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It comes with a fixed base and the plunge base. So far, so good. It has plenty of power for the many cuts I am making and the bit appears to be centered (I can turn the router around and there is no difference in where the bit cuts). I needed a router for a furniture project and, based on reviews I found here, selected the Milwaukee 2616-24 router. I have only been using the fixed base so far on my project. I look forward to trying out the plunge base on my next project. I am very pleased with the tool.
It actually hurts me to badmouth this product since I have such a high regard for Milwaukee tools.The problem with this plunge base is that the motor is insufficiently clamped into the base as this clamping is entirely achieved by the use of the over center clamp. This works fine but something like this should have been done by the factory and not me.Except for this major flaw the rest of the plunge base is good. A plunge router however is a different animal as when plunging there is considerable vertical force working against this clamp trying to push the motor out of the base. All other multi based routers use this over center clamping system but augment it with a pin on the motor that fits into a slot in the plunge base to prevent the motor from rising up when the unit is plunged. First off I am not a hater.
For example I feel that the big 3 1/2 HP Milwaukee router (of which I own three) is the best router in the world for router table use. On a conventional base router this isn't an issue since all of the load on the router bit is tangential. The Milwaukee doesn't have this additional feature.I solved this problem by drilling and taping a hole into the plunge base for a set screw which I tighten against the router motor to lock it into place. The plunge is smooth, the feel and balance of the unit is very good, the depth adjustment system is excellent, and the handles comfortable. I've got well over thirty Milwaukee tools and think very highly of all of them with this one exception.
There is no force trying to push the router motor out of the base. I do think that the plunge release lever should be longer as it's a bit hard to actuate, but, the handles intrude into this space making the use of a longer plunge release lever difficult.Good unit with an unacceptable flaw. When under high vertical load (like plunging a mortise) the motor backs out of the base.
I am a novice user and bought a set Whiteside bits. The body grip on the fixed base is wonderful for keeping a good grip on the router. He has an elliptical base that fits this router (and others) that makes them more stable when using by hand. I am not a big fan of the three part case or the size of the case. I researched routers by reading and talking to people who use them regularly.
I have used it for a few weeks now and absolutely love it. The router and bits are performing flawlessly. Some will not like having to use two wrenches to change bits but this is no problem for me. Finally, the switch is perfectly positioned for easy on and off while you are gripping the router. This Milwaukee kit came up over and over as one of the best.
I do recommend contacting Pat Warner (http://patwarner.com/) for his alternate base. Buy it, you'll like it. The router is quiet, powerful, has a slow start feature, and is simple to use.
i recieved this router and was very impressed with the quality and control it was difficult to decide what brand to by but i finally decided to go with milwakee because it was one of the only ones made in the USA
Although it was supposedly tested and inspected at the factory, there was a 3/4-inch long piece of metal rattling around inside the motor housing. The soft start feature is more like a delayed start. Again, Milwaukee quality control should've caught the problem before shipping it out.As for the rest of the kit, this and the 1-3/4HP kit are the best deal if you need both the plunge and BodyGrip bases and the clear sub-bases. The motor was also much louder than that of the 5615. The new kit arrived today and is smooth and buzz-free.
I still need to reach under the table to loosen the clamp before adjusting the height. The gargantuan case will probably go into storage. At the slowest speed, it pulsed about every half second and was strong enough that it would have disturbed cutting. Terrible.Fortunately, Amazon customer service took the old one back and sent a replacement. It was fairly easy to remove, but Milwaukee quality control should have caught this.Next, I decided to purchase this 5616-24 kit from Amazon. If you look at the parts diagrams on the Milwaukee Web site, you'll see that the added height of the red cap is to accomodate the electronic module.
My only gripe is the cheesy stop rod and stop screw. It looks like part of a motor armature. After flipping the switch, just as you start thinking that the unit is defective, the motor comes on. The motor housings are the same, just a different armature and field. The dust collector looks and feels really cheap. It looks like it was made in the same factory as the other router accessories.
Speaking of edge guide, they should've included one, although the Milwaukee guide looks cheaply made. My first purchase was a reconditioned 5615-81 1-3/4HP router. No rattle, but upon plugging it in and turning it on, there was a noticeable recurring vibration in the motor that increased with the speed adjustment. After purchasing a Milwaukee Sawzall from Amazon and being very pleased with it, I was in the market for a router and was impressed with the Milwaukee height-adjustment design.
I contacted Milwaukee Tech Support and they simply said that this was a variable speed unit with soft start, and deferred me to the local service center. Plunge is smooth and controls are well placed, and it comes with the 1-3/16 clear sub-base installed. There is still quite a bit of starting torque transferred through the grips.The plunge base is excellent. The smaller case that came with my reconditioned router is much more handy.The 1-3/4 and 2-1/4HP motors, bases, and accessories can be used interchangeably.
Luckily, I discovered it before I plugged it in. The height-adjustment wrench and dust collector are of limited use to me. When using the edge guide, the U-shaped piece is removed and the collector is held in place by the edge guide rods. It is held in place by a U-shaped piece of metal which clamps to the edge guide holes.
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