DeWalt croaked today

My trusty 611 has run thru three sets of brushes and who knows how many hours of operation.

Today, I was messing around learning how to modify/mill step files imported in to F 360, cutting plastic. After multiple files and about a 6 hours of cutting I start hearing rock crusher sounds from the router, hmmmm, not good. Figured, oh well, let’s run to failure and see what happens, just practicing after all. Finally, it just quit.

Autopsy tomorrow, what do you think? Bearings are an obvious choice. We’ll see. Stay tuned.

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We have some notes on this at: https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/DWP611#Maintenance incl. a link to the bearings.

I’m curious what you find. Other than brushes I’m thinking same as Will with bearings. I’ve mused a bit about replacing stock with some high grade ceramic bearings, maybe reducing runout a bit? All theoretical though, ceramic may not be designed for the crazy loads we put on these things. 3 sets of brushes is pretty impressive for a $100 trim router that was probably never designed for the long hours of punishment we put them through. How many sets do you think the average Joe replaces while using these for their intended purpose? I have a full sized Poter Cable router that I’ve had for probably 15 years and I’ve probably got 3x as much time on my Dewalt that I’ve had for a year and a half, pretty solid little machine!

Dan

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Thanks Will and Dan.

Truth be told, I think I’ve gotten my money’s worth out of the router. BUT, in defiance of today’s throw away mentality, I will fix it if i can.

BUT (#2) since I don’t want to be down for who knows how long, I suspect I’ll pick up another…soon…tomorrow :stuck_out_tongue:. And keep the original as a spare, assuming I can fix it. And, maybe throw an old sock over the top ala Rich C.

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I back your defiance completely!!! Id give it a shot too. One thing I read not too long ago from someone on some forum was that in addition to the bearings dying there’s also a plastic nut in there that can melt (my guess it overheated bearings caused the melting). I’m not sure what Will posted above (too lazy to click, ha!), but I think ereplacement parts online sells all the parts. I bought a miter gauge for my band saw through them and it shipped pretty fast and the cost was pretty low IIRC. Might give them a look. Good luck!

Dan

They are only $100 on Amazon right now so I would snag your replacement sooner rather than later!

Thanks for the heads up. I just pulled the trigger on a 3D printer so $ for discreationary spending at low ebb. I think I’ve come up with a zero cost solution.

I’m contemplating the hassle involved in removing the dead router i.e. clipping a hundred or so zip ties, re-doing the SuperPID installation on a new router etc. Then it occurs to me, take off the “radiator cap” and put a new one underneath then button it all back up! Like my old ‘56 Chevy when I was a kid. Out with the 265, in with the double camel hump 327.

I actually have another 611 here in my shop that I use for small hand work, not many hours on it. Hopefully I can just take the top cap off and swap it in.

Will also check out ereplacement parts when I get the old one broken down.

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I hear what you’re saying regarding funding @Griff, but it may be time to seriously just move on to a water cooled spindle with the hours you are putting on that router.

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The Z-axis/spindle upgrade are under serious consideration. Just waiting for more feedback from Bobby and Luke.

Meanwhile the 611 dissection continues. First observation, smoked another set of brushes!

Secondly, there is about a mm of vertical slop in the armature so something is not right. Stay tuned.

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