GMC router problems

[morry]

I too purchased a $39 gmc router about two weeks ago and other than unpacking it and doing a couple of quick jobs with a small round over bit the unit was put onto the shelf waiting for some time to have a play. I am about to start building some built in wardrobes from 16mm melamine and have purchased a 21/32 carbide bit for some dado work. Today I ran a few test dado's with my trusty old makita and the fit was good with the material. I also cut a dado with the GMC and found that the dado was about 1.2mm larger than cut with the makita. Having a good stock of engineering tools I chucked a 75 mm length of 1/2 inch ground silver steel and used a Dial test indicator off the base against the rod. At about 20mm above the collet the runout measured about 30 thou and at the end of the rod you could see a noticabe wobble in the shaft. Might be an idea for all that have purchased these units to cut a straight dado then pull the bit out of the router and place it into the slot to see if you have the same problem. I will call the GMC help line tomorrow as I dont like my chances of a replacement at Bunnings seing that they sold out so quickly. A refund is possible but I like the balance of the fixed D handle for freehand work.

[Bob Willson]

Somebody in another post has said that they will replace the router with a better one if they can't replace it with the same.

[bitingmidge]

I noticed a similar condition first cut on mine, then discovered that the body can be skewed in the handle tube (for want of a better description)by the fine adjustment mechanism and with only a little care can be set up straight.

On mine I found tightening the tube to a point where it was quite firm (still able to move though) did the trick - although I didn't measure it. Unless it it nipped up tight it is quite a loose fit; I first thought of running a paper gasket all round, but don't think that's necessary. Actually I first thought of taking it back and sticking it up someon............but got over that!

The other little adjustment I discovered accidentally (I must wear my glasses when playing with machinery) is the lock nut on the shaft at the base of the collet. Does adjusting that take the play out of the collet?

Cheers,

P

[HavinaGo]

Also observed the problem and read the thread referred to above (in which the solution offerred by GMC was a new collet ... how did that turn out???).

In my case I took the collet out, cleaned it and applied a light coating of oil, (it was dry on the ground taper that mates into the tube on the router motor then reseated it. I tried not to get oil onto the jaws that hold the cutter ... hope that makes sense. :rolleyes:

Seems fine now .. with care to make sure the collet seats squarely/properly in the router when installing a new cutter. It seems prone to getting skew-wif if just dropped in and tightened.

cheers
David

[lbarnes]

David,

I am still waiting for GMC to send the new collets. I will try the lube solution in the meantime though.

Thanks,
Luke

see - http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?p=63089#post63089

[Handy Person]

Gee, I'm glad that I DIDN'T buy that router! Great deal for $39 but look at the above "irregularities"

[Bob Willson]

Sour grapes Handy Person, sour grapes. :p

[lbarnes]

I tried lubricating the inside of the shaft/outside of the collet to enable a better seat but the runout is still there. I then measured runout on the shaft with no collet fitted. Unfortunately the shaft is out and not the collet.

Another call to GMC and the result is take it back to Bunnings. If there are no more in stock they will refund the $39.00 rather than upgrade to the 1500W plunge unit.

I bought two of these units and they both exhibit similar amounts of runout.


Luke

[Robert WA]

I am becoming quite glad that the $39 deal did not extend to WA. I did a lot of shopping around, by phone, but could not find one here.

[derekcohen]

Mmm. I have only given mine a brief (but very critical) run cutting a few dados. So far so good. It is performing very accurately. Perhaps I've been lucky (sez he touching as many pieces of wood as possible for more luck).

Regards from Perth

Derek

[Caliban]

All
Mine's perfect, no noise, no mess, no vibration, just perfect. So there, all you smarty pants who didn't buy one.
I reckon it will be even better when we get electricity. :D

[GregLee]

I have tested both of my GMC Routers. Both appear fine. No apparent runout. I have tested with both 1/2 inch and 1/4 inch collets. This appears to be the usual GMC quality control lottery.

Some are lucky. Others get refunds. We all win sort of..

[morry]

The saga continues. I called the GMC helpline and explained my problem. Solution is that 2 new collets are on the way (won't hold my breath). Back in the workshop I tested the internal bore on the shaft to check for runout. The indicator was showing about 10 of runout BUGGER!!!!!. A new collet will fix nothing. Strolled down to the local bunnies and was told that all the routers where wharehouse stock clearance so no replacement only refund. I think the GMC now stands for grossly miss centered. Oh well you pay peanuts you get monkies. The $39 Random orbit sander works a treat (GMC does vibration well)

[rhizome]

When I was first getting into woodwork several years ago, I bought a small 'Ozito' router (I'm sure it's made by GMC). the bearings lasted about 10 hours (or less). I replaced with high quality bearings and it's been pretty good except for the time I just finished a cut and as it was winding down I let it spring back - the base flew off the still spinning router! Anyway a few modifications later it won't do that anymore and it's still in use today.

Moral of this story... it was the last cheap tool I ever bought. I figure my fingers and health is worth a lot more... oh, and I'm very happy with my newly acquired Festool router... :)

[davo453]

From an Ozito to a Festool !! talk about going from one end of the price bracket to the other !!

In my experience Festool stuff is the dogs do da’s (very envious), Sadly I do find it hard to justify the price for most of their stuff. Not least because I’m still smarting over loosing my Dewalt biscuit cutter from the back of the Ute (my own fault I know) at least if the Ryobi replacement goes the same way I can cheaply replace it.

Cheers Dave

[Caliban]

Dave
If the ryobi biscuit jointer is like the ryobi one that I used, you wouldn't replace the basturd when the ute threw it out.
rhizome
Gmc don't own ozito, ozito is owned by an Aussie bloke. It stands for Ozzie Tools. Ozzie owned , made in China. Still cheap and nasty. Helping to push prices down, therefore good.

[echnidna]

If you are checking runout with a dial indicator then try setting the cutter up with the dial indicator as you should be able to get the cutter running true if the cutting edges are exactly 90 degrees to the high\low axis.

[morry]

Bob
The way I set the indicator up was with a magnetic base attached to the base of the router and the tip of the indicator against the bearing of a 3/4" flush trim bit. The indicator was zero'd and then the shaft of the router routated through 360 deg the indicator would show about 25 thou of runout. With the idicator tip against the shaft of the router just above the collet the runout was zero. This points two two possibilities, 1. the bored section for the collet is off centre or the collet has been ground off centre. Im still waiting for some replacement collets from GMC but I suspect that the shaft has been badly bored. I will drop over to a mates place with a lever type idicator to check the internal bore for runout and see how we go.

It's a shame as I have been offered a refund from bunnies but I really like the balance of the D handled router for free hand work.

[echnidna]

Sorry I wasn't thinking about a bit fitted with a bearing.