Thou Shalt Not Laugh - Anyone Own A Model 691 Porter Cable Router

CGofMP

After you stop laughing at the stupidness of my quandry, I need a little long term memory stimulation

I have a model 691 router, that 10 years ago I took the D handle off of and mounteed to my router table. I mostly use it for 'fine woodworking' projects and therefore used the smaller knob grips and the table and had no need whatsoever for the D handle which sat unused for literaly 10+ years!

Recently I needed to work on some large pieces of lumber with more hefty bits and I wanted the extra control offered by the D handle. The problem is when I re-attached the D-handle I could not get the router to start using the D handle's switch.

There was no problem getting the router to go using the toggle switch on the main housing when I plugged it in directly and I completed the project using the D-handle for leverage only, but when plugging the housing into the d handle, power is not making it past the D handle making turning the router off a 2 handed operation. Not a crisis but mildly annoying...

There are 4 screws that are in use on or near the handle here. a large one that attaches through and underneath the router to the handle. One that comes in from the outside top of the handle, and then 2 small screws with lock washers which are on raised posts UNDER the handle. I attached the 2 wires coming from the handle to these two posts with these little screws. When the router did not start I suspected a polarity problem and switched the wires to the opposite posts. STILL no joy.

I wonder what I did wrong.

So.... What am I forgetting about how to re-attach the handle in order to get power? Maybe the wires are both supposed to go to ONE post? I don't want to try that unless I am pretty certain I wont be causing a short. I cant imagine 10 years of non use would cause a failure in the switch and handle components... I have to have forgotten something.

I looked at the manual that came with the router but there was no help there. Removing the handle was not covered much less re-attachment. I looked at the updated PDF manual online. Again there was no instructions on correctly removing the router handle and replacing it.

So do any of you have familiarity with this tool? What did I forget in my addled brain. I know it worked when it was new.... I used it with the D handle one time on a small project and decided at that point for work on hardwoords and little stuff I wouldnt be needing the D handle and would use the table mostly.

Thanks guys,
Charles

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Tom R

Not familiar with that particular router, - - maybe the D-handle switch has a safety? The switch shouldn't really have any polarity. Try 'securing' the router and 'shorting' the two wires together, - - if it starts up it's your switch, - - if not it's the wires.

Tom R

Even if there are no instructions on removing the D-handle, - - how about a blow-up of all the router parts/locations, - - that should help somewhat.

Justtrimmin

Charles,
I love the D-handle PC router. In fact after years of the bits wearin' on the cord I finally replaced the cord last week. You might want to make sure the green gound wire goes through the channel (bottom of handle) up to one of the bolts (torx?) that attaches the handle to the base. This provides an excellent ground. I don't have time today, but I can take mine apart to reaquaint myself. It seems to me there were a couple of trouble spots in there, and my router was purcahased in 1995 (same design).

CGofMP

Thanks for the idea, but I tried that when I looked at the manual. The parts blow up was not helpful as the distances were too great in the picture and there were no 'assembly lines' that showed where things kinda ended up like you see on many. Good idea though.

Mine are not torx. There are two standard (straight bit screws that attach the D handle to the housing and 2 philips on the posts I described. Having a bit of trouble picturing what you are describing.


I think mine was purchased in the late 80's or early 90s..... not positive on this as I do not see the reciept here. (copyright date in the manual is 1987) Gosh I may have taken the D handle of a decade and a half ago then!?! *feeling old*

:Thumbs: I TRULY appreciate the offer to have you pull the D handle and letting me know. Thanks so much.

By the way, yes, as you say, this is an excellent router. It has given me a lot of great service and has never yet let me down. As noted above, it made me very happy on small projects. I was pretty surprised this weekend when I used it on the larger 4x lumber with the big V bit. Turned a lot of wood into sawdust this weekend and it did not skip a beat. Woulda been better if I coulda made that trigger work....

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CGofMP

Closure... maybe...

I wrote PC online... usually have a bad time with responses from companies, but both PC and Milwalkee seem to respond within 48 hours.. not bad. I'd also asked them about the availability of an extra base to keep mounted to my table...

Here is what they said:

Anyhow, I still am going to wait to see what Justtrimmin sees when he pops the d handle off of his, but I suspect that I'll just be using the handle as a handle and not a trigger. Not worth the expense of having it repaired for the small extra convinience as little as I use the D handle.

Thanks for all the help guys.
Charles

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