Dewalt DWP611 1.25hp router $120 Lowes

[rocketflier]

Was in Lowes today and found they had this dewalt 611 for $119. Looking online, seems to be a pretty good price. Didn't find too many posts here of people using it. It is 1/4" only.



Variable speed


LEDs

[ger21]

It got very good reviews in the latest FWW magazine. They've only been available about 6 months.

[louieatienza]

I bought one not too long ago for routing for hinge plates on a door job. Runs very smoothly, seems well built, and has power to spare. Haven't made a mount for the CNC yet....

[zool]

I bought one when the second laminate trimmer I was using on my small CNC router bit the dust.

The DPW611 is only a 1/4-inch collet, but don't let that worry you. I had the same concern but am now using Onsrud three-flute downcut spiral bits and have not had a single problem. I use downcut spiral bits as this forces the piece into the table and cut the fuzz bits off by pressing them against the piece and cutting them off, instead of pulling them away and leaving the fuzz.

The body is aluminum and is very good quality, fit and finish. I had a new mount made and it fits very close to the Z-axis as the 611 is so compact, so it is not hanging way off the Z-axis like if you used a Porter-Cable 690 for example. And as the 611 is way lighter than another router available, that is a definite plus on a smaller CNC. The light weight coupled with its power is what really sold me.

In the squaring up and calibrating process I found virtually no run-out.

I can now cut dense materials with the DeWalt and the Onsrud bits I would not have even thought about in the past .

The speed adjustment is very accurate and easy to use, and it seems to compensate for the loads placed on it, though I tend to cut very dense wood so go slow [30-40 ipm] so there does not tend to be enormous loads. The ON-OFF switch is great too; rocker switch covered with a clear pliable skin. I can turn the router on and off with gloves on.

I tend to run the router at about half-speed [3 on the scale of 6 on the speed control] and it is amazingly quiet.

The best part though is the LEDs on around the collet. It is amazing how much light they put out and how much it helps.

Bottom Line: Buy it; you won't be disappointing.

[jimmyaz]

Hey guys,

I did more search and found this thing has a lot of good review.

Is the Electronic speed governor work good? or work at all? I take that this has a built in fan of course. I am wondering if the fan can be removed and a water cooled jacket can be add. I am thinking to use this as my Spindle motor..

[StuartC]

I think it's the same thing as the Porter Cable 450. The Porter Cable is usually costs a little bit less.

StuartC

[DonFrambach]

Anyone measure runout?

[rocketflier]

Originally Posted by StuartC I think it's the same thing as the Porter Cable 450. The Porter Cable is usually costs a little bit less. StuartC

Looks the same as the 450. Amazon has that for $105.

[jimmyaz]

I think the Porter 450 does not have LED.

[ger21]

Porter Cable doesn't have variable speed, I don't think.

[rocketflier]

Originally Posted by jimmyaz I think the Porter 450 does not have LED.

Closer look shows the 450 doesn't have variable speed either.

Amazon does have a 'see price in cart' for the 611, it's $105, free shipping.

Thread below mentions the lack of precision collets. I tried swapping the 611 & colt collet at Lowes, no go.

Dewalt DWP611 and Porter Cable 450 "Compact" Routers + Questions

[zool]

Apparently everyone's bifocals are out of focus today.


"In the squaring up and calibrating process I found virtually no run-out.



The speed adjustment is very accurate and easy to use, and it seems to compensate for the loads placed on it, though I tend to cut very dense wood so go slow [30-40 ipm] so there does not tend to be enormous loads. The ON-OFF switch is great too; rocker switch covered with a clear pliable skin. I can turn the router on and off with gloves on.

I tend to run the router at about half-speed [3 on the scale of 6 on the speed control] and it is amazingly quiet.

The best part though is the LEDs on around the collet. It is amazing how much light they put out and how much it helps.

Bottom Line: Buy it; you won't be disappointing. "

The Porter-Cable, which is the same, though WITHOUT LEDs and no speed control. The small difference in price means that for a more versatile tool the 611 is a better buy.

The 611 does have a fan. If anyone wants to take it out and try cooling another why not go ahead and then tell us about it. No doubt DeWalt will be happy to see a second one sold to you.

The adage: "You get what you pay for." is true in machine tools just like every place else. Think about it: If taking the fan out of the 611 and installing a water jacket were physically possible or functionally feasible, a company with lots of really smart designers, really clever engineers and super skilled machinists would have already done it. And then they would have gone and had their rice dish for lunch.

Then there is the factor of buying a $120 tool, and spending $1,000 worth of time and $300 worth of parts trying to change the router into something it isn't and that does not perform like a water cooled spindle will.

And while the $1,000 worth of time is being spend on that effort, what other more productive or more fun activities are not being engaged in; specifically, the opportunity cost, whether it be money or it be another activity.

Opportunity cost is the cost of any activity measured in terms of the best alternative forgone. It is the sacrifice related to the second best choice available to someone who has picked among several mutually exclusive choices. It is a key concept in economics. It has been described as expressing "the basic relationship between scarcity and choice." The notion of opportunity cost plays a crucial part in ensuring that scarce resources are used efficiently. Thus, opportunity costs are not restricted to monetary or financial costs: the real cost of output forgone, lost time, pleasure or any other benefit that provides utility should also be considered opportunity costs.

There will be a test on Thursday on this.