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well I bought this routher about 6 years ago when it first came out and it worked great for the first 6 years. I'm still on the fence if I will by another milwaukee product again. So much for milwaukee having great electrical motors. I have always believed in spending a little more money to get a higher quality tool that will last for a fair amount of time and Milwaukee has had a reputation of making if nothing else a high quality motor for their tools. I am an ocational wood worker.router got used a dozen time a year average. Sad, but I have to have a tool that will last me more than 6 years will the kind of use I put behind it. Then one day when routing a channel in some wood it started to smoke and make the worst noises, then with a big flash of blue electrical light it quit.
I feel more in control when I can usemy whole hand to exert and balance downward and sidepressure.This router makes very precise cuts easier to accomplishaccurately than any other comparable fixed-base routerI have used.Power is nice. I like the way it height-adjusts andclamps too. It has a hole in thebase that lets you adjust the height with a long hex wrench sort of thing - I never used that feature butit seems solid. I often grip a router by the body so I love thisrouter. Not too heavy. All in all a great router that can do a wide range of work. Beefy collet and heavywrenches that feel good in your hand.
If you just need a basic, solid fixed base router that has no frills, but all of the performance, this is the one. Putting your right hand on the body grip and then the left hand down low on the base really gives a solid, stable feel to the router. It is so easy to change collets, install a bit and set the depth.can easily be done in just a few seconds. It is by FAR the quickest, easiest, simplist, most solid router I've got. I have no intention of putting this into a table, that's what my PC7518 is for. It's quite a bit easier to be have total control of. I've been using this router since 2001 when I first began woodworking out of my home shop.
I thought about the reasons why and here is what I think. If I am working on a project and need to do a quick roundover, chamfer, dado, groove or a rabbet, I'm done with the task by the time I would have any of the other routers set up. I've gone on to buy many other routers. Also, this router has seen a lot of use for 7 years now and it runs as smooth as the day I bought it. I've got a PC7518 for my table, a DeWalt fixed/plunge kit, a Freud 3 hp plunge, a PC691 D Handle.they're all fine routers, but I noticed about a year ago that I consistently reached for the Milwaukee first probably 85 to 90% of the time. I love this router more and more each time I use it. Definitely a 5 star router and recommended without reservation.
The body grip is superb and gives me fewer mistakes than other routers featuring dual knobs only.
I did try to get one of those "universal sub-bases," but had to take it back because it did not line up with the sub base screws. No need to remove router bits and readjust depth each time you store the router, thanks to the space in the base of the carrying case. The body grip is very comfortable and allows much better control. So far I've used it to mortise out hinges for doors in the house. The only drawbacks are the lower HP, no soft start or EVS, but you get what you pay for. The router is lightweight. I bought this router for some DIY projects around the house.
It was one of the best rated fixed base routers, and easy on the pocket book. I had to get the Milwaukee 49-54-1040 6-Inch Diameter,1-3/16-Inch Center Hole Sub-Base though, then picked up a Porter Cable template guide. This is my first router. You can get those features in the Milwaukee 5616-21. I purchased it after reading numerous reviews. The template guides fit perfect. I would definitely recommend this product to anyone looking for their first router.
With the 1-3/16 inch sub-base and PC template guides, mortising door hinges are a breeze.
I can't comment on the noise level as my only other router is a 3-1/4hp plunge. The body grip makes the tool easy to maneuver and to control. This little router is a real joy to use. It is light enough to use for extended periods of time and the 1-3/4hp motor has enough juice to handle some small to medium sized jobs. I am very pleased with this set-up and would recommend it to anyone in the market for a router. The kit comes with a nice protective case and some beefy collet wrenches.
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