Porter-Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table

by Porter-Cable

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Review

Made of lightweight machined aluminum for durability and mobility, the 698 Bench Top Router Table from Porter-Cable is a versatile, portable, and adjustable table that's ideal for home improvement enthusiasts and woodworking novices. It easily attaches to a work table for added stability, and is also a snap to move from site to site. A pre-drilled 3-5/8-inch table hole for mounting and adjusting your router base accommodates 3-1/2-inch router bits, while the generous height of the legs allows enough room for the majority of routers. A split fence features two sections that you can position to work either front-to-back or laterally. Additionally, there are two starter pin positions, two inserts in a larger and smaller size, and 3/4-inch miter gauge slot.

From the Manufacturer

The Porter-Cable 698 router table is ideal for small shops, remodeling sites, and woodworking for under-table routing, light shaping, milling and jointing applications. The 19-3/4 inch by 16-3/4 inch aluminum top is milled with a 3/4-inch miter gauge slot and multiple starting pin locations. The quick-adjust split-fence design enables accurate edge-jointing. The 3-5/8 inch table hole allows bits as large as a 3-1/2-inch panel bit to be used on the table. The dust collection hood accepts a 2-1/2 inch hose while the 12-7/8 inch leg height enables use of most 1-1/2 to 3-1/4 horsepower routers on the market. 1 year limited warranty.

Product Details

• Shipping Weight: 37 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
• ASIN: B000022425
• California residents: Click here for Proposition 65 warning.
• Item model number: 698
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #26,020 in Home Improvement (See Top 100 in Home Improvement)
  • #31 in Home Improvement > Power & Hand Tools > Power Tool Accessories > Router Accessories > Tables

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

141 of 145 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Don't Waste Your Money or Time, February 28, 2001

By 

Andy W. (Loganville, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porter-Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table (Tools & Home Improvement)

Thought I was getting a deal when I purchased the 1-1/2 hp P-C plunge router set with table. You get what you pay for. No problem with router but the table is VERY sub-standard. The fence adjustment is LOUSY. One wing nut holds each sliding fence and is almost impossible to get it square to the working surface due to the slop in the design. Too much wasted time is spent both aligning the fences to the table and to each other. The lightweight construction (cheap) allows the table to move around quite a bit when running material thru...be sure to clamp/bolt it down before use. The miter slot is rough and the slide is sticky. The only minor positive is the dust chute works adequately when connected to the shop vac.

In hindsight, I should have bought the router alone and looked elsewhere for a quality built piece of equipment. Now I'm forced to use it until I can build one that is suitable.

97 of 99 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Porter Cable Drops The Ball, January 21, 2001

By 

Timothy S. Rumbinas "canuman" (Sutton, VT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Porter-Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table (Tools & Home Improvement)

I am usually a big fan of Porter-Cable products, but this one is a dud. The fence is clumsy and hard to adjust, the miter gauge slot has substantial slop in it, and ridges in the table are rough and sometimes mark work. I bought it as part of a 3 piece kit - the "Ultimate Router Workshop." The cost was less than as a stand alone piece, so I'll probably keep it. If I had purchased it as a stand-alone item, it would be returnsville! If you're serious about owning the PC 1 1/2 hp routers with both bases, purchase them separately and pony up the extra cash for a more refined table. You'll thank yourself later.

54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Difficult to setup, but does the job, October 6, 2000

By 

Chris Midgley (Framingham, Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porter-Cable 698 Bench Top Router Table (Tools & Home Improvement)

This unit is made of light weight materials with inexpensive mechanicals that make it difficult to setup. The fence is hard to use, as it uses a simple L-bracket from the fence to the table with a twist-screw to tighten down - often changing the position as the screw is tightened. Forget using it without seriously clamping the unit down to some solid surface, as there isn't enough mass to hold it in place. This said, once set up, the unit works fine and is very portable.