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I have at least 4 other routers in my shop for various jobs but I needed one with more power, for hogging out deep areas of fine grain. The handles remove, easily and quickly for using on pattern work. The bit height adjustment is much easier and more accurate than my Porter-Cabell router that I had been using for this task. I purchased this router to work on long, spruce aircraft spars. This router did a great job. All around I would say this is an excellent tool. It is very smooth in starting up and spinning up to speed.
It arrived with a 1/4 inch collet only. I took it apart and cleaned out the dust as best as I could but the squeak came back shortly afterward. So, when wood dust gets between the base and the motor it creates enough friction to disable the raising mechanism (lowering works fine). Bearing going out. The router has good power and handled this job well. I selected this model in large part because I would not have to buy a router lift. I went to the local Milwaukee repair shop and they said they would have to send it to the factory for repair and it would take two weeks. I recommend this router because it has the power to cut hardwoods with large diameter bits.
Five year warranty is good too, but be aware your local repair shop will probably have to send it to the factory for service creating a very long down time. I mounted it in a table for to make raised panel doors for a kitchen project that had 44 drawers and door fronts to be made from Lyptus. I bought this router about a year and a half ago. However, the above-table height adjustment mechanism would not raise the router after about one hour of use. Four weeks later I get the router back with the factory claiming there is nothing wrong with it and it is working as designed.
We'll see. Looks like I may have to buy one anyway.When I got near the end of the project I noticed the router squeaking at very low rpms upon shutdown. Had to reorder the 1/2 inch collet. In my opinion, the plastic parts of the raising mechanism are not able to raise the router motor if there is any additional friction between the base and the motor. Don't buy this router for the "above the table" lift feature.
I don't think having to take the motor out of the base to wipe off the dust every fifth time I want to raise it is reasonable.
But if you let them know ahead of time they can fix the problem without this hassle.A great router at a great price. .because sometimes the package only includes the 1/2" collet, even though the product description says you get both the 1/2" and 1/4" collets. I bought mine from Amazon, and they had to send me a whole new router that included both, I had to remove the 1/4" collet from that package, then send back the rest. Hard to go wrong here. They did fix the issue pretty quick, and paid for the return postage though, so I won't complain much.
I Bought this to replace a Porter Cable in our Shopbot cnc Router.Initially the smoothness and quiet running was enough to make me Happy. The downer isthe bearings wore out in half the time of the Porter Cable.So, I'm going to put in new bearings and give it another shot.If I have different results I will post them but for know dissappointed. It also has much more power than the Porter Cable.
If Milwaukee would fix this issue, then I would say it is the perfect table mounted router. I have it permantly mouted in a router table.The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars, is because of the height adjusment It will lower just fine, but when raising it, I have to actually push up on the router while turning the knob. This is a powerful router. To be fair, I don't know if this is a problem with all the routers or just mine. IMHO David It just seems to me like the threads are too coarse, plus it looks like the female part of the mechanism may be made of plastic.
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