Thread: Problem with stuck cutters in Triton TRA001

There maybe some crud somewhere on the mating surfaces that you can't see. How about you try a "cleanup" with some fine wet and dry paper. Grit say 400. You dont want to remove any metal but just to "polish up" the surfaces

Just confirm for me that you have the collett fitted into the nut properly? It should fit into the nut with a hard push and an audiable "click". And when you loosen it you do keep turning the nut until it goes stiff again, then another turn to free it off? At this point the cutter should almost drop out.

I am having a hard time understanding what you are doing from the pics. There have been two collet systems used locally with the Triton, the original (similar to early Makita etc) which used a sleeve reducer for 1/4 shank bits, and the newer US style system which uses seperate 1/2 in and 1/4 inch collets.

In the pics it appears that you are trying to use a new style 1/2inch collet with a reducer. If you are using the new style collet system (which you appear to be doing) you should have the 1/4 collet and nut to use for 1/4 shank bits. If the 1/4 collet has gone missing, I would be trying to locate a replacement as a spare part.

If you must for some reason persist with the 1/2in collet and reducer, you need to ensure that the sleeve is not contacting either the top of the collet or the bottom of the collet adaptor on the spindle when tightened. The process of tightening pulls the collet and reducer down into the collet adaptor, and can cause problems if the adaptor makes contact in these areas. Looking at the first picture, there is a small radius between the body of the reducer and the underside of the 'head' of the reducer. If this radius contacts the collet in the tightening proccess, it will cause the collet to distort and jam. The same problem occurs with router bits with a head section. A standard solution is to fit an O Ring to the reducer to ensure that there is some clearance between collet and reducer.


I am not sure that I like the notion of using any form of lubrication when installing bits or reducers into a collet, as it is likely to allow them to move. To grip properly, the collet relies on dry contact of precision parts.

Originally Posted by malb

I am having a hard time understanding what you are doing from the pics. There have been two collet systems used locally with the Triton, the original (similar to early Makita etc) which used a sleeve reducer for 1/4 shank bits, and the newer US style system which uses seperate 1/2 in and 1/4 inch collets.

In the pics it appears that you are trying to use a new style 1/2inch collet with a reducer. If you are using the new style collet system (which you appear to be doing) you should have the 1/4 collet and nut to use for 1/4 shank bits. If the 1/4 collet has gone missing, I would be trying to locate a replacement as a spare part.

If you must for some reason persist with the 1/2in collet and reducer, you need to ensure that the sleeve is not contacting either the top of the collet or the bottom of the collet adaptor on the spindle when tightened. The process of tightening pulls the collet and reducer down into the collet adaptor, and can cause problems if the adaptor makes contact in these areas. Looking at the first picture, there is a small radius between the body of the reducer and the underside of the 'head' of the reducer. If this radius contacts the collet in the tightening proccess, it will cause the collet to distort and jam. The same problem occurs with router bits with a head section. A standard solution is to fit an O Ring to the reducer to ensure that there is some clearance between collet and reducer.


I am not sure that I like the notion of using any form of lubrication when installing bits or reducers into a collet, as it is likely to allow them to move. To grip properly, the collet relies on dry contact of precision parts.

Hi Malb,

This is very interesting. I purchased the router as an ex-demo model and have never used one before. It's quite possible then that I'm doing it wrong when setting up my cutters. The pieces you see in the pics are what came with the router so I've assumed that this is how the rig works.

I have the same problems when using 1/2" cutters in the same sleeve/collet combo (obviously without the reducer).

Will have a rummage through the box 'o bits that are left over and see if there is anything in there resembling another collet system but I doubt it. Would you happen to know the best places to get a new/replacement set?

Many thanks

Wok

Chief, the collet seems to go into the nut properly and I do loosen the nut the whole way when releasing the cutter. Problem is that after that, I have to struggle (and I'm talking crowbar struggle) to get either 1/2" or the 1/4" cutters out of the nut. It's frustrating as hell as I'm sure you can imagine.

Malb, those components are all that I have in my kit. Is there something else I should be using?

I don't recal having this issue when I first got the router, and I do give it moderate use most days. I've cleaned out the internals such as I can but that doesn't seem to have made much difference.

Thanks to everyone for your advice tho!

Wok

How do you get the collet to come out of the nut? It should be well and truly stuck in there and only removeable with some heavy persuasion. When you loosen the nut to remove the cutter it should go loose for about a turn and then tighten up again; when you put the spanner on it the second time it physically pulls the collet out of the tapered seat. If your collet is pulling out of the nut then you may need to look at replacing it. It may be that some pillock has well and truly overtightened it without a cutter inserted; such is the life of demo machinery. You could try carefully bending it back "open" again; if it now performs as it should then replace it. Or possibly the nut itself has been damaged and doesn't grip the rebate at the top of the collet.

Another dodge is to drop an "O" ring into the bottom of the collet housing so that the collet and cutter sits on it and as they are tightened they squeeze the ring; a bit like a spring.

Carba-tec may stock a new 1/4" collet and nut assembly, you definately want to be getting one of these. Maybe the shop you bought it from still has the original one rattling around in a drawer somewhere? Are the rest of the accessories there like the spanner, fence assembly and through-table height winder handle?

The latest Triton agent is now Kinchrome; they might hold parts. If all else fails, the Triton website includes a link to their UK parts supplier who stock everything and include handy parts diagrams. Once you get the part numbers that you want....try Googling them and see if there is a nearer or cheaper supplier.

As mentioned leave every thing dry adding any sort of lube just leads to gunk building up and sticking.

I went hunting and found some pics of the two collet assemblies for you so you have a chance to see what you need to look for.
First is the 1/4in collet assembled and mounted in the router. This is followed by the 1/2in collet assembled and mounted. The third show the 1/2inch disassembled and assembled to compare with yours to ensure that it is properly assembled.

This was discussed long ago in the triton forum.

Al you have to do is to slip a rubber "O" ring into the bottom of the collet to stop the bit from bottoming out onto a hard surface. Put it under the collet reducer when using 1/4" bits. Search the triton forum there is a lot that has been posted on this. I do it on all my routers now.

Doug

Many thanks, guys.

I really appreciate the advice and help. malb, those pics are great and as you can see with my photos, my setup is slightly different.

I'm definately going to try with the "O" ring and see how that goes.

Happy woodworking!

Wok