Collet problems

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JFC

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Just been doing some raised and fielded panels using the trend raised panel cutter (big cutter) In the Xtreme Xtension In a Default 625 . I have the speed on the lowest setting and the XX is balanced nicely . Ive done this lots of times before but this time the collet keeps working itself loose . Lucky i heard the cutter starting to take deeper cuts and stopped the router before the whole assembly came out . I rebalanced the XX and started again , and again the XX started to work loose from the collet . I checked the balance was ok and managed to get two half turns on the collet to retighten it :shock: Im at a loss as to why its started to happen half way through 16 raised panels . The only thing i can think of is taking to much timber off in one go but there is no labouring of the router and the oak (had to be oak thats getting ruined didn't it :evil: ) is passing through with little or no effort . Any ideas please ?????? :?
 
Jason

Have you taken the whole thing apart? Its possible that the collet thread has worn and isn't actually tightening but catching on a burr. One of the things that bugs me about the collet setup on my DW625 is that there are two spanner thresholds. ie when undoing the collet I use a spanner to slacken the nut, it then becomes finger moveable loose for a couple of turns and then needs to be released by spanner again - I imagine because of the springiness of the collet collar.

Is it possible that dirt has got in there and is packing the thread and then vibrating away so becoming more slack.

Hope you get it sorted soon.

Cheers

Tim
 
JFC, I think Tim has a good suggestion. Disassemble the collet and clean everything. It may be that there is something preventing the collet from seating in the hole in the motor shaft.

I'm sure you know this but I'll say it anyway, make sure the XX isn't bottoming out in the recess before you tighten the collet. There needs to be some clearance in there so the collet can retract the bit (or XX) a little as you are snugging it up. If it can't do that it won't grip tightly enough.

Tim, the reason for the collett snugging up again when you are loosening it is to prevent the router from chucking a bit across the shop (or into your thigh) in the event the nut came loose. It is designed to tighten down again on the bit as the nut loosens. The whole thing is by design.
 
Thanks for the quick replies , ill take it apart now rather than it taking me apart :shock:
The double collet tightening design didn't stop my DW625 chucking a raised panel cutter across my workshop :oops: But i did forget to change the revs from top speed to lowest speed :oops: Nothing makes you loose your lunch quicker than that happening i can tell you !
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Ok ive taken the whole assembly apart :evil: and give everything a blast with the air hose and its still happening but only when im cutting along the grain of the raised panels .
I think ill put a new collet in and try that . Has anyone had to replace a collet because of this ? Ive never heard of it .
 
Yes it was snapped in . I put a new collet on and re balanced AGAIN :evil: and it seems to have sorted the problem . What i dont understand is how the collet started to do this when it hasnt been touched for months .
 
JFC

Had a similar problem with my Bosch 1300, a new collet solved the problem. The only reason I can think of (with my mechanical engineers hat on) is the bashing and age affected the temper of the steel of the collet preventing it tightening up properly.

Les
 
:-k Les you could be right , with the cold weather and then heating up the collet with use i suppose expansion and contraction could have had a part to play also . seriously time to start looking at spindle moulders as this was a very expensive operation .
 
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