Did Porter Cable go out of the router business?


Dave H

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The odd thing to me from a business plan perspective is that routers were Porter Cable's claim to fame.  It's what came to mind when someone said "Porter Cable".  After that I'd have to have a good think to remember what else they make, and an even longer think to remember when was the last time I heard someone extolling the virtues of one of those "other" products.

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2 minutes ago, Chestnut said:

.. It's clear because it seems like all router bushings are based of the porter cable system....

All the good ones, anyway. Bosch has their own design, stamped sheet steel that is rather poor. I have an adapter on my wish list, to make my collection of PC style bushings work in my new Bosch baseplate.

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Their 690 routers were cheap. This is why cabinet shops ordered them. Why they sold so many. If I wanted a better router at the time Bosch was just more money. 

 

A lot of the cabinet making equipment in 80-90's either had PC or Bosch in them. 

Whoever got the the contact. 

The only reason OC got even further was the sale of a staple gun and compressor for $119 I think it was. Porter cable nails work in Senco guns. 

PC had a good run. Now?

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I have a whole bunch of 690's dedicated to special operations.  I don't even know how many. One is a D-handled Rockwell, bought in the early to mid '70's.  They're all still running.  Since they're dedicated to a particular use, none get used a whole lot.  For a while, they were giving away a small router when you bought a 690, so I loaded up then, and have a couple of tool boxes of palm routers with dedicated bits.

Four 690's are dedicated for hanging house doors.  One for the door template.  One for the jamb template.  One for the lock strike, and one for the lock plunger mortise in the door.

When I change a bit in a router, the ones I reach for are mid sized Milwaukee.  I don't remember the model number, but they're nice routers.

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On 12/1/2021 at 9:18 AM, Mark J said:

routers were Porter Cable's claim to fame.

This dates me. My first introduction to porter cable was the 503 sander. Looks like a locomotive. Very heavy. I had apprentice status and this sander was off limits to me. Not for the unexperienced. I did play a little with it and was glad that it was for the boss only. That was late 1960's.

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-porter-cable-locomotive-belt-3777360941 

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