Happy holidays All - I've been fortunate enough to receive the 1.75hp Dewalt DW616 router as a gift this season (folks know that I'm planning my router build). I had plans to utilize the DW611 or Makita RT0701C but now that I've got this in my hands I'm second-guessing my spindle choices. A few questions: - My biggest hang-up is the lack of variable speed on the DW616. I plan to work with a full range of materials, from plastics, woods, hardwoods and aluminum and brass. As such, I'd like to have the option to have at least some range of spindle speed instead of the fixed 24,500rpm of the DW616. Is a separate router speed controller, such as this, a viable option to replace a built-in speed control? If so, I'd probably pair it with an inexpensive tachometer to get a verification of speeds. - I'll be using 8mm lead screws on all axis + Nema 23 High Torque motors. The DW616 weighs nearly twice as much as the smaller models (~5.5lbs). I don't forsee this being a big concern, but should I take the slight weight increase into consideration at all? - The DW616 comes with both 1/4" and 1/2" collets, which is nice to have the larger tool option. However, I know I will be utilizing a good amount of 1/8" cutters and the idea of using a reducing sleeve collet isn't too appealing, especially for working with metals. If I stuck with the DW616, has anyone had luck removing the stock chuck and replacing it with an ER16 chuck/extension? I like this idea because it gives me a wide range of collet sizes + the precision holding that the ER system has vs. a lot of the coarser stock router collets. Maybe I've already convinced myself to just pursue the smaller routers with the vairable speeds! However, the increased power of the 616 is appealing + it's already in my hands. I appreciate any feedback and experience that others can share. Cheers, Tom
If it's still in the box trade up. And no, the speed controller doesn't work. The reviews should be telling you everything you need to know. And when you think about it, cost of single speed router plus the cost of the speed control comes pretty close to the cost of the router you really want. The real question here is what do you intend to hang it on? the LEAD with the high Z mod is about the only thing OpenBuilds offers that will support the larger router.
Thanks for the response Rick! Regarding the mounting of the router, I'm making a custom build that utilizes linear rails mounted to a steel plate for the Z axis. I've access to a waterjet and machine shop at my previous employer, so any customization needed should be able to be accomplished. That being said, the unit is still in the box w/the receipt, so swapping it out isn't too big of a deal. I'm already convinced that this is the route to go, at least initially. I can always explore larger and more powerful spindle options in the future in the form a VFD driven spindle. Cheers, Tom
