Thread: Should I use reducing collet in TRA001

P.S pic of the Gifkins reducing collet.
The collet is 32mm long and has the flange as you can see to prevent it slipping down inside the chuck of the router. More details are on Rogers website

Have used reducing collets in my router. The only thing to be careful of is that they are properly inserted and done up. After that it is just like using a smaller bit in a collet to suit.

The ones with the step on are good as they are easy to set and can't fall in the collet

Studley

Originally Posted by Studley 2436

Have used reducing collets in my router. The only thing to be careful of is that they are properly inserted and done up.

Thanks Studley. Any trick to that and have you found it easy to remove when you want to go back to the 1/2" collet.

The only concern using the 1/4 inch bits in the Triton router is that you have to watch the rpm's. The smaller bits tend to break very easy if the speed is not slowed down .
I went to sleep last night watching the Triton video, woke up early am this morning to a big blue silent TV screen .

John

I have used elcheapo 1/4" router bits in the TRA001 with the Triton !/4 collet without any problems.

John, number of things:

a. Your router (being rather new ) has the latest Triton reducing collet. It has a lip as well (although not as pronounced as Gifkins), it is sufficient for the task.

b. It has the new(er) arrangement of 4 slits up and down (total of 8 (or is it 6 - can't remember)), whereas the old one was like Gifkins, which requires significantly more force to tighten up sufficiently to grip the smaller bits. I am surprised - I thought the Gifkins was also 4 vertical slit arrangement, but apparently not from the photo you supplied. In that case, it is beneficial (but not compulsory) to have the 2 open slits to line up with each other. Not an issue with the current Triton reducer.

c. If you have a choice between a 1/4" and a 1/2" bit, choose the 1/2" However, the 1/4" are fine, just remember they can't sustain the same level of abuse. I have broken a 1/4", have never broken a 1/2".

d. The main problem with slippage of the 1/4" bits is not doing the collet up tight enough. You don't want to overdo it, but you are bending more metal when tightening the 1/2" collet on the 1/4" reducer onto the router bit, so a little more force is needed to ensure it is tight. Don't hang off it though- you can definitely overtighten. Again, not as bad with the 8 slit design than the old 3 slit (and Gifkins) one. The other problem is tolerances in manufacture. If the bit is a little undersized, and the reducer a little over, the combination makes it very hard to get sufficient tightness. If this ever appears to be the problem - talk to Triton, they will look at, and potentially will replace the collet. Carbitool are unlikely to be inaccurate with their bit sizes, so again, shouldn't be a problem.

e. The 1/2" collet can be fully removed from the router, so IF there ever is a real sticking problem, it is made a lot easier to get out with the collet fully out of the router. I've never had a jamb, many never have, so go for it - don't waste money on bits you probably don't need. Start with the Triton reducer, and if unhappy, as you say, the Gifkins is pretty cheap, and as much as it hasn't sounded like it, Roger has chosen that reducer for good reason, and if you need to go down that route, trust his judgement.

Hope that helps!
Stu

Thanks for that Stu much obliged, yes it helps a lot.
And thanks to all of you who answered my post. appreciated the advice has been most welcome.

If you are using good quality bits you should not have any problems. Just be careful of the 'unknown' brands. Refer extract from a previous post

Originally Posted by Krazee

I have had problems in the past with cheapies from Bunnings in a big Makita router. When investigating I found shafts were slightly smaller than quality brands. Approx 6.30mm vs 6.34mm for Carbitool, CMT, etc. The offending bits are now in the junk box!

Originally Posted by Krazee

If you are using good quality bits you should not have any problems. Just be careful of the 'unknown' brands. Refer extract from a previous post

Thanks Geoff

Like Stuart said - the Triton reducer has a lip too.

I've had mine slip a few times, but I think it might be beacsue I was not lifting the router bit up enough to avoid the curve between the bit and the shaft.

I always lifted them up enough to make sure they didn't bottom out, but some of my 1/4" bits have a short shaft and I think I was letting these drop down so the collet was trying to close on the curve at the top of the shaft. the result was that they rode up in the collet when in the table.

Some people fit O-rings to prevent this happening.

I haven't had any trouble since I;ve been paying attention to this.

I have had some (about 3) cases of bits slipping in the sleeve.

Checking with electronic, digital calipers, in 2 cases, the bit shank was undersize. However, the same bits did not slip when tested in laminate trimmers.

Other case was an upcut spiral bit that just did not want to stay home.

Of the thousands??? of routers I have sold in Japan, 3 slipping bits is not what I would call a rampant problem.

That being said, if you total what you have outlaid on your Triton router, your Gifkin's equipment and your router table, I would be buying the 1/2" bits. Not just for slippage, or breakage, but with the Gifkins unit you will be able to do some very nice work. 1/2" bits are waaaay less likely to have any runout which will show as unwanted gaps.

Then again, I would do both, buy the sleeve and the 1/2" bits. I kinda like buying and having tools.

One line of thought is to buy the tools that will alow you to do the job. Another is to buy the tools that make it easy.

Steve

I use the TRA and the reducing collet (same makes and models). I've been using both full on for about 2 yrs now (weekends) no problems. keep them clean and u'll be apples.

have ou stripped your TRA yet ?

Originally Posted by Zed

have ou stripped your TRA yet ?

Not yet Zed, what exactly do I take off it and why?
Thanks

ok questions answered;

ASSUMPTION is that it will be upside down permanently mounted in a router table - -otherwise I hope you a big strong bloke (I am youngish, strong and pretty and it is more than capable of whipping itself unsafely out of my hands should it catch or run free), if hand held leave it all on... I use a small ryobi 1/2" 1200W for hand held...

1) strip of the plastic shrouds (2 x clear plastic) as they only stop the dust falling thru to the bottom of your router table for Dust collection.

2) 2 x black plastic headed screws used to hold the fence in place - they will vibrate loose over time if left on the machine while upside down in a router table.

3) there is a black knob on the top of the router that looks like a hard black condom about an inch thick and about 2 inches high, under it is the spring that provides the spring assistance that the router uses to raise/lower the base when adjusting height. give this a twist and release/remove both th knob and the spring - careful lots of tension in the spring...

4) remove the black plastic disc screwed into the router base (I assume it helps with friction reduction when using the machine freehand) but with it attached you loose about 2mm height when its bolted under a table.

check out my posts in the below thread for some pics and more thoughts of use to you... cheers

https://www.woodworkforums.com/showth...802#post215802