Bosch POF500A - broken/stuck... help!

[JakeS]

I saw a few people recently saying how the Trend T4 was basically a shoddy copy of the Bosch POF500A, and the Bosch was more reliable. I was sitting here at the time thinking "yes, yes, I'm very happy with my little Bosch router", so typically it decided to break on me in such a way that I don't really know what to do with it!

What that's supposed to look like is a pair of raised stops built into the body of the router (green), which allows you to pass a rod through between the stops and through a hole drilled in the spindle of the router, enabling you to lock it in place to spanner the collet on or off. I used the allen key which came with a set of 1/4" cutters to change the bearings, and until today it worked very well. Then suddenly today the stops just snapped off when I went to loosen the collet to get the cutter out. I tried passing a long machine screw through to brace it against something wedged between the plunge bars, to at least get the cutter out, but that just bent the screw!

So I guess the collet's got jammed somehow, and maybe leaving everything to cool off and shrink down a bit will help loosen that, but even if I get the cutter out I'm still left with no stops to hold the spindle still... does anyone have any ideas?

 

[AndyT]

Ouch! I hope that doesn't happen to mine.
On the assumption that you don't really have a lot to lose, you could try sending it back to Bosch. There have been several discussions recently about their customer service - this positive one about a washing machine; this one about a router which started badly but came good in the end and this one about a saw which worked out better than expected.

 

[toysandboats]

Sorry to see that - my POF500A is probably 10 years old now and still working happily.
I'd take the body out of the base, put a long bolt or 6 inch nail through the shaft (may need to grind the nail down slightly) and then with a decent spanner (not the one Bosch give you) on the nut, squeeze them towards each other gently.

David

 

[JakeS]

On the assumption that you don't really have a lot to lose, you could try sending it back to Bosch.

I've sent an email off to their support dept. to enquire about it, at least - thanks for the nudge, I didn't think of it myself!

I'm not sure that removing the body from the plunge base is necessarily going to help much, though - I lose the opportunity to lever stuff against the plunge bars, and it's not like the body is in the way. Not to mention that that machine screw was the best bet I had on hand for something strong enough to turn against, and that bent!



Typically I only had one more cutter change and two more cuts to make before I was finished...

 

[neilyweely]

OK, how about putting something through the shaft hole, and into a vice/clamp, then using a spanner to undo the collet. I know the trouble is likely to be finding something strong enough to do the job that will fit through the shaft. But I am fairly sure this would work.
It won't be long till folk read about these little gems and ebay prices rise. So, whilst you can still get one for a tenner maybe your best bet is to buy another.
Myself? I would try WD40 (or similar), heat and easydoesitbruteforce. A skill I have picked up along the way.

Hope this helps

Neil (proud owner of 2 POF's, both intact (hammer) )

 

[baldpate]

You can buy a replacement part for the broken spindle housing (eg, from Miles Tool & Machinery Centre : http://www.mtmc.co.uk/Bosch-POF-500-A-/ ... 52692.aspx).

A 4mm machine screw probably isn't made of very hard steel (as you've found out) - the shank of a small screwdriver would probably be harder - I've got a cheap PZ1 screwdriver which I've found fits & gives better grip & leverage than the bit of metal Bosch supply.

Like toysandboats says - use a decent spanner.

It won't be long till folk read about these little gems and ebay prices rise. So, whilst you can still get one for a tenner maybe your best bet is to buy another.

Too late! It's already happened. I doubt you'll get a decent one for a tenner any longer!

They are great little routers, aren't they (I've got two).

 

[JakeS]

A 4mm machine screw probably isn't made of very hard steel (as you've found out) - the shank of a small screwdriver would probably be harder

I tried that - it bent!


It's great to know that the part is available as a spare, though - thanks for the link! From that diagram it looks easily replaceable, as well. And they'll even sell me a replacement pin for just over a quid...

 

[o0dunk0o]

I'd give the nut a bit of a blast with a blow lamp to loosen it off, whilst its still warm give it a spritz with some WD40 (if in doubt LUBE)

The best thing to put through the hole will be a tool of some sort, I'd go for a centre punch (nice hard steel that tapers to a point). Don't rest the punch against the plunge bars it's much better to squeeze the lever (punch) and the spanner together.

That should loosen the nut off with little effort :wink:

 

[JakeS]

From that diagram it looks easily replaceable, as well.

So much for that - I just went and had a quick look, and unfortunately the whole rotor assembly seems to be fixed directly to it via a bearing - I was rather hoping that there would be another piece inside that held that in!

I can't lift the rotor far enough out of the body to see how the bearings are fixed in place (and it's a pain to get the brushes out of the way to replace it, of course), so I'm not sure how I'd be able to replace it with a spare part anyway. I don't suppose any of you guys have ever taken one of these apart for any reason?



Thanks for the tips on the collet nut, Dunk. I've had to go through a similar procedure for stuck planer blade-fixing screws in the past, I was hoping it wouldn't come to all that!

The thing I find a bit bizarre is that it got so stuck in the first place. I've used the screwdriver that got bent to secure the spindle before with no problems, and I must have changed the cutter ten times in the last couple of days; I didn't think I'd tightened it any more than usual!

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Get a penetrating spray or oil rather than wd40 - wd40 isn't much good for that purpose.

 

[JakeS]

Get a penetrating spray or oil rather than wd40 - wd40 isn't much good for that purpose.

I was waiting for someone to say that! ;-)

 

[hammer n nails]

i just brought a 500 a router off e bay works great and only £15 you could get one off there and you would have "spares" so your router would last a few more years for very little ................Roger

 

[JakeS]

I did manage to get the cutter out today with a bit of oil, a bit of heat and a length of 4mm steel bar... so naturally I immediately tightened it up with another cutter in to finish my project!

I did find a huge amount of gunk inside the collet nut, though, which I've cleaned out thoroughly - so perhaps it seized up just because of grease-impregnated formica dust in the thread or something. Now I've had a scare I'll have to remember to clean it out more frequently and hope that's all there is to it.

 

[Eric The Viking]

A degrease/regrease is a good idea, considering: give it a squirt with some carb cleaner in the collet nut, and into the shaft end, to get out any cr*p. If the collet isn't damaged soak it and the nut. Xylene will work as well (Toolstation etc.). Then copper-grease the thread of the shaft, slightly, and the cone of the collet or the conical end of the shaft (just the tiniest smear on a matchstick). It will help it not to jam, and copper grease won't make it loosen when it's tight.

I changed the actual collet on my POF 500A a while ago, as I found it was surprisingly worn. It made a big difference. I ruined at least one useful cutter because the worn collet then damaged the cutter's shaft. Once they start to slip, if you keep going you'll wreck the shaft.

I got my spares from Miles Tools, and was pleased to find they also stock the 8mm collet for it. I don't have any yet, but I've been told 8mm cutters slip far less easily than 1/4" ones.

It's still a great little machine.

E.