I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

Build a router table and stick the big one in it. BTW, that router is less
than 2 1/2 horsepower, despite the claims.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 19:26:20 GMT, "CW" wrote:

Build a router table and stick the big one in it. BTW, that router is less
than 2 1/2 horsepower, despite the claims.

What makes you believe that? The thing is a beast from my experience.
But in fairness I would have no way of knowing if it was less than 3.5

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

Because it is not posible to get that much power from a 15 amp circuit at
120 volts. Can't get more out than you put in.

"Joe Bemier" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 22 Sep 2006 19:26:20 GMT, "CW" wrote:

Build a router table and stick the big one in it. BTW, that router is
less
than 2 1/2 horsepower, despite the claims.

What makes you believe that? The thing is a beast from my experience.
But in fairness I would have no way of knowing if it was less than 3.5

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

Sure makes sense to me. Do you have a router table? That is where I'd put
the big router and use the smaller, lighter one for hand work. Many of us
have two routers, one hand and one table mounted, for versatility.

It depends on usage and the depth or size of work! But two is always better
then one! I grabbed the 5615-21 and it works great for me....What I've
learned though is the importance of the Router Table. I bought a rather
higher end Craftsman piece of crap AND it was good to learn "What I didn't
want in a Router Table." I used it twice and immediantly purchased the
Grizzly Sliding Table. You'll soon discover that the table will help you out
more, just keep the one you prefer in your hand and table the other.


wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

Tall Oak wrote:
It depends on usage and the depth or size of work! But two is always better
then one!

I agree - right now I have a 2 1/4 HP Dewalt with plunge and fixed
bases. It's never bogged down on me, but if I had the opportunity to
pick up one for a good price that was the same or larger to leave in
the table, I definitely would.
If you don't have a table, I'd recommend making one - plenty of ideas
online. Mine is a 2x4 frame with a piece of formica countertop for the
table and a MDF fence. Dust collection is one advantage to the table,
in addition to control (and therefore safety), convenience, and
accuracy.
Stay safe,
Andy

Bigger isn't always better. I think overall you also have to considers what
feels good. The Mil works like an extension of my arm. Some tools are
perfect to use and some are just bears. So regardless of power the quality
of use is utmost. Tools you enjoy using vs ones you need to get the job
done. The Router table is handy but a half gap measure. If I was going to do
it all over again on static pieces I would always use the hand held, but for
detailed pieces (from this point on) I think I'd go with a dedicated shaper
over a Router Table. It's more of a engineering and design aspect then cost
over performance. The problem is the Best table and the Best Router may not
equal the Best solution. Some routers are better designed to work with some
but not all tables and some tables are not designed to work with all
routers, at best your forced to make trade-offs.

Now we are discussing Best and not most cost effective.... Tables and even
buying (Ryobi) one would easily win in cost effectiveness.

As for making a table, I thought that might be the "best way", but not in a
lot of cases and really only under special needs. To make a "good" table
takes a lot of money, and you have to be rather good at design and it takes
a lot of time, and then your looking at a fence and design thereof only
complicates the situation. So in many cases, your best choices is using
aftermarket pieces like a fence or a lift and then miters and the like and
your making your design work around these goodies.I wanted a cast-iron top
and I couldn't pour it myself so I had to buy one.

So overall I would advise someone to buy a Router that works like an
exstension of his arm, it feels good and can work for longer periods of time
in comfort and with accuracy... Any thing else consider the shaper over a
Router/Table.



"Andy" wrote in message
oups.com...

Tall Oak wrote:
It depends on usage and the depth or size of work! But two is always
better
then one!

I agree - right now I have a 2 1/4 HP Dewalt with plunge and fixed
bases. It's never bogged down on me, but if I had the opportunity to
pick up one for a good price that was the same or larger to leave in
the table, I definitely would.
If you don't have a table, I'd recommend making one - plenty of ideas
online. Mine is a 2x4 frame with a piece of formica countertop for the
table and a MDF fence. Dust collection is one advantage to the table,
in addition to control (and therefore safety), convenience, and
accuracy.
Stay safe,
Andy

wrote in news:1158952023.381004.57040
@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!


The first router I bought was a big plunger. Scared me silly, and ruined a
good piece of cabinet ply on that first project. The second project was a
router table.

I have, now, a 693 kit like you mention, the big plunger in the table, and
three trim routers. The big router never leaves the table. For anything.

What I'm saying is that, if you need a router in a table, then the big
Milwaukee might be worth what's being asked, for you. But if you need, or
want, a second router, then maybe smaller is better. It is for me, for my
projects.

Unless you're turning large bits, for doors, mouldings, rabbets, etc., you
may find that your 693 has plenty of power. Mine does. I wouldn't mind
having a second one.

Patriarch

wrote:
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and
jointer. I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with
interchangeable plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of
getting a Milwaukee 3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very
good price and am wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that
having both would make sense.
Thanks!

I've got four routers ;-) A Dewalt,Ryobi and two B&D's.
DeWalt in the table,Ryobi for heavy work,black&deckers for light work.

I'm a lazy bugger when it comes to changing bits.
--
Sir Benjamin Middlethwaite

Definitely, see the http://patwarner.com/router_table.html and
http://patwarner.com/selecting_router.html links. Routers are often job
specific, the more you have the more efficient you become.
__________________________________________________ _______
wrote:
I'm relatively new to woodworking - have built a few cabinets so far
and am finding new projects. I currently have a table saw and jointer.
I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.
Thanks!

wrote:
Definitely, see the http://patwarner.com/router_table.html and
http://patwarner.com/selecting_router.html links. Routers are often job
specific, the more you have the more efficient you become.

Wow, that's a nice router table. What is GF tung/poly?

Mike

Watco.
wrote in message
ups.com...

wrote:
Definitely, see the http://patwarner.com/router_table.html and
http://patwarner.com/selecting_router.html links. Routers are often job
specific, the more you have the more efficient you become.

Wow, that's a nice router table. What is GF tung/poly?

Mike

I also have a Porter Cable 1 3/4 HP (693) router with interchangeable
plunge and fixed bases. I have the opportunity of getting a Milwaukee
3 1/2 HP fixed base (5625-20) router for a very good price and am
wondering if it offers enough of an advantage that having both would
make sense.

I have 4 routers, all bought at a good price, and all different. (Two DW,
two PC.) It's great get most of the waste out of the way with a straight
bit, then pick up the router with the dovetail bit.

However....

Instead of 4 different routers I wish I had 3 DW 621's. Then the jigs would
work on all my routers. ;-)

-- Mark

NO!!! Your router is perfectly adequate, and more importantly, there are
other tools you will want to get first before another d*** router, such
as a decent jigsaw, if not a bandsaw.