Porter Cable Routers

[Roger Chandler]

I have 7 routers, 5 of which are PC, and were made in Tennessee. I happened to be in a local hardware/tool store yesterday to get a can of Wipe-on-Poly, and noticed the PC routers that were on display. Seems they are now made in Mexico....at least from the manufacturing tag on the ones I looked at.

Has anyone noticed any difference in the quality of the ones made in Mexico? I know that my 3.25 hp model 7518 that is underneath my router table is rated the same in horsepower as the one on the shelf I looked at from Mexico, and they both are also 5 speeds.

Just wondering about the quality here?

[pat warner]

Used to be a PC vendor. Am well in tune with all models.
Had a theft, had to get a 7518 and 690 PK.
Still as good as ever, a pity they're not made in Jackson any more.

[Ben Rivel]

Huh, Ill have to check where my 7518 was made. Might be a pain to check the label though as that router lives in my router table.

[Robert Parent]

My 8902 made in Mexico is a piece of junk....

I have a couple of older trim routers and they are Ok, not great, but not bad.

Robert

[Ray Selinger]

I have a new Made In Mexico #690. The reviews on this model mention overheating and burning out. It makes sense, they draw more amps and weigh less. Thinner windings. I've seen the same problem with expensive German mini grinders . I would not use it in a router table for heavy cuts. It's good enough, it replaced a Craftsman, good riddance. I have a Dewalt 625 and a Bosch 1617.

[Mike Kees]

I currently own-use 3-4 PC 690 routers and one 7539 plunge router. All my 690 are made in Mexico,great routers. One rides full time in my tool trailer and gets used to cut OSB out of window and door openings framing houses and has survived ten years of framing crew abuse. Mike.

[Martin Wasner]

The only thing I've noticed is the cords on the newer ones are stiff and crappy.

I curse DeFalt daily for screwing up a perfectly good company like Porter Cable.

[Bruce Wrenn]

The only thing I've noticed is the cords on the newer ones are stiff and crappy.

I curse DeFalt daily for screwing up a perfectly good company like Porter Cable.

Don't forget Delta Power Tools, which they TRASHED!

[Larry Edgerton]

I curse DeFalt daily for screwing up a perfectly good company like Porter Cable.

Ditto. I had at last count 27 PC routers. Tried one of the new ones designed after Dewalt, gave it away.

[Ray Selinger]

It's Black and Decker, not DeWalt. B&D bought DeWalt out in the late '50s or early '60s. They had to use a different name, at the time even their best Industrial B&D line was just third or fourth in quality. The homeowner B&D left a foul taste. The PC line is now a cheaper line.

[Tim Bueler]

I curse DeFalt daily for screwing up a perfectly good company like Porter Cable.

+1 on that. They also majorly screwed up Emglo...turned em into cheap POS's.

[jack duren]

I curse everyone complaining about the prices over the last 15yrs on tools. Many wonder why there made cheaper.

I like DELTA and Dewalt tools. Wonder why their stuff isn't that great anymore? Read first sentence....

Diy killed it...

[Martin Wasner]

I curse everyone complaining about the prices over the last 15yrs on tools. Many wonder why there made cheaper.

That's exactly it. Why spend $600 on a belt sander that will last the rest of your career when you can buy this lump of crap for $125, and it will last 18 months.

[Martin Wasner]

It's Black and Decker, not DeWalt. B&D bought DeWalt out in the late '50s or early '60s. They had to use a different name, at the time even their best Industrial B&D line was just third or fourth in quality. The homeowner B&D left a foul taste. The PC line is now a cheaper line.

DeWalt being the flagship brand of mediocre tools is the reason they discontinue the industrial stuff and dumb down what is left though.

I'm still blaming DeFalt.

[Warren Lake]

I never complained about pricing on stuff. The first Lamello machine I bought cost 75 percent of the car I was driving at the time. My Rockwell belt sander is almost 40 years old, was abused and works fine just replaced the on off switch thats it. at some point porter cable started making them they went downhill from Rockwell stuff, Rockwell stuff I have weighs more than what it became in Porter Cable. sounds like now more notches down. I think I paid 400.00 for the belt sander lot of money for it at the time like the Senco staplers however they are all still working fine so how much was it really.