Router problem - Hitachi TR-12

[gxc]

Hi all - new here - and a router novice so apologies if I don't ask the question right.
I've been given a TR-12 which appears to be in good condition but had been left with a bit in the collet which I eventually dislodged and the height adjustment seems to be frozen (no height adjustment rod - but threaded column adjustment present). There is some surface rust present on slider posts and they won't budge - I assume they should slide easily to allow adjustment (yes, I've made sure the Lock is off). I've soaked them in penetrating oil, bashed them backward and forward to no avail. Is there some other trick? has anyone got any advice for me, Please.
Thanks in advance
Grahame

[elanjacobs]

Yes, they should slide very easily. Whether it can be fixed depends on how badly seized it is.

First, scrub as much of the surface rust off as you can with steel wool or a kitchen scouring pad. Then leave the router upside down for a few days and give the posts a squirt or 2 of WD40 every day to make sure it's constantly soaking in oil, then try GENTLY compressing the whole router with a couple of clamps. Where the handles meet the body is probably the strongest point, so clamp from there to the base.

If that doesn't work, you can get a reducing spray that chemically reverses oxidation from hardware stores. Bunnings has is next to the WD40 if you have a hard time finding it. Be prepared for sticker shock, it's about $17 for a spray can. I'd only use it as a last resort as it might not play nicely with any rubber seals inside; they say it's safe around most plastics, but you won't know until you try.

Hope you get it working, the TR-12 is one of the best routers Hitachi ever made

[chambezio]

I bought a TR12 from Ebay ($60?). The story that came with was that a previous owner had had it set up in a router table and so it was seized up. I took apart the winding mechanism (spring etc) Then did as Elan has suggested. It took some days and quite a bit of pressure but it did let go. Be VERY CAREFUL because it is diecast alloy and can easily break. Just be patient. When it finally came apart the corrosion was ever so slight but it was enough to freeze the body to the post. I polished up the posts with steel wool and Silvergleat.

The TR 12 is a great machine and will give very good surface for years

[RedShirtGuy]

Be VERY CAREFUL because it is diecast alloy and can easily break. Just be patient.

Advice worth repeating.

I took to my frozen up TR-12 with WD-40 and a rubber mallet and busted off the handle bits (it had no handles anyway) and cracked the base plate around one of the posts. It still runs fine but geez...such a shame :(

In fact, I need to pull the blasted thing apart again. After I fixed it the first time, it sat unused for a year and after putting it to use again in the last fortnight I found that it has gotten horrible to adjust again.

[Bob38S]

I'm not a big fan of WD 40 or similar for this sort of thing. Similar to people squirting liquids into locks and then hoping they don't grunge up with dirt, dust etc.

I have 2 Hitachi routers, the TR12 and the newer adjustable speed version, both have had the posts treated with the Trad Wax made by the forum's sponsor, works great. Never had any issues with sticking or grunge pickup.

[P.W.H.]

My TR12 has been impossibly stiff from day 1. Some times the return springs don't manage to raise the body after a plunge. It's hard indeed to push down.
Eventually, most times, the base snaps out with a loud "clack".

I've tried various things: the above named penetrating liquids, Waxilit (a German polish for ww machinery tables) on the posts, a teflon spray, and, recently, Silbergleit.
The latter has been the most successful so far and had a beneficial effect for more than 35 seconds. But generally: ye gods! It makes the machine hard to use with
precise results when you have to apply brute force to get it to plunge. But I've no idea what else I could do to ease it off a bit.

To add to my woes I have found the height adjustment to be .... variable. Even when I tighten the locking lever on with the full force of my thumb there seems to be
creep. :(

[Bob38S]

This seems unusual. The plunge on both of my machines is smooth and requires minimal effort. The springs are firm but not overly so.

Just thinking out loud, so to speak, when you remove the base from the body, are the posts vertical and parallel, looking at the holes where the posts fit, are the true, by that I mean, are the the same bore the whole way and are they in line vertically with the posts? When fitting the base back to the body do you need to force them to fit and is the resistance to sliding constant for the whole stroke?

The easiest way to check any alignment issues would be with the springs left out for the moment. If all is ok with the springs out and not ok with the springs in then it would appear that the springs are the issue, not cylindrical or catching in the slides. If there are issues sliding with the springs out then consider using some metal polish, even something like Brasso or car cutting compound would work to polish your posts and for lapping the post holes.

Just a few thoughts.

[P.W.H.]

All I can say so far that the difficulties are always worst at the bottom of the plunge stroke - which suggests that you may be bang on with your thoughts about the geometry of the thing, Bob.

I will have a look tomorrow when I have some daylight to see by.

-P.

[P.W.H.]

Pulled it apart, cleaned out the cavities that the springs go into and the pins that hold the springs straight, gave everything a very good
coat of silbergleit and the plunging action is MUCH improved. No more binding and juddering on the way down, and it comes back up easily.
The geometry is minutely off w.r.t. the alignment of the columns but there's nothing to be done about that, at least not easily. I wonder what
the material is, it does not seem to be metal.

Hope this new state of affairs lasts.
It's been a difficult machine from new, and I can only guess now that they had no form of lubricant in it. I knew very well that liquids like CRC and WD40 would not really be a solution, they evaporate much too fast; I also found that air tool oil did not improve things (much). Well, for now I'm happy with what I arrived at. This I can live with ... :)

[elanjacobs]

Good to hear it's working

[chambezio]

If you find that after a while it starts to gum up, dissemble it again and give the stems a rub with some wet and dry. I did it to mine after I got it free and it made a lot of difference. In my case there may have been a slight residue of rust/corrosion interfering with the sliding action. It didn't need much, I think I used 320# and just "polished" the stems then reassembled with Silverglete as the lube.

[Bob38S]

Glad to hear you are on the right track.

On rereading your original post, the "clack" you refer to on release of the plunge mechanism, this indicates to me that you are releasing the thumb lock and causing the springs to slam the base back to its full length, in my opinion, not a good idea. This puts a lot of pressure on the cast metal support for the threaded adjusting rod. I feel that if you allow this to happen regularly that it will fracture the casting. I have done it when the machine was new but quickly learned that it was easier to support the base when releasing the thumb lock to avoid any slamming up against the stop. This can be easily done by holding it down on the side of the bench or a block of wood and releasing the thumb lock.

If you are interested these few links might make things a little easier.

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f20/balance-34821?highlight=Balance+point

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f20/router-stand-68701?highlight=Router+stand

[P.W.H.]

No, it wasn't my releasing the thumb lock, it was because it was sticky between the columns and the body, then it would 'explosively' free itself and the springs
would make the base shoot out and slam the base against the stop.

Definitely didn't have a good feel about it, not to mention the fact that you will have a sharp router bit exposed for a time when lifting the machine out of the work.
Fortunately the return is without hesitation and quite smooth for the time being. Been using it today and it was very well behaved.

[Bob38S]

Glad to hear it, pleased we were able to help out, that's what this forum is all about.

It's a great machine, enjoy.