Apparently some knowledgeable router heads (like Pat Warner) have been saying negative things about the PC7518 in recent years. I won't argue with them because they've forgotten more about routers than I'll ever know. However, I'll tell ya though, I own 2 of them and could not be any happier with them both. I have one mounted in a home made table along with a Jointech Cabinet Maker's setup and a Jessem lift. How anyone could say a single negative thing about a setup like that is beyond me.
As to what fence you get, you can debate that all you want, but there isn't a whole lot that separates the Jointech from the Incra. Both are outstanding systems that will serve you very well for a very very long time. The Jointech seems to be built just a little bit more sturdy and it also has a very nice feature with the removable inserts. They may not seem like a big deal, but it ends up making things so much easier when you get accustomed to using the system. I have an insert that is precut for just about every bit that I run in my table. They not only work exceptionally well in preventing tearout, but they also serve as perfect setup blocks. The are easy to store and easy to swap out quickly. Maybe Incra has something like this now, but I know they didn't when I bought into the Jointech 6 or 7 years ago. I typically see the Incra selling for less money than the Jointech though. I know in terms of the operations they actually perform, there is no difference at all between systems. I don't know very much about any other system on the market, just those two.
When it comes to lifts, they are a luxury and not a necessity. Now that mine is bought and paid for, I'd never be without one again. However, I went without one for years and got along fine. It is a whole lot nicer having one, its just an expensive upgrade. The big Milwaukee, or similar router, can make adding a lift not necessary at all.
Since you've been looking at Jointech products, did you see their design for a router table? I personally didn't build it, but kind of wish I had. Its a very nice looking setup with a ton of space for storgae. I've seen several pictures on Woodnet over the years of people's versions of that table. ALL of them say they are very happy with it. Combined with a Jointech fence (or even an Incra), it almost seems like a no-brainer to me. If and when I need to redo my table, my new design will at least be very similar to theirs if not exact.
As to the router... The PC7518 is, by a huge margin, the most commonly used 3+ HP in production environments. There aren't many pro shops in the US that don't use several of them on a daily basis. Regardless of what anyone says about them, they are great routers and will handle anything you can possibly throw at them. They have an extremely proven track record, far more so than any of their competitors. I've spent countless days running things through my table for 8 hours a day non-stop over the years. The PC has never been anything but perfect the entire time. Now I don't know if anything is different about the 7518 since Porter cable was bought out by Black and Decker. If today's 7518 are exactly the same as the ones that were made just a few years ago, I wouldn't hesitate at all to build my table around one. Just make sure you include decent dust collection and you'll be problem free for a very long time.
