Porter-Cable 7529 2 HP Heavy-Duty, Electronic Variable Speed Plunge Router

List Price: $420.00

Features:

• Advanced micro height adjuster
• Soft start and electronic brake
• Variable speed adjustment
• Easy blade changes
• One year warranty/30 day performance certification

Accessories:
Porter-Cable 42000 9-Piece Template Guide Kit	Porter-Cable 42700 Edge Guide (for Models 7518, 7519, 7529, 7536, 7537, 7538, 7539 Routers)	Porter-Cable 42187 2-1/2-Inch Hole Sub Base	Porter-Cable 42999 1/4-Inch Self Releasing Collet	Porter-Cable 75300 Height Adjustment Knob for 7539 Plunge Router

Customer Reviews:

beware - should not even be refurbished [Posted on 2004-12-19]
I spent a good chunk of change on this router 2-3 years ago. It got great reviews at the time.

I am a weekend woodworker and I take good care of my tools. With high price, light use and good maintenance I was repaid with this:

1. Motor lost at least half of its power within 2 years. Has trouble cutting small dadoes in poplar. Problem may be related to the known issue with the switch on the handle, but I don't really care to find out, especially since PC has discontinued it. I only use it to round over edges in soft wood now.

2. The knob that pins the depth setting rod failed totally. I am not King Kong or anything, but even my casual use was too much for this feeble part. Now it is impossible to set a plunge setting.

I have had good experiences with PC in the past, but my experience with this product makes it impossible for me to pay a premium for that name brand, at least for the foreseeable future. Will wait to see whether this was a fluke or an indicator of things to come.

I just found the Hitachi M12V and have ordered it to replace this miserable unit. Funny that it is a much more powerful machine and cheaper today than what I originally paid for the 7529. Live and learn.

A good machine, but... [Posted on 2005-01-22]
I have to agree with many of the other reviewers who like this router for its smoothness, power,and low noise level. The grips are great, it plunges nicely, and the quality of materials seems top rate. However, my experience with this router has revealed two flaws that greatly detract from what would otherwise be a truly fine machine. While these flaws are not necessarily deal-breakers, those of you who are considering buying this tool may want to be aware of them.

First, as another reviewer has pointed out, it is impossible to accurately center template guides within the base plate. The user must screw the template guide holder into the baseplate, and since the holder does not precisely register into the baseplate, it is thus extremely difficult to accurately center the guides. If you use template guides and require even a moderate degree of accuracy, this flaw is a deal-breaker. Do not buy this router. On the other hand, if you never use template guides or plan on parking this baby in a router table, you'll have no problems. This would be a fine router for those purposes.

The other problem is another quality/design issue that can be remedied but is a moderate annoyance. On my machine, the release/locking lever for the plunge mechanism came loose on several occassions, making it impossible to plunge and lock the router at a desired depth. There is a small set screw in the lever mechanism that works loose and has to be constantly tightened and adjusted. This problem is not an isolated incident as it also has occured with two other cabinetmakers and their identical routers in my shop. In the end, having tired of constantly fiddling with our machines, the three of us adjusted the mechanisms as best we could, applied Lock-Tite to the set screws, and hoped we did it right because there would be no way to disassemble the levers once the Lock-Tite cured. Fortunately, the fix worked fine, and all three of us are happily using our machines without any problems. Again, not a deal-breaker and the problem was fixed, but this seems unnecessary for a $200 router.

The other router to consider in this price range is the DeWalt DW625 3 HP plunge router. Though it has more power than the PC 8529, it is the same size and weight. It's also variable speed and would be great in a router table. I've never been a huge DeWalt fan (many of their products seem overrated and overpriced), this seems to be an excellent machine. Several of the guys in my shop own them and use them for the dual purposes of plunge operations as well as major hogging through lots of material (the extra hp makes a big difference). Add it to your list of possibilities.

Paperweight [Posted on 2006-07-23]
At one time I had planned to stock my shop with all PC tools, now they can all sit on the shelf next to Black and Decker. This router has difficult ergonomics, difficult bit changing, and the variable speed controller malfunctions, reducing power. PC really made a lemon with this one. I own a PC belt sander, orbital sander, jig saw, and this router. Only the small orbital sander has not suffered electronic maladies.

Junk-save your money [Posted on 2007-04-26]
I ordered this router by mail. Plunge is jerky. I used this thing to make a 14" pie crust tea tray. I cut two 1/2" circles with it and now it doesn't work. Never dropped or abused in any way. I barley used it enough to get it dusty. buy something else, this one is junk.

Unreliable [Posted on 2007-08-19]
My 7529 is about five years old. It lives in a router table, closed on three sides and with an additional cooling fan to keep good airflow to the router.

When it works, it's fine. I turned a big aluminum knob to make depth settings easy and it's fairly quiet (for a router), smooth and has adequate power.

Porter Cable has had it back twice for failed speed control boards and tonight (10 PM on a Saturday night and I'm under the gun to get a job out) the bearing nearest the base failed. No time for a repair, it will have to be replaced. It won't be by another 7529 and probably not by a PC router.

My 7529 has had a fairly easy life trimming plastic and a little bit of wood. It probably works a couple of hours a week, doesn't have to take any big bites and it doesn't have to work like a slave. I've made sure it stays clean (it rarely makes any sawdust, usually just little plastic chips) and has extra cooling and a good chip vaccuum system. It just has to work, and it's failed me one too many times. I'll have it repaired, but it'll just sit on the shelf waiting for those rare occasions when I actually need the plunge capability. Maybe it can live with that.

BTW, I have a DeWalt that is 20+ years old that has been badly mistreated at times and it just won't die. It's just so loud you wish it would.

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