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Beefy collet and heavywrenches that feel good in your hand. I like the way it height-adjusts andclamps too. I often grip a router by the body so I love thisrouter. It has a hole in thebase that lets you adjust the height with a long hex wrench sort of thing - I never used that feature butit seems solid. All in all a great router that can do a wide range of work. I feel more in control when I can usemy whole hand to exert and balance downward and sidepressure.This router makes very precise cuts easier to accomplishaccurately than any other comparable fixed-base routerI have used.Power is nice. Not too heavy.
If you just need a basic, solid fixed base router that has no frills, but all of the performance, this is the one. I've been using this router since 2001 when I first began woodworking out of my home shop. I've got a PC7518 for my table, a DeWalt fixed/plunge kit, a Freud 3 hp plunge, a PC691 D Handle.they're all fine routers, but I noticed about a year ago that I consistently reached for the Milwaukee first probably 85 to 90% of the time. Definitely a 5 star router and recommended without reservation.
I have no intention of putting this into a table, that's what my PC7518 is for. Also, this router has seen a lot of use for 7 years now and it runs as smooth as the day I bought it. It is so easy to change collets, install a bit and set the depth.can easily be done in just a few seconds. Putting your right hand on the body grip and then the left hand down low on the base really gives a solid, stable feel to the router.
It is by FAR the quickest, easiest, simplist, most solid router I've got. It's quite a bit easier to be have total control of. I've gone on to buy many other routers. The body grip is superb and gives me fewer mistakes than other routers featuring dual knobs only.
I love this router more and more each time I use it. I thought about the reasons why and here is what I think. If I am working on a project and need to do a quick roundover, chamfer, dado, groove or a rabbet, I'm done with the task by the time I would have any of the other routers set up.
I did try to get one of those "universal sub-bases," but had to take it back because it did not line up with the sub base screws. I bought this router for some DIY projects around the house. I purchased it after reading numerous reviews. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for their first router.
The only drawbacks are the lower HP, no soft start or EVS, but you get what you pay for. You can get those features in the Milwaukee 5616-21. The body grip is very comfortable and allows much better control. No need to remove router bits and readjust depth each time you store the router, thanks to the space in the base of the carrying case.
So far I've used it to mortise out hinges for doors in the house. The router is lightweight. This is my first router. With the 1-3/16 inch sub-base and PC template guides, mortising door hinges are a breeze.
The template guides fit perfect. It was one of the best rated fixed base routers, and easy on the pocket book. I had to get the Milwaukee 49-54-1040 6-Inch Diameter,1-3/16-Inch Center Hole Sub-Base though, then picked up a Porter Cable template guide.
The kit comes with a nice protective case and some beefy collet wrenches. This little router is a real joy to use. I am very pleased with this set-up and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a router. I can't comment on the noise level as my only other router is a 3-1/4hp plunge. The body grip makes the tool easy to maneuver and to control. It is light enough to use for extended periods of time and the 1-3/4hp motor has enough juice to handle some small to medium sized jobs.
I like the hand grip on the body and I found it much easier to work with then the handles on the side for many things. The only problems I had with it simply came from me making simple mistakes but that comes with the general learning curve of any tools. The quality seems great and the depth adjustment seems to be accurate and repeatable.The only thing that would have been better is if there was a plunge base that could be swapped out but so far I haven't found one. I'm very much an amature woodworker. I used this extensively on a box for my mother for christmas.
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