Thread: Trouble with router collet

I had a similar problem with my Elu

It turns out that it is not terribly difficult to pull the whole thing down, clean it all up, lubricate, and put it back together again. Just remember where each bit goes and you shouldn't have a problem.

Mine works a treat now.

Clean. clean, clean Yes, Clean the collet. Take it apart, slide out the jaws and clean the, get down between the slits in the collet jaws, least bit of rust will create a holding force beyond discription. Also some amopunt of resin from previous routering will cause a lock up. Clean and lube is the answer.

Some times when I have been laxed in my Cleaning the jaws hold fast and won't let go, I give the nut a wrap with the wrench and usually it opens up.

After cleaning, you may find it useful to drop a small "O" ring down the hole for the bit to "seat" on. It overcomes the problem of the bit bottoming out, if bottomed out - when you tighten the collet it actually tries to force the bit down further - jamming it.

Also toss any of the supplied flat metal type of spanners - get some proper spanners of an appropriate length and you will find that it will go easier and "your knuckles will be forever in your debt".

Glad you have brought this problem up again. I want to ask "Can you overtighten a collet" I don't mean tighten so much that you strip threads or anything but simply by putting good spanners on with more leverage than the usually supplied flat type spanners. I was using a spiral upcutter to cut some mortices when I noticed that it had pulled out of the collet a couple of millimetres (I had set the depth of the tip just below the level of the baseplate so that when I put it down on the bench the cutter tip didn't cut into the bench). After a few mortices though I noticed it was cutting into the bench. I reasoned that the spiral upcut plunging into and then cutting sideways across the grain of some hard oak was acting like a wedge that exerted a downward pull on the cutter. I reset the depth and nipped the collet even tighter, but I worried that I might damage something? Would appreciate comments on this.

I presume you could overtighten a collet however, in my limited experience, a bit slipping in a collet is usually a collet which is not "clean" or rust etc on the shaft of the bit which does not allow a full surface of the collet to clench the bit. [I have cleaned 1/4" collets with a .22 calibre brass bristle brush and the 1/2" with a .38 calibre brass bristle brush - being brass they deform and clean out any "stuff" from inside the collets and being softer than steel do not cause any problems].

I certainly tighten my bits firmly but don't find it necessary to do the "gorilla thing" to keep them in place as I ensure that bits and collet are clean.

Hope it helps, regards,
Bob

Originally Posted by Hickory

Clean. clean, clean Yes, Clean the collet. Take it apart, slide out the jaws and clean the, get down between the slits in the collet jaws, least bit of rust will create a holding force beyond discription. Also some amopunt of resin from previous routering will cause a lock up. Clean and lube is the answer.

Some times when I have been laxed in my Cleaning the jaws hold fast and won't let go, I give the nut a wrap with the wrench and usually it opens up.

Thanks for the input everyone but I'm wondering if I am misunderstanding the responses. Hickory, are you referring to the bit getting stuck in the collet? If so, that's not my problem, although I know it is a problem for many. My problem is that I have the most difficult time trying to unscrew the collet. So, does your answer (and others as well) also apply to a "nut" that won't loosen?

Thanks again.

Steve

I think the correct term is chuck, a collet in regards to a router is a split tube for reducing the size of the chuck, normally to receive 1/4" shanked bits. Steve I had a customer come into the shop once with the same trouble, and i remembered a trick that my old school teacher showed us for unlocking the un-lockable but now trully locked router chuck. We found two peices of steel tube that fit over the spanners handles, they where about a metre long and used them to easily undo the chuck.( i.e increasing the length of the lever) Just make sure you know which way is on and which is off. Once apart clean. and keep the tube close by. Routers are also designed to get tighter as they work or stay put not loosen. Good luck.

Originally Posted by bunchan

Thanks for the input everyone but I'm wondering if I am misunderstanding the responses. Hickory, are you referring to the bit getting stuck in the collet? If so, that's not my problem, although I know it is a problem for many. My problem is that I have the most difficult time trying to unscrew the collet. So, does your answer (and others as well) also apply to a "nut" that won't loosen?

Thanks again.

