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(07-12-2021, 06:59 PM)NickNC Wrote: Hey all. I’ve gotten a lot of good tips and tricks lurking around here over the years. Often, if I have an issue or question, I just hit the search box and it’s good. This one has me a bit stumped (and a bit worried).
I’ve been doing more woodworking lately (approaching retirement age) and several times now I’ve had router bits creep up in the collet as I’m using them and cutting deeper.
I’m using a DeWalt DW618 in a Bench Dog ProTop Portable Router Table. OK, so not the finest of woodworking tools, but for a weekender like me, it’s done well over the last 20 years.
I’ve gotten into the habit of each time I change a bit, I completely remove the collet chuck and blow out any dust from the collet and the router itself. I’m not using cheap bits either – most are Whiteside or Freud – and none are in bad shape. The biggest culprit so far has been hardwoods like rosewood. I get that vibration can loosen things, and I have also gotten into the habit of stopping every few passes and tightening the collet. The worst of the bits - a Whitedside's 1/8" straight bit.
I get things get old and wear out, but there’s not a lot of mileage on my setup (compared to most of you out there), but is this normal? The only thing that’s changed lately is I’m doing more work in hard exotics versus my usual oak. I can’t back the piece out, and it seems pretty unsafe to hold it in place while I hunt for the switch.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
You need a new collet.
Even without actual damage, collets do not last forever. They are made of spring steel and over many cycles of heating and cooling as they get used, the temper of the spring steel is lost. This causes it to not grip properly.
I use my router a lot, so I replace my collets about every two years. Your milage may vary, but once the collet won’t hold, it needs replacement.
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(07-12-2021, 10:09 PM)ez-duzit Wrote: Replace the collet.
+1
Steve
Mo.
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There was a collet gripping issue with some Delta machine a while back. What they suggested made sense.
Put a little oil or graphite on the angle surfaces inside the shaft and on the outside of the collet. Be sure that the inside cylindrical part of the collet is clean and dry (where the bit shank goes).
this has worked for me when I've had slippage problems with collets.
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Ditto on a new collet and here is a trick we used in the machining trade. Get yourself a bottle or spray can of blue or red Dykem layout fluid and paint your router bit shaft with it. Let it dry then install as usual. The layout dye adds a lot of "bite" to the collet and should eliminate your problem.
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Thanks all, knew I’d get some pretty good answers here. New collet ordered. Castguy – I never thought of the Dykem, but I did get in the habit of using Penetrol on a lot of my metal stuff. Garage is unconditioned and humidity can get pretty high here. I’ll try it.
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(07-15-2021, 10:05 AM)NickNC Wrote: Thanks all, knew I’d get some pretty good answers here. New collet ordered. Castguy – I never thought of the Dykem, but I did get in the habit of using Penetrol on a lot of my metal stuff. Garage is unconditioned and humidity can get pretty high here. I’ll try it.
Paste wax is your friend. Wax will protect the collet, nut and bit from rust. It will also lightly lubricate the mating metal surfaces. Counter-intuitively, this makes collets hold bits better since the mating surfaces do not bind through friction before being actually tight.
Many makers of CNC collets and tool holders are now coating their products to minimize the unwanted friction. Paste wax will give you the same effect in your home shop.
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07-23-2021, 01:22 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-23-2021, 01:23 PM by brianwelch.)
I have had the same issue but turned out not to be the collet, but as mentioned above, the height adjustment lock...
1/2" bits are a great improvement, but will have little effect if it is the same problem I had...
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(07-23-2021, 01:22 PM)brianwelch Wrote: I have had the same issue but turned out not to be the collet, but as mentioned above, the height adjustment lock...
1/2" bits are a great improvement, but will have little effect if it is the same problem I had...
This is most definitely the collet Brian. I now stop every few passes to tighten it. Hopefully new one arrives today.
I don’t have through-table adjustment. On mine (three base style) you have to physically release a compression lever then dial the body up or down with an adjusting ring and clamp it back down again.
You’re the second person now to report that issue – maybe I won’t upgrade.
