# Rockwell Router



## chickenhelmet (May 1, 2009)

Hello All,
I recently received an old Rockwell router and am having trouble dating it. Does anyone know about these routers or any websites with dating info. Also was/is Rockwell part of Porter Cable? They seem to have the same of similar model numbers.
Rockwell
Model 6302 motor
Base: model 6301
Thanks!


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## GMman (Apr 11, 2008)

Manufacturers Index - Rockwell Manufacturing Co.

Rockwell Manufacturing Co. 
Pittsburgh, PA, U.S.A. 
Manufacturer Class: Wood Working Machinery & Metal Working Machinery

History Products Machine Info Publication Reprints (53) Photo Index (468) Machine Registry (324) Images (1) Patents (53) 
History
Last Modified: Aug 30 2011 8:19AM by Jeff_Joslin 
If you have information to add to this entry, please contact the Site Historian. 
----------------------------------------

Originally known as Pittsburgh Equitable Meter and Manufacturing Company, which was created in 1927 with the merger of two meter companies. They relocated to Brooklyn in 1941. About the same time, they purchased the Crescent Machine Co. Also in 1945, Rockwell purchased Delta Manufacturing Co., and made it its Delta Power Tool Division. Shortly thereafter, Delta tools were labeled "Delta Rockwell".

After that busy 1945 year, Rockwell made a series of product and company acquisitions:

Arcade Industries (1946); 
Red Star Products (1948); 
"Canadian "Beaver Tools" maker Callander Foundry and Mfg. Co. (1953); 
Walker Turner (1956); 
Porter-Cable (1960); 
An 18" wood planer from Yates-American (1961); 
A router-shaper and belt sander from Duro Metal Products (1968). 
In 1973, Rockwell Manufacturing Company merged with North American Rockwell to become Rockwell International Corp. In 1981, the Porter-Cable line was sold to Pentair Inc. of St. Paul, MN. On April 12, 1984, the remaining machinery and tool operations were also sold to Pentair, which renamed it Delta International Machinery Corp.

If you are looking for parts, service, or manuals for your Rockwell woodworking machine, look also in the entry for Delta Manufacturing Co.

Handheld power tools are outside the scope of this web site. Please do not upload pictures of handhelds!

Information Sources
A 1950 issue of Popular Mechanics gives an address for the company: Rockwell Mfg Co, Power Tools Division, 600 E Vienna Ave, Milwaukee 1, Wisconsin. 
Thanks to Keith Bohn for contributing information to this history. 
Joe Potter provided information from his notes, including the exact 1984 date for the sale of the woodworking machinery line to Pentair. 
A history page on the Delta webiste claims that Pentair bought Delta from Rockwell in 1981. This assertion is contradicted by the evidence above. Please contact us if you can provide more solid evidence one way or the other.


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## chickenhelmet (May 1, 2009)

Thanks for all the info Gmman!


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## PutnamEco (May 27, 2009)

The Forums at ereplacementparts.com might be able to come up with a date if you would post the serial numbers for the tools as well.

Is it purely labeled Rockwell? probably 1960s leaning toward the earlier years, would be my GUESS.

I would assume that this turned into the Porter-Cable 630 with the based now labeled as 1001.

Pictures would be nice. I like pictures of old tools

We need more power (tools that is)=http://lumberjocks.com/topics/29481


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## chickenhelmet (May 1, 2009)

Thanks PutnamEco! Posted this question on the ereplacement forum. I'll update you with any info. If I've done this right there should be a couple of pics here. Also came with a goodies box of all kinds of bits I've never seen before. Thanks again.


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## chickenhelmet (May 1, 2009)

Oh and it reads Rockwell Manufacturing Company.


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## PutnamEco (May 27, 2009)

Looks like a nice score. Shouldn't have any problem with replacement parts, as that does look like the Porter-Cable. 
Tool Parts Direct has Porter-cable parts, as well.

I'll update my guess, upon seeing this router, to a 70s era tool.

The http://www.routerforums.com/ is another place with a bunch of knowledgeable router folks you may wish to query.

There is some Rockwell history through Porter-Cable on Wikipedia as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter-Cable


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## kentennis (Dec 28, 2011)

i bought this same unit in 1972. Taht was when they were selling it. It is a great workhorse and was built to last and it has. I still use it
Porter Cable took over the line and now services it - they have replacement parts.
Rockler also has bases plates.
What else do you need to know?


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## Dominic7 (Mar 12, 2015)

Hi Guys,
I have a Rockwell Heavy Duty Router Model 1002 that I bought probably 40 years ago and it is still going strong. My only problem is that the rubber electric cable has worn out and I've had to tape it here and there with electrical tape. It's really time for me to change the cable for a new one but I don't know how to open the router to access the cable within the machine. 
Can anybody please help by either carefully explaining or sending me a sketch / diagram of the inner for this machine. Also, where can I buy new brushes for this router. 
Thanks for any suggestions.
Dominic


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## MrUnix (May 18, 2012)

*Can anybody please help by either carefully explaining or sending me a sketch / diagram of the inner for this machine. Also, where can I buy new brushes for this router. *

If you do a google search for "Rockwell 1002 parts" you will find several aftermarket suppliers that have the brushes and exploded artwork of the machine. I don't have one, but it looks like a pretty simple task to replace the power cord by just removing a couple of screws and popping the top off.

Cheers,
Brad


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## Dominic7 (Mar 12, 2015)

> Hi Guys,
> I have a Rockwell Heavy Duty Router Model 1002 that I bought probably 40 years ago and it is still going strong. My only problem is that the rubber electric cable has worn out and I ve had to tape it here and there with electrical tape. It s really time for me to change the cable for a new one but I don t know how to open the router to access the cable within the machine.
> Can anybody please help by either carefully explaining or sending me a sketch / diagram of the inner for this machine. Also, where can I buy new brushes for this router.
> Thanks for any suggestions.
> ...


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## Dominic7 (Mar 12, 2015)

Thanks for the information Brad.


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## SirIrb (Jan 12, 2015)

I have the same router. 1/2". Got it from a Vo-Tec that was reducing its stock. I had to make the handles out of mahogany. It is a beast. It stood up to all those kids, all those years and is still going strong. Fine machine. Rockwell: One of the greats lost to history.


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