[gargoyle]

Hello, members
New kid in town, here.
I've been trying to get serious about the toys in my garage, lately, and a router table plan is slowly taking shape in my head.
My problem is, half of my two 690s bit the big one, and the survivor is acting cranky. I,d be grateful for any input on a suitable replacement.
Specifically, with all the combo base kits around, is there a plunge base that's better than others, or one to run screaming from? I've read bad things about Hitachi's plunge, but haven't seen much if any on other brands.
Thanks in advance,
Rich

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

I had some problems with my Hitachi M12V in a table. The columns got some fine sawdust in them and I had trouble freeing them after leaving it for too long in the table. I haven't had the problem yet with the M12V2 I'm using in the table now. The reason I switched is that the V2 has above table adjustment capability and it has a wider throat opening. There are bellows available for the plunge tubes to keep them cleaner but mine doesn't have them. The V2 really was designed for table use but wasn't advertised as such. It even has screw plugs in the base of the plunge tubes so that the springs can be removed or replaced easily. Power wise, it's equivalent to a 7518 PC.

Many are using the Bosch 1617 which is a mid size router. It has fine adjustment capability above the table. I've heard it doesn't adjust through the full range of movement from above the table. I should check my son's kit out that I gave him to see if that's true. It is a top quality router and Bosch has the best customer service. Power wise it's equivalent to an 890 PC.

Many members are using Triton's for their tables and you never hear anything bad about them here, as long as they stay in the table. They are top heavy for free hand routing. If you want as much horsepower in your table as you can get then the big Triton is probably the way to go.

PC was bought out a few years ago and the quality isn't what it used to be. I would stay away from them. In particular the bearings are poor. Both my PC sanders lost bearings almost simultaneously and the bearing in one was a cheap skate board wheel bearing which I can buy for $.80 each in ten packs.

 

[twmv86]

welcome. cant ever have enough cubs fans.

 

[Semipro]

Hello and welcome to the router forum Rich
Bosch 1619 EVS you can get a refurbished for about half price

 

[Herb Stoops]

Welcome, Rich.
Bosch,Makita, or Tritons,Milwaukee, you can't go wrong, If you can get the old PC's (Before 2000)repaired they used to be the standard of the industry. But for table use, most of the new routers are made for above the table adjustment.
Herb

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Welcome to the forum Rich , I’m sure you’ll enjoy it here . Btw we like pics.


Can you not change out the ceramic bearings for better ones in your 690’s ?

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum Rich.

 

[DesertRatTom]

@RainMan 2.0 In my car fixing youth, it was never a good idea to replace original parts with better versions, or used parts with new. The new parts often just transferred stress to other parts of your engine or tranny, which would cause more failures. I wonder if that's still true. I would never bother trying to repair, I'd just go for the Bosch and be done.

 

[gargoyle]

Thanks for the welcome, folks.
Rainman, my dead 690 lost the fan, AND brushes, and the other is starting to vibrate in an alarming fashion.Also, 1.5 hp? Meh. Right now, I can upload a shot of a refinished gunstock, or a top hat mod on my DC.
Thanks, Herb, wrong is where I can't go. Momma is telling me to make up my mind on Christmas gifts.
Tom, any affiliation to the 7th RTR? Just curious.
Semipro, I'm thinking Bosch, thanks to you guys
twmv86, thankee! Finally made the pilgrimage to the ivy last year, swept the Evil Cards, life was good.
Again, thank you all, I think I like it here . . .

 

[gargoyle]

Oops
Chuck, . . ."The V2 really was designed for table use but wasn't advertised as such. It even has screw plugs in the base of the plunge tubes so that the springs can be removed or replaced easily. Power wise, it's equivalent to a 7518 PC."
I AM new to this, but, "equivalent to a 7518"?
You interest me, sir . . .
Rich

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

Rich you shouldn't pay much attention to the horsepower claims. The manufacturers use some fairly impractical conversion equations. There is no comparison between the 3hp motor in my Unisaw table saw that runs on 220 volts compared to my 2 Hitachi M12s that plug in to any wall outlet. Wattage is a much more accurate comparison and even that without an efficiency factor is mostly just a number. Any router that uses 15 amps or 1700 to 1800 watts will be fairly close in what work it will do. The message is: don't get hung up on horsepower ratings. How it feels if you plan to use it handheld or the features are more important in the long run.