Steve

By all means the threads need to be cleaned as well and some Lube jub too. Some
Petroleum Jelly works fine to keep future rust in check as well as smooth out any rusting that now exists

Originally Posted by Lumber Bunker

I think the correct term is chuck, a collet in regards to a router is a split tube for reducing the size of the chuck, normally to receive 1/4" shanked bits. Steve I had a customer come into the shop once with the same trouble, and i remembered a trick that my old school teacher showed us for unlocking the un-lockable but now trully locked router chuck. We found two peices of steel tube that fit over the spanners handles, they where about a metre long and used them to easily undo the chuck.( i.e increasing the length of the lever) Just make sure you know which way is on and which is off. Once apart clean. and keep the tube close by. Routers are also designed to get tighter as they work or stay put not loosen. Good luck.

Steven,

Yes, that is my problem. I looked through old magazine and they referred to it as the collet nut. I wish I had said that from the start. It's the collet nut, not the collet that is stuck. I thought of your suggestion but didn't have any tubes handy but I think I will buy some today. I'm sure it will solve my problem. Thanks for the advice.

Hickory, thanks also for your advice. I'll make sure everything is nice and clean in there.

Sorry for the confusion about the collet/collet nut thing.

Steve

Thanks also from me Bob about your advice on tightening.

Did you get this storted?

Originally Posted by Lumber Bunker

Did you get this storted?

Yes, I did, Steve. In the end I just used a pair of metal tubes (pipe clamps, actually) to put over the ends of the spanners to increase leverage. Of course, it released easily but I still don't know why it tightens so much. Everything looks clean so I don't know what's causing it. Anyway, as long as I have the power of leverage, everything is ok. Thanks for the help.

Steve

Don't know if this will help at all, never having had a Makita,but could be worth trying, some collets, when removed from the router should be pushed into the collet nut until you hear, or feel a "click", this is the collet bottoming in the nut, the nut (with the collet) can then be screwed onto the router shaft slightly and the cutter inserted and the nut tightened, if the "click" is not felt or heard, the collet is not bottomed in the nut and when tightened causes the nut to overtighten and place strain on the shaft threads.
Another tip is to place a small rubber "O" ring on the cutter shaft,just before the shaft widens, this stops the cutter being inserted too far into the collet.
hope this helps,
pete

Originally Posted by Bob38S

After cleaning, you may find it useful to drop a small "O" ring down the hole for the bit to "seat" on. It overcomes the problem of the bit bottoming out, if bottomed out - when you tighten the collet it actually tries to force the bit down further - jamming it.

Also toss any of the supplied flat metal type of spanners - get some proper spanners of an appropriate length and you will find that it will go easier and "your knuckles will be forever in your debt".

Originally Posted by Hickory

Clean. clean, clean Yes, Clean the collet. Take it apart, slide out the jaws and clean the, get down between the slits in the collet jaws, least bit of rust will create a holding force beyond discription. Also some amopunt of resin from previous routering will cause a lock up. Clean and lube is the answer.

Some times when I have been laxed in my Cleaning the jaws hold fast and won't let go, I give the nut a wrap with the wrench and usually it opens up.

Originally Posted by Fencepost2

Glad you have brought this problem up again. I want to ask "Can you overtighten a collet" I don't mean tighten so much that you strip threads or anything but simply by putting good spanners on with more leverage than the usually supplied flat type spanners. I was using a spiral upcutter to cut some mortices when I noticed that it had pulled out of the collet a couple of millimetres (I had set the depth of the tip just below the level of the baseplate so that when I put it down on the bench the cutter tip didn't cut into the bench). After a few mortices though I noticed it was cutting into the bench. I reasoned that the spiral upcut plunging into and then cutting sideways across the grain of some hard oak was acting like a wedge that exerted a downward pull on the cutter. I reset the depth and nipped the collet even tighter, but I worried that I might damage something? Would appreciate comments on this.

All good advice.

If the cutter bottoms out in the collet, vibrations can cause it to come loose and come out. Never had it tighten up to the extent that I needed brute force to undo it, but that's not to say it couldn't. As stated, an O ring or a bit of neoprene at the bottom of the collet, and cleanliness are the go.