Hi Patrick, I expect you left the collet tightening nut closed down on the collet and this has caused the collet to lose some of it's spring. The collett probably also has corroded or otherwise become stuck to the inside of the shaft.
You might try a couple of drops of penetrating oil into the collet and leave the router stand up side down over night and see if the collet comes free. A gentle tap to the side with a rubber or wood mallet either before or after the oil or probably both might knock it lose. Finally, a vice grip style or even an ordinary plier but I prefer the vice grip style because you can set the precise fit of the jaws. You don't want to squeze the collet but the teeth to locate into a couple of splits in the collet so you can put a little twist on the collet but not be gripping it or the shaft, see if this will work it loose. When you store a router you should store it with the collet nut loose. Once you release the collet you might gently spread the jaws ever so gently, just enough to release them to the point the bit shaft will slide in. There isn't usually very much play between the jaws of a collet and the shaft of a bit when you install the bit. Tightening one in usually requires only about half a turn of the nut, often less ----- Original Message ----- From: Patrick Sturdivant To: [email protected] Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 4:12 PM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] Router Question This helps. But now I have another problem. Took the nut all the way off but can't pull the collet out. Is there a trick to remove a collet? If it helps this router was purchased in 2005, used for one project, stored for the last four years in the garage with collet installed but no bit. I am guessing I did something wrong? Patrick _____ From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Bob Kennedy Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 2:55 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] Router Question Patrick, You might also consider dropping a note to woodworking for the blind. Our group is [email protected] <mailto:ww4b%40yahoo.com> In the mean time, it sounds like the Colet has been compressed and probably needs replacing. They should come right out of the shaft after you take the nut off. Under normal conditions you shouldn't need to take the nut off, just loosen the nut in order to fit the router bit in. Keep in mind you shouldn't store the router with a bit still in place unless you are going to use it again the same day. Otherwise you run the risk of the bit sticking inside the Colet. A half inch replacement should run about $4 or so. You can get one anywhere they sell routers and they aren't brand specific as far as I know. Skill is now owned by Bosch and you can pick them up at either big blue or big orange. I wouldn't recommend using any type of persuasion to put a bit in the Colet. If you can get the Colet out, you may be able to spread it just a little and you can check the fit on the bench. The inside of a Colet gets scored up over time and that makes it feel tight. And in fact it is, because the score marks are decreasing the diameter of the inside walls. Hope this helps ----- Original Message ----- From: Patrick Sturdivant To: blindhandyman@ <mailto:blindhandyman%40yahoogroups.com> yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 1:28 PM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Router Question I have a router that I am having a problem with and was wondering if someone could offer some beginner information on the proper use of it when you can't see. It is a Skill 1/2 inch hand held router. Here is my main problem. Got a 1/2 inch diameter round over bit and I can't figure out how to install it in the Colet. Used the little lever to lock the shaft down from spinning while I loosened the big nut. Got the nut off and found the Colet. I set the shaft of the bit on the Colet but the Colet is a fraction too small or the shaft of the bit is a fraction too big. So what am I missing? I presume a rubber mallet used with some encouragement on the router bit to install into the Colet isn't a good idea. Any help is appreciated. If there was a Blind Handyman show that had a segment on the use of a router I would appreciate knowing what the show number is. If a show hasn't been done on using a hand held router I would like to suggest this might be a good opportunity to help those blind handymen who like to use this type of tool. Thanks Patrick [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
