. #37
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
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    7,551
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Sabo View Post
    Sounds like a well crafted corporate message that, between the lines, says "get lost".

    How is it SBD can get motors and electronics for DeWalt routers but not PC ? They are pretty similar and I bet most manufacturers if asked, would love to increase they're output by 25,50,100% to an existing customer. The sales rep would practically be foaming at the mouth. Heck, the PC electronics weren't all that reliable to begin with.

    Wish they'd just fess up and say they don't sell enough to warrant the hassle of keeping the SKU's.
    When you own both brands it's easy enough to make sure one brand doesn't sell as well as the other. Just check the pricing on the compact routers from Porter Cable and DeWalt. DeWalt is cheaper - or it was last time I checked - and the DeWalt has variable speed and a light. The Porter Cable has neither yet cost more. Same company owns both brands. Hmmm .....

  8. #38
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Arlington, TX
    Posts
    452
    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Sabo View Post
    Sounds like a well crafted corporate message that, between the lines, says "get lost".

    How is it SBD can get motors and electronics for DeWalt routers but not PC ? They are pretty similar and I bet most manufacturers if asked, would love to increase they're output by 25,50,100% to an existing customer. The sales rep would practically be foaming at the mouth. Heck, the PC electronics weren't all that reliable to begin with.

    Wish they'd just fess up and say they don't sell enough to warrant the hassle of keeping the SKU's.
    When one line's electronics are older than another, component obsolescence can force an expensive re-design in the older line, while not yet affecting the newer line.

    This decision was likely baked in when SBD bought PC. One or the other of its brands was likely to stop selling overlapping products sooner or later.

    A competing brand is usually purchased to eliminate a competitor (when legal), and/or access/control a competing technology or a different market (users or price range), with no intention of maintaining both brands indefinitely, unless both brands still provide/service unique markets.

    -- Andy - Arlington TX
    Last edited by Andy D Jones; 09-25-2020 at 1:41 PM.

  9. #39
    Quote Originally Posted by Clifford McGuire View Post
    My 30 year 690 is on it's last legs. Any suggestions for a good quality replacement.

    If the armature or field windings aren't trashed, rebuild it. I own (10+) versions of the 690, plus a 630. New bearings and brushes and they will out last me.

  10. #40
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Roseville, MN
    Posts
    348
    Very disappointing, But not unexpected as they've already discontinued their line of belt sanders

  11. #41
    then its simple make the quality of stuff to what it was. Ive got 40 years on the Rockwell 3 x 21 and it was used when I bought it. At times I worked that thing so hard you could cook on it. It still works fine, the on and off switch was replaced once with a heavy duty one and it could use a new power cord. Then it became Porter Cable of some fashion.

    I lucked out on the four routers, they were worked hard and still fine, they were always used full speed and hogged tons of material over the years. they were left running for hours as I was the human CNC machine going from one to another pre set up for different functions. There are some super bright guys here sure some of them would understand the speed stuff as soon as they looked at it.

  12. #42
    Quote Originally Posted by Clifford McGuire View Post
    My 30 year 690 is on it's last legs. Any suggestions for a good quality replacement.
    The Dewalt 618 is a pretty nice powerful and smooth running fixed base router, nice substitute for a PC 690 and I have 2 PC 690’s. Only issue with the 618 is the depth ring isn’t as precise or smooth as the one on the PC’s

  13. #43
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    1,592
    Quote Originally Posted by Robert LaPlaca View Post
    The Dewalt 618 is a pretty nice powerful and smooth running fixed base router, nice substitute for a PC 690 and I have 2 PC 690’s. Only issue with the 618 is the depth ring isn’t as precise or smooth as the one on the PC’s
    couple of things:

    the 690 equivalent in the DeWalt lineup is the DW616. DW618 = PC890.

    can’t comment on the 690, but the DeWalt adjustment rings are more precise than the the 890’s adjustment wheel. It is coarse thread and has a good amt. of slop. I prefer the interface to the big ring , but it is nowhere near as precise.

    Frankly, I’ve only used two routers easy to adjust and which I trusted the adjustment mechanism to be precise, accurate, and hold its setting. The old Bosch b1450 and Festools 2200. I’ve used a triton a time or two but felt its adjuster was a bit cheap feeling.

  14. #44
    Dave, I was commenting about the Dewalt 618 only because I own two of them and also own two PC 690’s, so feel confident that I can compare and contrast the two. Never owned a PC890 or a DW616, so cannot comment.

    One PC690 I have is a later model 690LRVS model that has soft start, multiple speeds..
    Last edited by Robert LaPlaca; 09-26-2020 at 5:10 PM.

  15. #45
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
    Posts
    28,504
    It's interesting as HD still is offering PC routers for sale online.

    I have 2 PC routers, a 2 1/2 HP plunge router and a 3 1/4HP mounted on a Woodpecker lift in my router table. I also have a little Makita trim router which I beginning to enjoy using. I can't get most of the parts for the 2 1/2 HP router any more even at erplacementparts.
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

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