DEWALTRouter, Fixed/Plunge Base Kit, 12-Amp, 2-1/4-HP (DW618B3)

This router with the three different bases has capable features and is well-engineered with decent features.I've owned and used Porter-Cable, Bosch and Festool. The Festool is good and has not died. Others tend to die. The Festool plunge setup is precise and feels well-made.The Dewalt plunge base has the same plunge-depth guage and works well despite looking less refined.Here are a few things that have impressed me about the Dewalt and make me suspect that it will outlast my other routers.- it has a standard toggle on-off switch encased in rubber at the base so dust won't get it. That was very smart.- the hand grips on the plunge base are large rubber knobs, very good grip.- the parallel fence guide works well for this router. The plunge handles are oriented 90 degrees to the direction of a cut, instead of parallel as on the Festool. That's fine.- the router bases are well-constructed and have a couple different clear plexiglass bases to choose from.- the pistol-grip base is a great design.- all three bases avoid a built-in electrics trigger-pull on-off system for good reason. While useful and elegant, this adds complexity and the possibility of failure. The trigger-pull grip base has a corded plug to access the router motors. I approve of this. Of course, a dedicated plunge router unit doesn't face this challenge. This would be the Festool plunge router. The Bosch that died had a removable motor from the base, and a built in trigger. So electricity had to be routed from the base, to the motor in a sliding power / electric application. Great, until the router dies.- the plunge base has a vacuum port that routes through one of the plunge pistons. That is great and I think it is superior to the Festool. This is allows you to suspend a vacuum hose from above and attach to the top of the router. This is ideal and worth the extra effort since having a vacuum hose tugging off the side of a router and dragging on things is less helpful.- the actual router unit with the motor can be purchased separately from all the bases. That is a good idea.Overall I think this Dewalt offering is a win; it seems to show that Dewalt has a very competitive engineering department that knows its customers well. I can imagine that they make way fewer of these than things like cordless drills. I'm sure glad they go to the trouble of making this since it may well end up being my favorite fine woodworking router.I'll probably buy an extra motor for a simple router table application too.- lastly and significantly, this whole system cost only small fraction of the festool. If I had known of this router and of its comparable performance years ago, there wouldn't really have been a need to buy the Festool. Festool does have a good US-based repair department. But Dewalt tools don't usually break down. So there you have it. A great, versatile router system at an outstanding price.Anyone newer to fine woodworking can be encouraged to proceed with this system, knowing that it can handle a great majority of routing tasks with reliability.

I've owned and used the DW 616 1-3/4 hp router for the last for two years and have always yearned for a Plunge base and a D handle sub base for mortice and dado cutting respectively . Finally decided to acquire the extra bases and In my searches came across this DW618b3 kit with an larger 2-1/4 hp motor priced at around $242When I crunched the numbers I realized that having already committed to shelling out $200+ on the two bases individually , I could basically pick up an extra 2-1/4hp Router motor and a carry case for an extra $30-$40.Off the bat i was concerned that a number of users posed negative feedback about the magnetic speed control switch failing, but since most of these are pre 2009 i figured Dewalt has sorted this problem out and besides if the motor failed I could still use my Dw616 in all the sub bases and have a carry case for every thing. so I went ahead and pulled the trigger (pun intended)...Item Delivered fast, arrived in great shape and complete with all accessories as described.First off ...was very impressed with the case. Its solidly constructed looks like it can take a beating and is probably worth $50- $60 on its own, its internally moulded to securely hold and store all sub bases so they don't bang together during transport and I was surprised to find there was even a cutout in the case to hold the DW 6913 router edge guide that I bought as an add-on accessory (by the way this guide also fits the smaller base on the DW616 an added unlooked for bonus). I can store both routers mounted in the bases In this case along with a selection of bits ( all in their individual protective cases of course). Just be aware of its size 24" x 20" x 8"Instructions were clear concise and accurate making for easy set up. Bases have a quality feel and are very solid , well finished with comfortable handles that provide a firm non slip grip. Clear sub-bases for viewing of bits and workpiece were flat and true and all were properly centered.Plunge base , plunges and returns very smoothly , turret ( 5 steps one adjustable) has a quality feel with indexed points for sure positioning, depth setter took a little working out but works perfectly and accurately. Easy access handle mounted Plunge lock to hold tool in deployed position allowing for flat bottom mortices and dadoes. Shopvac hoses fit snuggly and dust/chip extraction works about 90% with some minor dust leakage.D handle base is a joy ( for me) to use with a built in trigger lock so you can lock the tool on and then concentrate on guiding and routing. My one nit pick here is the lock release, you have to pull the trigger to disengage the lock and it has been a bit fiddly on one or two occasions but this may just be me working out the correct trigger technique.Tool is surprisingly quiet, when compared to the smaller dw616, love the soft start and adjustable speeds, plenty power , super smooth in operation . Ran a series of plunge cuts for 1/2" wide by 2" deep mortices with a (freud) 1/2" upcut spiral bit with very clean results. Switched to the d handle with 3/4" double flute bit and ran test dadoes of varying depth without a hitch. Bit change out is a snap with the built in spindle lock and changing motor in between bases took all of 1-1/2 minutes including, changing the bit, reinstalling the fine depth setting ring on the motor ( ring not used with the plunge base ) and resetting the speed.Some one took their time designing this tool thinking through a lot of the finer details . All in all im very pleased. Great value for me!!!!!!!!!

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Dewalt Routers are well-known for their quality and reliability. This set is no exception. Good power, easy to handle on startup thanks to the now-standard "ramp up" startup function, and constant speed make the 618 series a winner. I'm quite pleased with my purchase.I chose this set as I needed both fixed and plunge bases, and was intrigued by the D-handle base. As a set, it was affordable due to the sale at the time, and far cheaper than buying the D-handle separately (something I can assure you would not have happened).So it was a pleasant surprise to find that I've actually used it more frequently lately than the fixed base. No, not for the same reasons I'd normally use a fixed base (edge routing comes immediately to mind.) But dados? Especially LONG dados? With my jig? Well - yes. The remote trigger function makes turning it on and off an instinctive thing, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how stable it could be - even one-handed as I reach across a 30"-plus path. Mind you, I DEFINITELY recommend a two-handed approach wherever possible. But using it one-handed was - surprisingly - not scary. Just pay attention, and use a jig. A little "locked-wrist approach" and it's really pretty easy to keep in control.So no, I'd probably never have purchased the D-handle separately. But in this kit, the added cost was minimal. And I LIKE the D-handle - I really do. But I could have lived happily forever without it.And I would have missed out on something pretty cool.

Won't get to use it until spring but looks and feels great

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