Newbie with Dewalt DW618 question

2298 Views 23 Replies 10 Participants Last post by ecozort, 5 mo ago

Kevtron

Discussion Starter · 5 mo ago

I am setting up a garage DIY shop. I was at a local pawn shop and they had a new in the box DW618PKB router kit for $130 with tax. Since I purchased it I been looking online and there seems to be a lot of issues with the speed control magnet failing especially if the router is mounted in a table. Did I make a bad purchase? I would like to make a router table and mount this router in it but now I am having second thoughts. Does anyone have experience with this router mounted in a router table?

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

old55

· #2 · 5 mo ago

Welcome to the forum.

DesertRatTom

· #3 · 5 mo ago

First, welcome to the Forum. I don't use that router. I wasn't impressed by the raising and lowering mechanism. Did the kit come with a plunge base, or just the regular flat base?

I just searched YouTube for a video on table mounting that router, and didn't find a single one! That is amazing to me. Other DeWalt routers were shown. I would do a search of router plate makers to find out if they have one pre drilled for the 618.

Another possibility is to use the router hand held, and buy another just for the table. A Bosch 1617, for example, can be purchased as motor only, and then add the
BOSCH RA1165 Under-Table Router Base with Above-Table Hex Key

Gas Machine Electric blue Metal Liquid

Amazon's price is about $67 and it will allow you to adjust the router height easily from above the table. That is a great convenience.

Keep the DeWalt, which is a very nice hand held router, and use the 1617 only in the table. You will find many different brands of plates pre drilled for the 1617 base.

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AngieD700

· #4 · 5 mo ago

Thanks for this post…I was just about to buys the DW 618, to go with the Rockler Convertible table. I have very little room and right now, I’m just doing small projects. I’ll have to read into it more…or take DesertRatTom’s advice and look into the Bosch motor.

Kevtron

Discussion Starter · #5 · 5 mo ago

DesertRatTom said:
First, welcome to the Forum. I don't use that router. I wasn't impressed by the raising and lowering mechanism. Did the kit come with a plunge base, or just the regular flat base?

I just searched YouTube for a video on table mounting that router, and didn't find a single one! That is amazing to me. Other DeWalt routers were shown. I would do a search of router plate makers to find out if they have one pre drilled for the 618.

Another possibility is to use the router hand held, and buy another just for the table. A Bosch 1617, for example, can be purchased as motor only, and then add the
BOSCH RA1165 Under-Table Router Base with Above-Table Hex Key
View attachment 403811
Amazon's price is about $67 and it will allow you to adjust the router height easily from above the table. That is a great convenience.

Keep the DeWalt, which is a very nice hand held router, and use the 1617 only in the table. You will find many different brands of plates pre drilled for the 1617 base.

The kit I got came with both the fixed and plunge base, which is why I thought it was a good deal. I will look into the Bosch option the $67 mount seems like a good inexpensive way to adjust the height. Thanks for the advice.

Kevtron

Discussion Starter · #6 · 5 mo ago

AngieD700 said:
Thanks for this post…I was just about to buys the DW 618, to go with the Rockler Convertible table. I have very little room and right now, I’m just doing small projects. I’ll have to read into it more…or take DesertRatTom’s advice and look into the Bosch motor.

That is a cool looking table and currently on sale. I see the router plate will accept the DW618 and the Bosch 1617.

AngieD700

· #7 · 5 mo ago

Kevtron said:
That is a cool looking table and currently on sale. I see the router plate will accept the DW618 and the Bosch 1617.

yeah…I’ve been back and forth researching so many tables. I initially got the Triton MOF001 plunge router and was going to be used with a Rockler table router…the Set up cost got to be a little more than what I wanted to spend right now…plus I have the space issue.
the Rockler convertible table won’t take the big Triton. Which is fine, I really wanted to keep that for “plunge” work. Lol. I’d prefer to have a dedicated router for the table. There is a specific plate to mount the Dewalt, and when/if I need to remove and use and handheld, it’s super easy to remove.

JIMMIEM

· #8 · 5 mo ago

I have the DW618.....I got the 3 base kit. I mounted it in my DIY router table. I have an extra fixed base which is permanently mounted in the table top. I use the router both freehand and in the table but most of my work is done with the router in the table. I have also read that mounting the DW618 router upside down is not a good idea because of the direction of air movement. I've had the router for almost 20 years. Just recently the magnet ring broke. A new OEM magnet ring cost less than $3 and is a very easy fix. Also, there was virtually no dust inside the router when I opened it to replace the magnet ring. In the table I have routed a lot of MDF and Red Oak.
I am a DIYer and other than a Makita compact router and an old Sears router I have no experience with other mid-sized routers.
I didn't see a lot of complaints about the magnet ring but would be interested to read them. Could you provide some info on where you saw the articles. Thank You.

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Rebelwork Woodworking

· #9 · 5 mo ago

I’ve had problems with the DW625 Speed controllers going out, but I haven’t heard this on the 618

JIMMIEM

· #10 · 5 mo ago

Rebelwork Woodworking said:
I’ve had problems with the DW625 Speed controllers going out, but I haven’t heard this on the 618

Was it the Speed Controller or the Magnet Ring?

