porter cable routers

[kmealy]

Got my Wood Magazine yesterday and was reading  a letter to the editor about why the P-C router was not listed in a recent review.  For those not aware, Stanley Black & Decker, a large tool conglomerate, bought Porter-Cable a few years ago.   Trying to figure out where to position their line with respect to DeWalt, Stanley, Black & Decker, and more recently Craftsman lines of tools, they apparently cheapened P-C to make it more of a DIY line of tools.  My local tool dealer, who used to carry them, once told me, "They ain't what they used to be."   Anyway, Wood Magazine said that P-C was discontinuing their routers and was just selling what was left in inventory.

 

I have had a P-C 690 router for nearly 40 years and for most of that time, it was my only router.  Added on the plunge base when it became available.  I think I replaced a switch once. Almost all my early tools were Porter-Cable and they have served me well. Sad to see they no longer will no longer be the stalwart that they once were.  RIP, Porter-Cable.

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by kmealy

[lew]

That is disheartening. I have 2 of the 690’s. One is mounted in my router table with a shop made lift designed around it and the other is in the plunge base. 

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

I'm actually surprised that more people aren't aware of the PC line being discontinued. I was reading a thread where someone's table router has bit the dust. It was a 7518 and he was surprised that he was having trouble finding another. I;too, have had a 690 for a long time and still have it...it's  a shame what B&D/Stanley did to the line.

[Gene Howe]

I have a few 690s and one monster 7518 3.5 hp PC in the router table. All mine are at least 15 to 20 years old. Sorry to hear of the demise of these stalwarts.

Edited October 7, 2023 by Gene Howe

[Gerald]

I have two 690s. Have had the one with two bases , fixed and plunge for while and recently got one with fixed base at estate sale.

[Masonsailor]

This seems to be the trend these days. I have used their 3 hp model in my router table for years. I think the era of custom cabinet makers and furniture makers is waning. Custom work is getting rare and so are the people doing it. The specialty tool makers like Woodpecker, Jessum etc seem to be the way things are going. I see that Jessum has developed a router motor specifically for use in a router table with ducted air vents. 
Paul

[BillyJack]

On 10/10/2023 at 10:26 AM, Masonsailor said:

This seems to be the trend these days. I have used their 3 hp model in my router table for years. I think the era of custom cabinet makers and furniture makers is waning. Custom work is getting rare and so are the people doing it. The specialty tool makers like Woodpecker, Jessum etc seem to be the way things are going. I see that Jessum has developed a router motor specifically for use in a router table with ducted air vents. 
Paul

Custom is becoming rare. I found a custom furniture job and it’s the one and only time I’ve ever seen a job opening for a custom  furniture maker..

 

It questions how much a furniture much  is really worth compared to other woodworkers..

[JimM]

There is an Amish community near where we lived in central NY.  We were at their grocery store and inquired if anyone in their community made furniture.  He gave us a name and location (no phones) with a warning that it's a working shop, not a showroom.  Perfect, we said.  Sure enough, machinery and sawdust all around, as well as farm dogs, etc. 

 

My wife wanted a table and she was led through a catalog - what wood, what shape legs, what finish, the works.  Later we went back for a sideboard.  Both for a fraction of the cost of foreign factory made mdf.  After our experience, a neighbor had them do her new kitchen

 

Mother's happy!

 

Apologizes if I've highjacked this thread.

 

  

[BillyJack]

5 minutes ago, JimM said:

There is an Amish community near where we lived in central NY.  We were at their grocery store and inquired if anyone in their community made furniture.  He gave us a name and location (no phones) with a warning that it's a working shop, not a showroom.  Perfect, we said.  Sure enough, machinery and sawdust all around, as well as farm dogs, etc. 

 

My wife wanted a table and she was led through a catalog - what wood, what shape legs, what finish, the works.  Later we went back for a sideboard.  Both for a fraction of the cost of foreign factory made mdf.  After our experience, a neighbor had them do her new kitchen

 

Mother's happy!

 

Apologizes if I've highjacked this thread.

 

 

  

the problem isn’t what tables are made of, but how much people want to pay.

 

My daughter in her age group would call them quick consumables… She doesn’t intend on using it more that 2-3 years..

 

 

[John Morris]

All my PC's were made in the USA, sold most of them, had a 7518 as well and loved it for my router table, it was a beast. Sold 4 PC USA routers about 3 years ago, the guy who bought them were estatic. I still have one or two but never really use them.

[JWD]

I used a few 690's in the two shops I worked for.  Good machines!  I would have bought one myself but I got an unused or lightly used Makita plunge router at my favorite used tool store.  It was missing the plunge lock, so I made one using a metric socket and some scrap steel and heat shrink tubing for insulation - $300 router for $120 (this was the early 1990's).

 

I still have two of those laminate trimmers they made around the same time as the 690.  Both purchased used (one with a bad bearing that I replaced).  Love those for cutting hinge mortises and doing small radius round overs.

[BillyJack]

The PC690 was a cheap router. When I worked at Regency Cabinets I remember there was a sale for $89 and Steve bought 5.Productive shops buy on deals and there cheap and replaceable..

 

There was so many bought by shops, it was cheap for anybody..Bosch also had a hand in productive cabinet shops.
There’s were in many of the machines we used. Like anything, it depends on who got the contract with that company..

 

Edited January 15 by BillyJack