I got a Porter Cable 7518 router to mount in a router table but have lately been using it for hand held routing. I actually like the weight of it and don't mind muscling it around.
But the base locking mechanism is pretty bad. I would wind up using pliers to tighten/untighten it. The bolt would spin around each time. I felt like I was going to break it every time. This got old fast.
So, I took a Rockler 1/4"-20 cam clamp and used it to replace the locking mechanism. What a difference it makes. Adjustments are super fast and the cam makes for a very solid lock. The lever sticks out a bit far when latched. I'd prefer a lever that curved around closer to the base when locked but I can live with this as it is.
But the base locking mechanism is pretty bad. I would wind up using pliers to tighten/untighten it. The bolt would spin around each time. I felt like I was going to break it every time. This got old fast.
So, I took a Rockler 1/4"-20 cam clamp and used it to replace the locking mechanism. What a difference it makes. Adjustments are super fast and the cam makes for a very solid lock. The lever sticks out a bit far when latched. I'd prefer a lever that curved around closer to the base when locked but I can live with this as it is.