Dovetail Jig Routing LITERALLY

[danmcl]

well, DW decided that she would like to make a box to hold a christmas present for a good friend of ours, a dovetailed box to be precise.

In my eyes this would have been a hand cut, reasonably "rustic" affair but she wanted perfection....

I went and bought a router and dovetail jig (Trend CDJ300 - got it for a bargain at my local B&Q £25!!!)

I set up the jig and show her how to switch on the router, about cut direction etc.

First set of cuts is pretty close, needed to adjust the depth of cut a bit as the joint was a bit open.

Second set was much harder work apparently and she stopped and gave me a shout. I thought it was just hitting a hard knot or something in the oak.

I push on through and it goes fine.

pull the wood out of the jig and make this face :shock:

I had neatly routed 6 1/4" round grooves in the base of the jig.

Stupid collet had slipped and the bit dropped down a fair bit.

I thought it was me not having tightened it up enough but after I did it again for a second box I was making I resorted to tightening it up after every series of cuts.

Now photos will follow when I get home today but my question is....

Should a router collet be left hand threaded? so that the spinning action of the tool would tighten it up rather than possibly loosening it and spitting the bit out at high speed (which I would assume would be scary at best, messy/fatal at worst)

It's made me a bit nervous about using the router as I would really like to keep all 10 digits (they pay the bills)

Am I being dim about this and should just use the gutentite method or is this a duff machine? (its a 1500W B&Q/MacAllister)

 

[maltrout512]

danmcl, sounds to me that the router is sorry to say cheap, and nasty (dangerous). Yes the collet should tighten up in the opposite direction of rotation. I would take them back to B&Q explain that you have carried out the procedure as in the instructions and that it is not safe to use the machine for what it was intended for. One question I have and not trying to suck and all that, but you did have the router cutter inserted far enough into the collet?

 

[pren]

Sounds a bit odd. :?

I've used macAllister tools quite a lot in the past and have always been surprised by how good they are compared to their low cost. Not used their routers, tho.

Just to eliminate the blindingly obvious: Are you sure you were using the right sized collett? IIRC, the MacAllister router comes with 6.35 (1/4") and 8mm (5/16") collets. Using 1/4" bit in a 5/16" collett would account for your problem. :?

Apologies for egg-sucking tuition. :lol:

Cheers.
Bryn

 

[danmcl]

Just to eliminate the blindingly obvious: Are you sure you were using the right sized collett? IIRC, the MacAllister router comes with 6.35 (1/4") and 8mm (5/16") collets. Using 1/4" bit in a 5/16" collett would account for your problem.

Can I file that under "Oh Cock."

Didn't realise that it had a 5/16's as well as a 1/4.

Yes, that would certainly explain what happened, literally I was nearly busting a vein tightening it...

Ah well, live (this time) and learn.

And all egg-sucking tuition gratefully received! I'm still a novice sawdust maker.

 

[mailee]

A router collet should tighten with a right hand thread as the armature spins in the opposite direction (clockwise when viewed from above)
This ensures that the collet tightens rather than loosens. If your is coming loose I would suspect a duff collet, get it changed before you have an accident. By the way overtightening a collet can damage it too I have done this in the past.

Ah just seen the last post, that explains it! :roll: :lol:

 

[Harlequin]

A router collet should tighten with a right hand thread as the armature spins in the opposite direction (clockwise when viewed from above)
This ensures that the collet tightens rather than loosens. If your is coming loose I would suspect a duff collet, get it changed before you have an accident. By the way overtightening a collet can damage it too I have done this in the past.

Ah just seen the last post, that explains it! :roll: :lol:

on that note - how much is enough if using the right size bit

 

[pren]

I had neatly routed 6 1/4" round grooves in the base of the jig.

Ah well, at least jigs don't bleed! :lol:

I was using my router in the table one time to put a rebate in some thin ply. I'd cracked the collet through over tightening. I was rather surprised to see the 6mm straight bit come out of the collet, bore up through the ply and go whanging off my safety specs that were conveniently placed around my neck :idea: :roll: :lol:

I dread to think what it would have done to my jugular :shock:


As regards collet tightening; I tend to go finger tight + a half turn with the spanner.

Cheers.
Bryn 8)

 

[mailee]

Yes I would agree with Bryn that is enough. I used to heave on the spanner making sure it was really tight but this distorts the collet after a while. Beware of up cut spiral cutters as these can pull themselves out of the collet if too big a cut is taken, I have also had this happen in the past. Luckily I have never had one ejected from a collet yet....... :shock:

 

[Old joiner]

5/16" does not exist. It's an 8 mm, which is approximatly 0.0025" larger

JohnB

 

[danmcl]

This is one of those few times when I go stupid metric system

I haven't looked at the collets, should they be marked up? I just eyeballed the size and went

"ahh the one that is in is the 1/2" <spanner>
that's much better..."

Must take another look at this when I get a chance and check if they are marked, if not would it be safe enough to lightly engrave the marks on it using a diamond bit in a dremel?