CNC Information and Projects

Stanley Black & Decker is the parent corporation of the Porter-Cable and DeWalt brands. The Porter-Cable and DeWalt laminate trim routers are similar and share some part numbers.
The two units have served well in this shop.

The routers will run long hours, and the bearings may need to be replaced at some point. The bearings are accessible, and are available from online suppliers.

The bases of the above routers can be rotated so the router is easier to mount to the Z axis.

Rotating the base can eliminate the need for a bracket that accommodates the position of the base's screw hole.

To rotate the trim router's base, remove the four screws from the base as shown in the drawing. Rotate the base so the cord and switch point in the desired direction, and so the 1/4 inch bolt hole in the router’s base faces the spindle plate.

Reinstall and tighten the four screws.

Do not pull downward on the base, or the armature will be pulled from the brushes. Should this happen, the top can be removed to access the brush assembly.

Auxiliary speed controls, such as the one shown here, work well with the lower priced single speed trim routers. The remote speed control is more convenient to use, as compared to a variable speed router, since the speed can be adjusted while the machine is moving.

It is also safer since it is unnecessary to chase a variable speed router's control dial around the table.

These controls are available from woodworking stores and Harbor Freight; prices start below $20.

The Makita 1101 has served well in this shop. It has 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch collets, and is variable speed.

It has received good reviews, and is one of the quieter full sized routers.

The same motor body assembly of this router is available with different base and handle configurations. Only the motor body is used on the CNC machines.

Though the machines will not be able to push this router to its stalling point, it can still be handy to use because of its longer life and its larger collet capacity as compared to the trim routers.

Cradles with band clamps, as shown on the right, can tie this router to the axis.