Rebelwork Woodworking

· #11 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Speed controller..I've replaced it twice in one and now the other needs it..

Motor vehicle Engineering Gas Machine tool Machine

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JIMMIEM

· #12 · 5 mo ago

Rebelwork Woodworking said:
Speed controller..I've replaced it twice in one and now the other needs it..
View attachment 403815

Thank You.

Kevtron

Discussion Starter · #13 · 5 mo ago

JIMMIEM said:
I have the DW618.....I got the 3 base kit. I mounted it in my DIY router table. I have an extra fixed base which is permanently mounted in the table top. I use the router both freehand and in the table but most of my work is done with the router in the table. I have also read that mounting the DW618 router upside down is not a good idea because of the direction of air movement. I've had the router for almost 20 years. Just recently the magnet ring broke. A new OEM magnet ring cost less than $3 and is a very easy fix. Also, there was virtually no dust inside the router when I opened it to replace the magnet ring. In the table I have routed a lot of MDF and Red Oak.
I am a DIYer and other than a Makita compact router and an old Sears router I have no experience with other mid-sized routers.
I didn't see a lot of complaints about the magnet ring but would be interested to read them. Could you provide some info on where you saw the articles. Thank You.

I went back searching today and didn’t find as many as I did during my previous late night searching. Here are a few that I found again.

Buyer Beware - DW618 not suitable for router table

Dewalt 618 Router Problem

Dewalt 618 router

Recommendation on a new router under $150

JIMMIEM

· #14 · 5 mo ago

Kevtron said:
I went back searching today and didn’t find as many as I did during my previous late night searching. Here are a few that I found again.

Buyer Beware - DW618 not suitable for router table

Dewalt 618 Router Problem

Dewalt 618 router

Recommendation on a new router under $150

Thank You. Good luck with your decision. I'm just wondering why using the router in a table would adversely affect the magnet ring. I called DeWalt and they could not provide any insight. I called an authorized repair facility and didn't have any luck there either. I still use the router in the table and will continue to do so.

Rebelwork Woodworking

· #15 · 5 mo ago

I’ve got one 618 in the table saw extension and one out. The router in the saw extension doesn’t get used except for cabinetry for dadoing. It’s not under heavy load. The 625 routers were …

reuelt

· #16 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Kevtron said:
I am setting up a garage DIY shop. I was at a local pawn shop and they had a new in the box DW618PKB router kit for $130 with tax. Since I purchased it I been looking online and there seems to be a lot of issues with the speed control magnet failing especially if the router is mounted in a table. Did I make a bad purchase? I would like to make a router table and mount this router in it but now I am having second thoughts. Does anyone have experience with this router mounted in a router table?

The DW618PKB' plunge base would be better suited for the table than it's fixed base.
1. You can suck dust below table very well.
2. You can even adjust height from above the table if you use a HEAP adapter plate like

www.amazon.com

Aluminium Router Table Insert Plate Table for Woodworking Benches Router Plate Wood Tools Milling Trimming Machine with Rings (Red 13inches) - - Amazon.com

Aluminium Router Table Insert Plate Table for Woodworking Benches Router Plate Wood Tools Milling Trimming Machine with Rings (Red 13inches) - - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

This adapter plate comes with a LONG STAINLESS SCREW + nuts so that you can adapt any plunge base router to adjust height from above the table.

Font Gas Circle Metal Audio equipment

MUCH CHEAPER and MORE ROBUST than the Bosch RA1165 SOLUTION and many "router lifts"

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Alphonse53

· #17 · 5 mo ago

And now Dewalt has bought out Porter Cable. What's this world coming to?

reuelt

· #18 · 5 mo ago (Edited)

Alphonse53 said:
And now Dewalt has bought out Porter Cable. What's this world coming to?

Dewalt and Porta Cable both had both been subsidiaries of B&D (Now Stanley-Black and Decker) so it is a reorganization rather than Dewalt buying Porter Cable.
Since 2007(?) B&D already wanted Porter Cable to gradually stop making routers & other power tools and concentrate on Porta Cable's more profitable Pneumatic TOOLs business.

Alphonse53

· #19 · 5 mo ago

reuelt said:
Dewalt and Porta Cable both had both been subsidiaries of B&D (Now Stanley-Black and Decker) so it is a reorganization rather than Dewalt buying Porter Cable.
Since 2007(/) B&D already wanted Porter Cable to gradually stop making routers & other power tools and concentrate on Porta Cable's more profitable Pneumatic TOOLs business.

Porter Cable is gone either way. The people with more money got rid of the better product. I think the point of my comment cannot be refuted. From now on it's Triton in my shop.

reuelt

· #20 · 5 mo ago

Alphonse53 said:
Porter Cable is gone either way. The people with more money got rid of the better product. I think the point of my comment cannot be refuted. From now on it's Triton in my shop.

Australian GMC seller of cheap powertools (all made in China) bought Triton in 2006. Then GMC went bankrupt and now Triton is British owned.

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