Popular Woodworking 2001-12 № 125, страница 9
Tool Test Finally, the First Cordless Router is a Functional Reality We've watched cordless technology revolutionize woodworking, and often we've joked about when the first cordless router would be available. It's no laughing matter now. Porter-Cable has introduced the first cordless router, and the smiles on our faces are from pleasure, not humor. The Porter-Cable 9290, is built on the popular 690 platform (in fact, it uses the same bases). By taking advantage of improved motor designs and improved battery technology, Porter-Cable has answered the tricky question of torque versus runtime. Porter-Cable Product Manager Mark Woodlief credits the battery design with making the tool possible. The slip-on battery allows for a low profile and evenly centered design that keeps the router well balanced and only slightly top-heavy. But enough of that, we wanted to know if it could make the cut. The pre-release information boasted that it would cut V2" roundovers in 100 lineal feet of oak, or 200 lineal feet in pine, on one charge. It's true. More importantly the router didn't feel like very much torque was sacrificed by switching to battery power. It plowed through roman ogee edge cuts in ash and 1/2" groove cuts in plywood. One of our concerns was how the motor responded when the battery charge ran down. As the battery starts to lose charge you can feel the motor slow and anticipate ending your cut. With a spare battery (the 9290 is sold with only one, and a spare's about $100) it would be no problem to pick up right where you left off. Initially I was a little skeptical at the appropriate home-shop application of this tool. It's about $100 more than the corded original. Is it worth it? I can't begin to tell you how pleasant it is not to worry about a cord dragging across your cut or getting stepped on. The 9290 will accept 1/4", 3/s" and h" collets, but is shipped with only the H" collet. This is to encourage the user to get the best performance out of the tool. Smaller bits put less draw on the battery. But if you must use a 1/2", the router will do it. Other things we noticed: the 9290 is four decibels quieter than a corded 690. The switch is a little harder to turn on and off than you might expect, but this is actually by design. Since you can't unplug the router to change a bit, (and you know we won't always remove the battery), P-C made it harder to accidentally turn the router on. Also, the router employs a spindle lock for one-wrench bit changes, but still has two nuts for extra tightening as well. Being built on the 690 platform adds nice options, but it also includes a less attractive holdover. The 9290 will retain the Porter-Cable Model 9290 Street price: $250 Motor: 19.2 volt, 600 watt RPM: 23,000 Collet sizes: !/i", 3/s", 1/2" Weight: 73/4 lbs. Battery: one 2 amp-hour Bases: Will accept any base designed for use with the 690 router system. Performance: ••••• Value: ••••◦ Porter-Cable 800-487-8665,or www.porter-cable.com awkward thumb screw lock for the base release. The corded 690 is getting an upgrade to its lever lock soon, and we hope the upgrade will show up on the 9290, too. Overall, the tool is a little pricey, but we like it. It performs well and is amazingly convenient. We're interested in seeing what the future of cordless tools has in store after this major breakthrough. For more information, circle #163 on the Resource Directory Coupon. HOW WE RATE TOOLS At PopularWoodworking we test new tools and products with an honest, real-world workout.We check for ease of assembly and determine how clear and complete the manuals are. Then we use the tool in our shop to build projects that appear in the magazine. Each issue, the magazine's editorial staff shares its results and experiences with the tools, rating each for performance and value. We use a one-to-five scale,with "five" in performance indicating that we consider it to be the leader in its category. For value,"five" means the tool is a great deal for the money, while "one" means we consider it pricey. However,a tool with a low value rating may be worth the high price. If our tool reviews don't answer all your questions,e-mail me at DavidT@FWPubs.com or call me at 5l3-53l-2690,ext. 255. If we haven't reviewed the tool you're considering,there's a good chance I've used the tool, but simply haven't had a chance to write a review. Give me a call and see if I can help.You can also visit our website www.popwood.com to check out our past published tool reviews and sign up for our free e-mail newsletter (focusing on tools) that's sent out every other week.—DavidThiel, senior editor 16 PopularWoodworking December2001 |
