Great video, just in time. Got a new Bosch MF series with 2 stationary bases (don't ask), 1/4" and 1/2" collets. Now, I have spent a few years working in the maintenance industry, some of us have way more strength in our hands than we realize. An experiment for all, use a beam type torque wrench and your favorite nut, flat washer and bolt. Tighten the nut on the bolt with the flat washer between as Stumpy did the collet nut and get it good and snug, just like Stumpy did. Now, put the bolt head in a vice and use the torque wrench to see how much torque you generated with one hand. I am pretty sure many of you will be amazed. I can today squeeze up 65 foot pounds without much problem. I am over 65 years old.
The problem is the collet nut must move toward the router. If the bit is bottomed in collet and you try to tighten the nut it is holding to shaft of the router bit and pushes harder against the bottom of the collet. This will damage the shank of the router bit or fail to really tighten the bit. Always lift the router bit slightly off the bottom the collet before tightening. I put a neoprene “O” ring in the bottom of the collet then it holds the router bit slightly off the bottom so that when I tighten the collet nut and it moves toward the bottom of the collet the o ring compresses and gives it room to tighten on the bit.
The squeeze method is also good to use when changing bits in a CNC router without losing X/Y zero by inadvertently pushing the gantry. Of course you still have to reset Z zero.
I fasten it hand tight and then use a wrench to give it an extra third of a turn. Never had a bit come loose on me that way. Never got one stuck either.
I have problems ONLY with a 1/4" spiral upcut straight bit that pulls up out if the collet as I cut a mortice on my router table. Is that the nature of the bit, or what could cause just that bit to act that way?
I do not know about router bits in the US, in Europe the ones I have used usually have a mark - looks like a K on its side - to indicate the correct depth to insert the bit in the router
Altough this is 2 years old: Yes, never use sleeves or any other type of adapter for spinning cutters. Get the correct original collet for your router or get a different router that has the right collet sizes available. I have a Triton TRA001 with 8mm, 12mm and 12.7mm (1/2") collets. It's a 2.4kW router that I use in a table, because that's what it was designed for. Then I have a Bosch 1.2kW Router, that came with a 8mm, 6mm and a 6.35mm (1/4") collet. The tip from Ed Blough (not completely bottoming out the bit in the router itself) is also good.
I had this issue on a cheap little router that has the very awkward plastic button which you push in to lock the spindle while you undo/tighten the nut. Anyway I unbolted it from the table to have a closer look and found the bore that the bit goes into was full of dust. I took the spring out and cleaned the dust/debris away but didn't make any difference. My bits were actually getting looser the more I tightened the nut. very strange. It seemed to me that the sloping sides on the collet weren't disappearing into the bore. Like it was getting clamped down by the nut but not going inwards so I took some pliers and squeezed the 3 fingers of the collet inwards a few times. I then re-assembled everything and the bits are tight again. So it seems to me that the collet can sometimes get trapped between the nut and the shaft rather than sliding into the shaft bore. I've no idea how this happens but worth checking. IE squeeze the collet inwards and try again
I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t insert the bits all the way to the bottom of the collet because as the collet tightens it also pulls the bit in and there needs to be some space for that to happen. :)
The reason for not inserting them all the way is because many bits flare at the top of the shaft, just below the cutter. If that flare is inside the collet, you won't get a good grip on the shaft.
There's another reason as well. If you loosen the collet and the bit won't come out and is stuck, with the bit not bottomed out, you place a piece of soft scrap on the bit and gently tap it into the shaft thereby loosening it up and releasing it. I run into this all the time with my Dremel tool.
Also, don't put the bit all the way down into the collet. Most bits have a small radius where the shank transitions to the cutter wings. If the bit is placed too far into the collet, you will tighten down on the radius instead of the shank itself. Once you start using the bit, the vibration can work the bit loose. I always keep the bit up about 1/16" - 1/8" so that I am sure to be tightening on the shank and not part of the transitional radius.
Harvey Smith If you can use a torch to heat it up a couple of times without doing damage to anything plastic etc you might be amazed at how well that works on stuck fasteners.
Great video, just in time. Got a new Bosch MF series with 2 stationary bases (don't ask), 1/4" and 1/2" collets. Now, I have spent a few years working in the maintenance industry, some of us have way more strength in our hands than we realize. An experiment for all, use a beam type torque wrench and your favorite nut, flat washer and bolt. Tighten the nut on the bolt with the flat washer between as Stumpy did the collet nut and get it good and snug, just like Stumpy did. Now, put the bolt head in a vice and use the torque wrench to see how much torque you generated with one hand. I am pretty sure many of you will be amazed. I can today squeeze up 65 foot pounds without much problem. I am over 65 years old.
