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Sunday, November 20, 2011

Porter-Cable 893PK 2-1/4-Horsepower Fixed- and Plunge-Base Kit



Amazon Sales Rank: #17420 in Home Improvement Brand: Porter-Cable Model: 893PK Number of items: 1 Dimensions: 24.50" h x 8.63" w x 12.75" l, 21.50 pounds Soft-starting, 12 Amp motor features full-time electronic feedback that maintains motor speed through the toughest applications Variable-speed control feature (10,000 - 23,000 rpm) enables bit speed to be optimized for changing applications Plunge base features machined brass bushings and steel guide rods for a smooth, controlled plunge stroke Depth rod with 6-position adjustable turret enables stepped or repeated plunge cuts Dual-position switch allows user to cut power while maintaining control of the router

Fast, smooth, and efficient, the Porter-Cable 893PK gets its formidable strength from a 2-1/4 HP, super-quiet motor with superior electronic feedback and variable speed (10 - 23,000 RPM) to maintain consistent power and control. A built-in dust collection system helps improve visibility, while an easy-to-use knob makes it a snap to fine tune the height; there's also a bypass control to handle both large and coarse adjustments. The 893PK works with most 890 and 690 router series bases and also boasts machined brass post busing for durability. For added convenience, both the fixed and plunge bases lock or release instantly with a simple finger movement. Best of all, you don't have to crawl under the table and fiddle with screws to make adjustments--you can re-position right from the tabletop. The 893PK comes with a carrying case, transparent sub-base, 1/4-and 1/2-inch self-releasing collets, a wrench.

Most helpful customer reviews 36 of 40 people found the following review helpful. a waste of $250, buy a 690 series instead By J. Mangers I've been using PC products for 16 years and have loved every one of them until now. My last router was getting a little tired so I thought I would upgrade from a 690 to the new 893 and am appalled that PC put this unit on the market, it is a total waste of money. Here's what it comes down to: the motor itself is great, lots of power, smooth starting, and much quieter than the 690's, this is where the good review ends. The main problem I've found is that the bases are very poorly designed and constructed. It seems like PC was trying to add a bunch of new feautres to them and ended up sacrificing quality for nifty gadgetry. The new clear plastic base does not glide well over most of the woods that I use, instead it chatters causing rough choppy cuts. I tried waxing it, cleaning it with alcohol and even sanded it with 1200 grit paper and nothing seems to help with this problem. The bases are made from a very thin metal and do not seem like they will hold up well to the rigors of long term use. The plunge base has many problems including: depth adjustment/stop moves/comes out of adjustment when doing several of the same depth cuts in a row, the release lever seems to be desinged in a couter intuitive way and does not release in a consistent manner. The main guides that control up/down movement do not opperate smoothly and it's hard to tell if you've reached the stop or are just hung up in a sticky spot. I took this apart, cleaned it out and waxed everything and this did not solve the issue. The view on the measuring gauge is obscured by the tensioning knob for the gauge. All and all I thought these new features would work well and was looking forward to the next generation of PC routers and what I found is that if this is it, Porter Cable has sunk to or below the level of Ryobi. I see there are several good reviews here and not much critisism, do yourself a favor and look at the reviews for the PC 895PK before buying this router, it is the same unit with an added feature or two. Alas do not be too discouraged by this, the 690 series are still great products, what I would consider to be the industy standard, buy one of these instead and you'll get many years of trouble free use from it. Oh I almost forgot, I contacted PC customer support to see if there was any way to exchange this for a 690, they were unwilling to do anything and were not even the least bit apologetic about the issues I am having. Cheers! J. 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful. Actually Designed With the User in Mind By Ronald W. Owens I needed a router with a bit more Horsepower - my old 1-1/2HP machine was just getting worked too hard. I should mention that I already owned 3 routers - 2 at 1-1/2 HP, and a small "trimmer" type that I use a lot - more as a router than as a trimmer. I used one of the old routers in my router table, with an accessory variable speed control. I had already decided that a plunge base was in my future, because there were just times when nothing else was a better option. I decided to order the new Porter Cable 893PK, which, at 2-1/4 HP was a significant boost in horsepower. It included the plunge base at a better price than buying things separately. It has electronic variable speed, and a "soft start" feature that is wonderful - very little torque at start up. I was amazed at how much more quiet this machine is, than my old ones. Motors and mechanical things rotating at more than 20,000 rpm's tend to generate high frequency noise. Porter Cable has done a great job of minimizing the noise - the usual high pitched whine is gone. I mounted the fixed base to my router table and keep the plunge base for other jobs. Of course, I still own all the other routers, so there are options aplenty. I cannot say enough good things about the design of this tool. The depth adjustment in the fixed base

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