The Porter Cable 7818 Speedmatic Router is more than just a recreational router. This router lives up to the “professional” label. The specs are impressive. The router is never short on power with it’s 3 and a quarter horse power motor running on 15 amps. This Speedmatic router can be operated at five different speed settings ranging from 10,000 RPMs to 21,000 RPMs. One of the most inspired features is the soft start. If you have ever used a powerful router that doesn’t have the soft-start feature then you know how jarring that first second of operation is. This feature greatly enhances the ease of use.
When you are looking for the best router to buy, you really need to consider what your intended purpose is for the tool. Are you simply a recreational woodworker that needs to create an occasional beveled edge? Are you a professional who is going to be putting the router through a gauntlet of work? If you are just going to use your router for the occasional project then the Porter-Cable 7518 Speedmatic router may be a bit of overkill. The price for this router is usually in the high 300 dollar range. You could find a much cheaper router for your basic woodworking needs.
The quick release collets are great for easily removing bits from the router. Check with your provider before purchasing this product to see if it includes both the half inch collet and the quarter inch collet. I know that this model used to ship with both collets, but according to amazon this router only comes with the ½ inch.
If you are interested in a professional grade router that has a solid company behind it, you owe it to yourself to consider the 7518 Speedmatic.
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