Musclechucks?

**jack620** · 13th January 2024, 02:42 PM

I recently bought one of these router bits with indexable cutters after reading positive reviews on the forum. Today I got around to trying it out. I mounted it in my table-mounted Triton TRA001 router. The first thing I noticed was the length of the shank. I’ll probably shorten it on the lathe.

At full speed it spun smoothly, but the revs seemed a bit high. When I backed the revs off it vibrated severely and the chuck loosened on the router shaft. I was able to unscrew the chuck with my fingers. Scary stuff. I know from experience the chucks on the TRA001 are cheap rubbish with poorly formed threads, so I’m inclined to blame the chuck, rather than the router bit.

My two options seem to be to replace the TRA001 in the router table with my trusty old Makita 3600BR, or fit a Musclechuck to the TRA001. Neither option appeals to me. Swapping routers takes away the convenience of above-the-table bit replacement and I’d lose soft-start and speed control. Fitting a muscle chuck to the Triton is an expensive option. I wouldn’t mind the expense if it weren’t for the very real possibility of the TRA001 speed controller blowing up shortly after upgrading the chuck, leaving me with an expensive Musclechuck on a dead router.

I haven’t been able to find an Australian seller of Musclechucks. Postage from the US is USD49. Crazy. The chuck and a ¼" reducing sleeve comes to about AUD230 landed in Oz.

Before I pull the trigger, does anyone know if we have a local seller of Musclechucks? If not, I might get one for the Makita as well and spread the postage.

**Jeffen** · 13th January 2024, 02:59 PM

If the Xtreme Xtension type works, you can get those on Amazon for $95 shipped free with prime membership.
Though I've just realised it's quite different to the musclechuck, so might not be a good option particularly with those cutters.

2024-01-13 13_57_32-Amazon.com.au _ musclechuck.png

**jack620** · 13th January 2024, 03:13 PM

Thanks for the reply. That looks like an extension chuck that fits into your existing chuck. In the case of my Triton, that would only exacerbate the problem unfortunatley.

**GraemeCook** · 19th January 2024, 09:31 PM

Is this what you are thinking about, Jack?
Musclechuck Quick Change Chuck Type 2 | Wood Workers Workshop

UK price and freight seems a little more reasonable.

**aldav** · 19th January 2024, 09:56 PM

Originally Posted by GraemeCook

Is this what you are thinking about, Jack?
/woodworkersworkshop.co.uk/musclechuck-quick-change-chuck-type-2/

UK price and freight seems a little more reasonable.

Or this one for Triton - Musclechuck Quick Change Chuck Type 8 | Wood Workers Workshop - althought I thought it was type 11 for Triton?

**jack620** · 20th January 2024, 07:35 AM

Thanks to both of you. I found that website. While the postage is more reasonable, the price of the chuck is substantially more expensive, making the delivered price higher than buying direct from Musclechucks in the USA.
I have an order nearly finalised.

**jack620** · 20th January 2024, 07:50 AM

I've decided to make a new chuck body to fit the Musclechuck to. The M12x1 female thread in the Triton collet chuck body is so poorly formed it has a tendency to come loose under vibration. I've had this happen on two Triton chucks now. There's no point fitting a Musclechuck if the Triton chuck body that it screws onto keeps coming loose.

I bought a cheap Chinese M12x1 tap on eBay and made a test piece. The test piece threads onto the TRA001 spindle with almost no wobble. Compared to the Triton chuck which is one of the sloppiest threads I've ever encountered. So I was able to cut a substantially better thread at home with a $10 tap than Triton can cut in a factory. Appalling.

The internal measurements tell the strory. The minor diameter of the Triton chuck is way outside spec for an M12x1 thread.

**jack620** · 20th January 2024, 07:56 AM

The tread on the armature isn't too bad. Slightly undersize.

**Bohdan** · 20th January 2024, 09:08 AM

Try tapping and fitting a 12mm helicoil into the chuck to fix the sloppy fit.

**jack620** · 20th January 2024, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Bohdan

Try tapping and fitting a 12mm helicoil into the chuck to fix the sloppy fit.

Now that’s a good idea. I hadn’t thought of that. The only kits I could find in M12x1 are pretty expensive though.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/33514907...mis&media=COPY

Highking Tool Thread Repair Kit, M12 x 1.0 mm Thread Repair Insert Kit Compatible Hand Tool Set for Auto Repairing (M12X1.0) : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

I have everything I need to make a new chuck, including time.

**jack620** · 20th January 2024, 05:54 PM

This thread is continued here: Making a collet chuck for a Triton TRA001

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