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Newbie with Dewalt DW618 question

2300 Views 23 Replies 10 Participants Last post by  ecozort
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?
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@Kevtron

My best guess and the trivia I can provide you is from the one I repaired for a individual allowed it to vibrate too much. I am not sure what year his was.

From the conversation I had with him during the repair was that he never change the speed no matter what size bit he would be working with.

I believe if it had been handheld he would have attempted to figure out how to solve the problem because of it vibrating..

cleaning / maintenance.
the amount of dust on the inside tells me that he didn't do at all. using either the vacuum or compressed air or leaf blower to blow the dust out.

dust collection seems to be a rarity and not a normal operating procedure. for a lot of the routers I have worked on.

also when doing the search for broken magnets as there seems to be 2007 through 2012 the most common time frame of magnets as being broken. so I'm not sure if the problems are stemming from misuse or poor quality parts used during that time. also note that is the information is limited to only the people who took the trouble to write about and submit it the forums.

I have 2 of the 618s bought a used one to be relegated the lift in the router table.

also I bought an extra used Base to go into a fixed base plate as my router table and a d handle which I don't use a lot but it is very convenient to have.

good luck with the new router.
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@Kevtron

My best guess and the trivia I can provide you is from the one I repaired for a individual allowed it to vibrate too much. I am not sure what year his was.

From the conversation I had with him during the repair was that he never change the speed no matter what size bit he would be working with.

I believe if it had been handheld he would have attempted to figure out how to solve the problem because of it vibrating..

cleaning / maintenance.
the amount of dust on the inside tells me that he didn't do at all. using either the vacuum or compressed air or leaf blower to blow the dust out.

dust collection seems to be a rarity and not a normal operating procedure. for a lot of the routers I have worked on.

also when doing the search for broken magnets as there seems to be 2007 through 2012 the most common time frame of magnets as being broken. so I'm not sure if the problems are stemming from misuse or poor quality parts used during that time. also note that is the information is limited to only the people who took the trouble to write about and submit it the forums.

I have 2 of the 618s bought a used one to be relegated the lift in the router table.

also I bought an extra used Base to go into a fixed base plate as my router table and a d handle which I don't use a lot but it is very convenient to have.

good luck with the new router.
When you replaced magnet rings in DW618s do you remember which direction the magnet ring collar faced? The reason I asked is that when I replaced mine there was a piece of the magnet ring still on the shaft and the collar faced down and rested in a groove. The schematics I have seen show the collar facing up.
Thank You
Australian GMC seller of cheap powertools (all made in China) bought Triton in 2006. Then GMC went bankrupt and now Triton is British owned.
Thanks for the info!
I have a DW618 and I have used it almost exclusively in a table for several years (5 or 6) and the only problem I have encountered is a need to replace the bearings.

I have a homemade table and after doing under the table adjustments for a couple of years, I splurged on a Jessem Router Lift II so I could do adjustments above the table. Great addition
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