# Dewalt DW625 Plunge Router



## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

Hey Fellow Jocks
I'm just about to pull the trigger and buy a new DeWalt DW625 Router, as my old Craftsman is not suited for some of the stuff I want to do in the future.

My plan is to build furniture and near term projects include a dinning room table, and a office wall unit (base cabinets with book cases on top). As fill in projects I see some table top games that will need to be profilted using a pattern jig.

All of the reviews I've seen are positive. DW has several less expensive tools that would work for me, (618 and 616) but since the cost of these is not significantly less than the 625 I have rationalized spending the extra dollars to get the higher powered unit.

I'm having prepartum distress syndrome and would like to hear from the experts. If you have same, do you like it, would you buy it again. If you have a different brand/model do you like it, and why did you get it instead of the Dewalt - etc. etc.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I built cabinets and furnture professionally for years
and never felt the need to get a heavy 3HP router.

I usually used a 1.5 HP router in a table and a variety
of router topside, from laminate trimmers to a DW6221
which I used for mortising and most plunging.

I guess if you want to raise a lot of panels a big router 
can come in handy. The big ones are awfully heavy and
that tends to make them tricky when profiling edges 
topside, especially the plunger models.


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## Llarian (Jul 10, 2008)

I tried out the 625 and the 618 and finally settled on the 618 because I needed both a fixed and plunge router. If you already have a decent fixed based router, then I think its a no brainer for the small incremental cost.

If you don't, I'd reccomend the 618 for the money at least.


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## EEngineer (Jul 4, 2008)

I echo Loren's sentiments. I have used the DeWalt 616 in a router table for a year and 1/2 now and haven't felt that I needed anything more. I tend to get too agressive with it too, hogging too much at a time, etc.

I bought the 616 based on a few things: it had an absolutely HUGE bearing at the bit end, it should stand up to just about side-load thrown at it; the ability to disconnect the power cord right at the router, disconnecting power when changing bits is more convenient; sealed toggle-type power switch; both 1/2" and 1/4" collets were included; I like two separate wrenches for bit changes over the "shaft-lock" that other routers use.

I don't know how these features look on the 625 you are looking at, but my 616 is built very well and has performed flawlessly for 1 1/2 years now. It rarely leaves the router table. If the only reason to move to the 625 is more power, I wouldn't be concerned.


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## douglas2cats (Mar 31, 2008)

This sort of depends on whether you primarily intend this for hand held or router table use.
If hand held, I'd opt for the DW621 instead. You're not going to need the extra 1 HP difference as you dont want to be doing larger bits in a hand held that the 3HP would require. The built in dust collection works pretty well hooked to a shop vac (though not as good as a Festool). The 621 is an excellent hand held router.
If this is for a router table, most plunge routers are a bit more difficult to use compared to a fixed base. I've used the 621 in a router table, and it works but wasn't optimum. The 625 plunge mechanism is about the same as the 621 so I wouldn't expect any difference there. I finally switched the router table to a PC7518 and Woodpecker lift. If dust collection is important, Festool is the way to go. I've used that inside the house with extremely little cleanup required afterwards.
Dave will kick me as my Woodrat mounting box is still not quite complete but I also have the 625 sitting in a box ready to mount on the Rat.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

Dave
Since you have the 618, 621, and 625, which one would you keep if you had to get rid of 2 of them?


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I put my 621 on a Legacy ornamental mill. At the time I was set
up with a horizontal mortiser so it was "good-bye to router mortising" -
which I don't enjoy much.

I got a woodrat plungebar too and collet extension, like the eliminator
is some respects. The way the plungebar goes on the 625 is a better
design than the way it goes on the 621 - so if I had to do it over
knowing I would use a Woodrat or a Legacy Mill I would look for a 
router that worked well with the plungebar.

We are all talking about expensive joinery machines now where you
pretty much leave the router on the machine and never use it
hand-held…

I'm someone who dips a router into an edge now and again and
it's infuriating so I bought a Milwaukee bodygrip router because 
I like the balance and control I get by holding the barrel of the router.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I didn't buy the Legacy to do joinery - it's good for ornamental
stuff but because of backlash it's not what I would turn to
for cutting joints. I cut some mortises in table legs with it
once. It worked okay but easier just to cut the mortises 
when the legs are square with another method and turn them
after.

Woodrat is probably better for joinery because it has a cable
in it instead of a Acme screw.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

WoodRat/Router Boss - Hearing you guys talk about owning these machines was getting me excited to put one on my wish list until I checked the price ($700??). But if I were to buy one - am I icorrect to assume that the Router Boss is now the machine of choice?


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## northwoodsman (Feb 22, 2008)

Joe, I just sent you an email. I actually have a Dewalt 625 that I no longer need after purchasing a PC 7518.


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## djesde (Jul 30, 2009)

joe, Where do you get the Eliminator Chuck for the DW625? I use this router for all of my routing. I took the plunge Springs out. It works great that way.


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## ajosephg (Aug 25, 2008)

djesde - what Dave said, it's the only way to go. (If you use any 1/4 inch bits, get a quarter inch adaptor while you're at it.)

I also removed the plunge springs, but then decided to dedicate it to my router table, so I put them back in because it was hard to adjust (using the fine depth adjuster thingy). When reducing the cutting depth Without springs the weight of the router is insufficient to follow the depth adjuster down resulting in a slip/stick process. The spring helps gravity make the router follow the adjuster.

I have since acquired a PC 690 with a fixed base for handheld usage. It's lot easier to handle than the DW625 and has enought HP for the stuff that I do. I plan on getting a plunge base for it soon as I got a bunch of marble holes to route using a template.


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## tennjock59 (Feb 8, 2010)

thoughts on this router mounted in a long table for routing entry door rails and stiles?


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## Routerisstillmyname (Oct 16, 2008)

DeWalt DW625 is the best and most ballanced router there is. nuf said.


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## v8extra (Aug 6, 2010)

Hello to all,

I was looking to buy woodrat gear with a router, since I have been working with a VERY hold model…

I read the thread, and DaveR send an Email regarding that set up, I would be more than interested in knowing what was it saying. Any way my objective is simply to know what would be the best router to get to work with the woodrat. I also would be very pleased to hear about that EXPENSIVE piece of gear, it is worth it… It sure looks very promising on their web site, but I would like to ear what you guys think about that.

Cheers

Sébastien


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## v8extra (Aug 6, 2010)

I am located in great canada, near the capital, ottawa.

Thanks for the info, cant wait for you PM…


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