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| Router wants to eat my bit... |
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| Effayy:
So I have this router... I was attempting to loosen the collet tonight to place another bit in, and it wouldn't loosen no matter what I tried (yes I was turning it the right way :laugh:). It's now getting to the point that the shaft holding the collet is starting to strip and soon I won't be able to hold the shaft in place with the metal tab. I tried plain old elbow grease (it was hard to remove before, but never anything like this!), I chucked in a little WD-40, and I even tried thwacking the wrench with a hammer a few times. no luck, the collet almost seems to be fused to the thing. I'm wondering if any of you have faced a similar situation, and what you used to loosen things up. I definately don't want to lose the router or the bit. :'( - FA |
| MYX:
No man you got it all wrong. You buy 1 Router for each bit. ;) Did your router come with a collet specific wrench? Have you tried vicegrips? Carefull of WD40, it is like a dust magnet. |
| DaveMMR:
I had the same problem. Eventually, I pulled the bit (very slightly and carefully) with some pliers to help loosen it a bit and then the collet eventually cooperated with me. |
| WaRpEd:
I agree with MYk about the WD-40 being a dust magnet. Was the bit running hot or the edges blue (burned). There is a method of last resort but I don't like doing it. If your bit has a head and I mean the top of the bit is wider than the shaft you can use a SMALL prybar and hammer to try to break the bit loose from the collet but could break the bit if not VERY careful. Again I don't recommend it but hit the bit lightly and politely. And say a quick one to the tool gods. |
| DrewKaree:
Almost sounds like you've cross-threaded the nut that presses the collet together to hold the bit. I say this because actually hitting the wrench with a hammer should do SOMETHING. If I'm understanding you correctly, you can't loosen the nut, because there's no wrench (other than a basin wrench, and you certainly aren't using that) that you can use on the collet itself. If it's NOT the nut, and you are meaning to tell us that the collect can't be lifted out after loosening the collet nut, then you need to use a needlenose pliers or some other such item to get under the flange that is typically on the top of the collet. Something to remember as well - routing heats up the bit, which in turn heats up the collet. Any debris in there will make the bit almost impossible to remove. You can take some emery paper to clean off the surface of the shank of the bit prior to putting it into the collet. Also, DO NOT bottom out the shank in your router. You should have a gap of an eigth of an inch or so. Not doing so can make your bit next to impossible to remove. Invert an air can (like for blowing crap out of your PC) and spray. Use some gloves and then try to pull the bit out of the collet. It still might resist, but you should find it a lot easier (and the gloves will help you keep more of your skin should your hand slip ;) ) Tell us if what you're saying is that the nut won't come loose or if the nut is loose but the bit won't come out of the collet. |
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