Porter-Cable Safety Recall

[Charles Taylor]

Porter-Cable has issued a safety recall today on the bases of some of its production routers: http://www.portercable.com/SafetyAnn...f-4849548c80e7

The explanation is that the handles on these bases aren't insulated and thus represent a shock hazard. The notice shows a photo of a base that's deemed safe to use and which has plenty of uninsulated surface that can be touched during normal operation. Anyone want to take a stab at the rationale behind this?

[Bill Huber]

Thanks, I will get mine ordered today.

Again Thanks

[eugene thomas]

Thanks for posting. Less than 5 minutes on phone and on order.

[Andy Fox]

When routing live wires, be careful not to touch the metal part of the handle while using the new insulated base?

[Kim Gibbens]

They said mine would be shipped once the replacement part became available. Who knows when that might be.

[eugene thomas]

told me would ship middle of july but stressed that am not to use the router till get new base.

[Jon Nuckles]

Thanks for posting this. They told me I would get it this month and that I should not use it "in the hand-held position" until I get the new base. Mine is mounted in a table, so no problem waiting for me.

[ray hampton]

I receive this warning yesterday BUT I fail to see why the tool base need to be insulate if it are made out of plastic

[Bill Huber]

I receive this warning yesterday BUT I fail to see why the tool base need to be insulate if it are made out of plastic

The one I have is not plastic, it is cast aluminum or something like that.

[ray hampton]

The one I have is not plastic, it is cast aluminum or something like that.

what do you think , that maybe the company knew that the tool would be recall but went ahead with the design anyway

[Larry Frank]

I really doubt that they would go ahead with the design knowing that there was a potential recall. They have been making this same router for years and I think that mine is a 2006 or something like that and has the same metal handles.

I will call next week to see if I need to get a new base.

[Bruce Page]

What info do they require?

[Jamie Buxton]

The recall covers routers built from 1990 on. I'll bet Porter-cable designed the router under whatever regulations were in effect twenty-five years ago, and the regs have changed.

I'll check mine when I go to the shop tomorrow, but I'll bet the aluminum exterior of the router is connected to the ground wire. That has been common practice for decades. If that's true, I can't understand what the CSPC is concerned about.

[Duane Meadows]

Wow, if that were to be a shock hazard, you have a worse problem than un-insulated handles, you have a serious problem in the motor as well. Unless of course you are routing through live wires! Or have a mis-wired outlet(did find one of those just yesterday, and no, I didn't wire it!).

[Jason White]

The base without the "insulated" handles has been around for years. I can't imagine it poses that much of a shock hazard.

Porter-Cable has issued a safety recall today on the bases of some of its production routers: http://www.portercable.com/SafetyAnn...f-4849548c80e7

The explanation is that the handles on these bases aren't insulated and thus represent a shock hazard. The notice shows a photo of a base that's deemed safe to use and which has plenty of uninsulated surface that can be touched during normal operation. Anyone want to take a stab at the rationale behind this?