High powered routers:
Bosch MRP 23EVS : https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-120-Volt-Electronic-Plunge-MRP23EVS-x/dp/B002LASDGU Bosch claims this is only a 2.3 HP router despite it being 15 amps which means that Bosch is being far more honest that other manufacturers are being.
Hitachi M12 V or M12 V2 or M12VE (M12V long discontinued, M12 V2 discontinued but not for that long, M12VE is current but seems to me a step back to the M12 which was not the best table router but I could be wrong. I don't own one of those. CPO has a very good price on an M12V2 : https://www.cpooutlets.com/on/deman...t/Search-Show?q=hitachi+M12v2&simplesearch=Go )
Milwaukee 5624 : https://www.amazon.ca/Milwaukee-562...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00007FPJK
Triton TRA001 : https://www.amazon.ca/Triton-Tools-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B00779ND0Q
DeWalt 625 : https://www.amazon.ca/DEWALT-DW625-...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B000051WQW
PC7518/7519 : https://www.amazon.com/pc-7518/s?page=1&rh=i:aps,k:pc 7518 Notice that it is also 15 amps. If you buy one you should plan on replacing the bearings sooner that later with something higher quality.

Hopefully that demystifies the subject a bit.

 

[gdonham1]

The type of router you replace the 690s with depends on what you are going to do. I have a PC 890 with a Rockler FX Lift in both of my tables. The 2.5 HP is adequate for my use making cabinet doors and general routing. The 890 came with plunge base and fixed. When I need to use it free hand I just unsnap it from the router lift and insert it into the bases and I am off to the races.

While the 2.5 HP is adequate a bigger one is handy for big stuff. I have a Frued 3.5 HP that I got an Infinity Mega Planner bit and the 1/4" plastic base that I use to flatten rough lumber on one side. The only draw back to the Frued is it is a plunge router that the plunge is built into the router and cannot be removed. That limits what I do but is very good free hand. It would be very hard to mount the Frued in a table.

The Hitachi models are ok as well as the Bosch. Watch out that some of the Bosch have the electrical connections in the base and that means you cannot take the base off and put it in a router lift. Many of the current crop have through the table adjustments that you leave the router base on and mount it to the underside of a router plate. While this is handy you cannot beat the precision of a router lift. The PC has been the standard for a long time but since PC is not part of Black and Decker the PC brand has lost some of its shine. But like many things you can speed a lot but sometimes you limit what you can do with the exotics. The PC collets are top rate and the guide bushings are very easy to find. The Bosch has its own guide bushings that I cannot find in regular stores. But now days you can buy anything on Amazon.

So think through your replacement and look to the future. Figure out how you are going to use the router, primarily a table use or primarily a hand held router. With the PC you can remove the base and put it right into a router lift. The Bosch and Hitachi I think have the same diameter as the PC as well as the Dewalt. The Makita should check for measurement as well as others out there.

The Triton routers have a good reputation but the big ones have the same problem that my big Frued has. The plunge base is permanently attached. Make sure that scales are in imperial and not just metric. Festool is top rate but they are pricy and metric only.

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

If it comes in a plunge base then it's meant to stay in the plunge base unless it's part of a kit. None of the ones I linked were part of a kit.

 

[Multiwood]

Welcome to the forum Rich.

 

[DaninVan]

Charles; you forgot the Bosch 1619EVS. I think someone here recently mentioned that they thought the 1619 was being discontinued(?).
In any case, if they're available anywhere, they come already for table mounting; you just have to lock out the column springs with the included latch.
A feww other nice table mount features as well.

 

[Stick486]

Charles; you forgot the Bosch 1619EVS. I think someone here recently mentioned that they thought the 1619 was being discontinued(?).
In any case, if they're available anywhere, they come already for table mounting; you just have to lock out the column springs with the included latch.
A few other nice table mount features as well.

it was...
and it's suitable for a table because it table top adjustable and the column springs are unlockable...

 

[Tagwatts]

Router Lift for a table.

Rich,
I cannot speak for others, I have a Bosch Router table and so I purchased the Bosch LIft for it. I am not satisfied with it at all. I have others say the same thing. They just do not operate very well. They are hard to get to the right adjustment. My neighbor has the same setup, only he bought a Jessum Lift. He paid about $190.00 for his and I paid about $50.00 for the Bosch which is a piece of junk. I have a Bosch Router and I use it on an everyday basis.

Just a thought.