Thread: Bosch routers and jamming bits

This may help others as I've just found a solution (I think!). Bitslong has said he's posted the jamming but I didn't see a solution other than to ditch the collet altogether.

Now I don't know much about routers so fire away if this is all wrong.

The problem is that bits jam in some Bosch routers. Mine is the GOF 1300 ACE.

It can be worse when a reducing sleeve is used. I had a major struggle removing a dovetail bit with an 8mm shank mounted in a sleeve as a guide bush prevented getting any grip on the shank.

After a websearch* and some testing in the shed, this works for me so far.

The collet nut is actually designed as a puller, so you need to loosen it with a spanner, spin it down til it seems to tighten, continue with the spanner til loose again and then the bit comes out.

BUT, you must be sure that the collet rim is seated right up against the inside of the nut flange before everything is fitted. Pull it out and assemble the two before inserting in the drive shaft.

Now to the sleeve. My 8mm sleeve is an aftermarket one with a collar at one end and my first use was to insert it into the collet and then screw the nut down. That probably prevented any puller effect from the nut. It was a major effort to remove a DT bit with a guide bush in place. But then when I inserted the sleeve after the nut was spun on to the shaft, the collar was proud of it and after tightening and then loosening the nut as above, again the bit could easily be withdrawn.

Now the bits I'm using are specialised dovetail/finger joint units for use in a jig and have a long shank. In normal use it runs the length of the sleeve. Yet to be tested is what happens when it's not fully inserted in order to project sufficiently beyond the guide bush; ditto whether there's enough clearance to spin the nut down before hitting the guide bush while maintaining sufficient projection of one of the dovetail bits. Yes, I know; bits need max insertion short of bottoming out but many users of my kind of setup can't be doing it.

Another option here might be to avoid sleeves altogether.

The Bosch parts list for the GOF 1300 ACE lists replacement collets in 12, 10, 8 and 6mm, as well as 3/8 and 1/4. Maybe these will function properly with the nut puller effect. They're about $50 each (ouch).

Added: just did a test joint with bit in sleeve and extraction was no problem.

Thanks to Bitslong and John Saxton for their help.

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* http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/tips_1.html
http://lumberjocks.com/topics/3582

other keywords: stuck, sticking, cutter