The problem is the collet nut must move toward the router. If the bit is bottomed in collet and you try to tighten the nut it is holding to shaft of the router bit and pushes harder against the bottom of the collet. This will damage the shank of the router bit or fail to really tighten the bit. Always lift the router bit slightly off the bottom the collet before tightening. I put a neoprene “O” ring in the bottom of the collet then it holds the router bit slightly off the bottom so that when I tighten the collet nut and it moves toward the bottom of the collet the o ring compresses and gives it room to tighten on the bit.
The squeeze method is also good to use when changing bits in a CNC router without losing X/Y zero by inadvertently pushing the gantry. Of course you still have to reset Z zero.
Thanks Stumpy. Your advice was tight.
Thanks for reminding us of the little things that we probably already know, but simply don't do. Thanks 4 sharing your talent and experience.
Thanks, important reminder. Even more interesting, where do you get that kind of wrenches?
I fasten it hand tight and then use a wrench to give it an extra third of a turn. Never had a bit come loose on me that way. Never got one stuck either.
You can also use the "squeeze method" to loosen bits and maintain better control of the wrenches.
I have problems ONLY with a 1/4" spiral upcut straight bit that pulls up out if the collet as I cut a mortice on my router table. Is that the nature of the bit, or what could cause just that bit to act that way?
I do not know about router bits in the US, in Europe the ones I have used usually have a mark - looks like a K on its side - to indicate the correct depth to insert the bit in the router
Thanks James!
My problem is with the 1/4" sleeves. When I use the smaller bits that is when I seem to have the bits work loose. Suggestions on that?
Altough this is 2 years old: Yes, never use sleeves or any other type of adapter for spinning cutters.
Get the correct original collet for your router or get a different router that has the right collet sizes available.
I have a Triton TRA001 with 8mm, 12mm and 12.7mm (1/2") collets. It's a 2.4kW router that I use in a table, because that's what it was designed for.
Then I have a Bosch 1.2kW Router, that came with a 8mm, 6mm and a 6.35mm (1/4") collet.
The tip from Ed Blough (not completely bottoming out the bit in the router itself) is also good.
I had this issue on a cheap little router that has the very awkward plastic button which you push in to lock the spindle while you undo/tighten the nut. Anyway I unbolted it from the table to have a closer look and found the bore that the bit goes into was full of dust. I took the spring out and cleaned the dust/debris away but didn't make any difference. My bits were actually getting looser the more I tightened the nut. very strange. It seemed to me that the sloping sides on the collet weren't disappearing into the bore. Like it was getting clamped down by the nut but not going inwards so I took some pliers and squeezed the 3 fingers of the collet inwards a few times. I then re-assembled everything and the bits are tight again. So it seems to me that the collet can sometimes get trapped between the nut and the shaft rather than sliding into the shaft bore. I've no idea how this happens but worth checking. IE squeeze the collet inwards and try again
I’ve also heard that you shouldn’t insert the bits all the way to the bottom of the collet because as the collet tightens it also pulls the bit in and there needs to be some space for that to happen. :)
The reason for not inserting them all the way is because many bits flare at the top of the shaft, just below the cutter. If that flare is inside the collet, you won't get a good grip on the shaft.
There's another reason as well.
If you loosen the collet and the bit won't come out and is stuck, with the bit not bottomed out, you place a piece of soft scrap on the bit and gently tap it into the shaft thereby loosening it up and releasing it.
I run into this all the time with my Dremel tool.
Also, don't put the bit all the way down into the collet. Most bits have a small radius where the shank transitions to the cutter wings. If the bit is placed too far into the collet, you will tighten down on the radius instead of the shank itself. Once you start using the bit, the vibration can work the bit loose. I always keep the bit up about 1/16" - 1/8" so that I am sure to be tightening on the shank and not part of the transitional radius.
Cleaning with what? I cleaned mine with water and that just made it slip more, even though it was dry.
My bits are getting stuck in the collet. I have cleaned the collet and oiled it but still the same.
Any idea's anyone?
Harvey Smith If you can use a torch to heat it up a couple of times without doing damage to anything plastic etc you might be amazed at how well that works on stuck fasteners.
A bit just came loose and cut my nail and damaged my router.
No, Hulk Smash!
If you aren't going to use torque specs, use a wooden wrench.