anyone pull the springs out of a Porter Cable 890 plunge base?

4378 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Hamlin, Apr 23, 2006

paulcomi

Discussion Starter · Apr 18, 2006

Through the woodworkingchannel.com I've been fortunate enough to view a program a day from you guys. I must say that its been helpful to helping me get more out of my router and router table.

I have a table mounted Porter Cable 890 using a fixed base, but now I'm contemplating pulling the springs out of the plunge router base and going "father and son" style and have a couple of questions.

When you do the hand held operations with your plunge hitachi routers on the show, are you still using a base without springs?

Also, has anyone here removed the springs from the 890 plunge base? Any concerns and/or tips.

I've found it hard to swallow the cost of the woodpeckers PRL lift, but if I got a lift I'd go that way. The more I see you guys set bit height first and then dropping the router back into the table the more I am thinking of skipping the lift.

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BobandRick

· #2 · Apr 18, 2006

Its easy to pull the springs out of the 890 plunge base. Put the router base in its highest position and lock the base. Remove the black plastic inserts on the top of the spring poles. Remember these are spring loaded...be careful when unscrewing. Remove the springs and replace the plastic inserts.

All hand held operations are using the router with the springs.

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paulcomi

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 19, 2006

Thanks guys. Actually, I had a break right after posting the question and went out and pulled the springs and swapped this base into my router table. For others considering doing the same, it does work well if you are willing to pop the router with plate out of the router table to do bit changes and set height like Bob does.

Today, I built two boxes for storage using this router table and a box joint jig like yours. I also had a chance to try the rabbeted dado technique on the router table and that is going to come in handy for sure.

I'm curious if you guys have a separate setup for doing raised panels on your router table. Do you pull the router motor out of the plate/plunge base and have a separate plate/plunge base for using the big panel raising bits? The one I got from one of the major woodworking chains didn't have the center hole clearance for my 3 1/2" raised panel bit and I had to build some large exterior doors so I opened the hole with a die grinder. I can still drop in plastic clearance plates to close the hole down, but I'm thinking I really need another base plate like the one you guys use so I can pop in the various bushing sets.

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Birchwood

· #4 · Apr 19, 2006

Pull springs on P-C 890?

Am I missing something here? I just put my fixed base for the 890 in my table and leave it there. Is there some advantage in using the plunge base in the table (sans springs) that I have not heard of?

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Gilbear

· #5 · Apr 19, 2006

I guess I was wondering the same thing - I too have the 890 combo and leave the fixed base in the table (never has to be fiddled with) and use the plunge base for hand work - I can change bit height from above the table, and just pop it up to change bits as was mentioned above. If you put the plunge in the table and you want to do hand work, seems like you'd have to unbolt the plunge base, and then put the springs back in before continuing, and then reverse the process again to put it back in the table. I can switch back and forth in about 15 seconds, and that's if I go get a drink of water in the process. Somebody fill me in on the advantage here.

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Mike

· #6 · Apr 19, 2006

Most likely the owner of a single base...

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bobj3

· #7 · Apr 19, 2006

Paul
You may want to put the springs back in your Porter Cable router and just use the fixed base just like you had setup.
The routers boys ( Bob and Rick ) used the Hitachi routers that only comes with one base unlike your Porter Cable router.
The shows you see on the NET are Old shows and now the routers boys are using Porter Cable routers with one drive motor and two base types so to speak ( plunge and fixed ) and the new battery type also.
If you had a Hitachi it would be a good way to go but because you have the Porter Cable router stick with the springs in the plunge base then you have the best of two worlds.
I have lost track how many P.C.'s the router boys have but I'm sure they get a real deal on them if not for free, must be nice to have a hookup with P.C. the ones they use always look new not to say anything about what they have at the home shop.
I would like to see a snapshot of Rick's and Bob's shop at home with router tables all over the place and jigs hanging all over.
If you watch Norms A. show he has about 10 or so and I'm sure the boys would put it to shame.

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paulcomi

Discussion Starter · #8 · Apr 22, 2006

I've been busy and haven't been back here in a couple of days. I was going to go with a lift like the PRL but when I saw how fast he changes bits and makes adjustments by lifting the router with plate out of the table I tried it and found it pretty efficient. The reason I've been experimenting with using the plunge base in my router table is because I can use the same set up either in the table or for freehand routing. The plunge base allows me to drop the motor further from the plate so I can use spiral bits that were too long with my solid base in my table previously.

That being said, if bit changes can be done efficiently with the PRL, I may still get one, but that means not only getting the expensive chain driven lift I want but also picking up a 3 hp router for it so I can use the 890 for everything else along with my laminate trimmer. I've got some decisions to make. That along with the possibility of leaving things as they are and buying a shaper.

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Hamlin

· #9 · Apr 23, 2006

I think you'll find that many people have more than just 1 router. 1 specifically for the table and maybe several for freehand projects. As has been said before in the past, it's not the router that's the expense but, the bits!!

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