router bit moveing

[wallace]

Hi all, I was doing some routing on my table recently and found that as I routed the bit moved upwards, messing up the work I was doing. I took the collet out and checked everything and then put the bit back in and nipped up. Same thing happened. Any thoughts. Maybe a dodgy bit?
Mark

 

[Grahamshed]

What system are you using for height adjustment on the table ?

 

[o0dunk0o]

Unlikely but could it be a 6mm shanked bit in a 1/4" collet?

 

[Steve Maskery]

Do you mean the bit was moving inside the collet or that the router body was moving WRT to the base?

Have a look at the shank of the cutter. If it is all chewed up, then the collet would have some difficulty in gripping it properly and so movement is likely. But if it is smooth and, as dunky has suggested, the right size for the collet, then it is much more likely to be the collet that is worn. It does happen, unfortunately. Buy a new collet, they are not that expensive and it will save you a lot of heartache.
If it is the body of the router moving then you need to look at your column lock.
HTH
Steve

 

[wallace]

Thanks chaps, Its the bit thats moveing in the collet. Its an elu router. I'd better check the collet properly and measure the bit I was trying to use.
Mark

 

[Steve Maskery]

Ah, now that tells us something. Elu are good routers, but have not been made for many years. So it's old. It will definitely be the collet, they are a consumable part really. So while you are at it, get yourself a little bottle brush, like we used in test tubes at school, and clean out the inside of the collet and the inside of your router shaft regularly. You new collet will last longer that way.
S

 

[Shrubby]

Also make sure the collet is propperly fitted to the nut - the two should be firmly 'snapped' together
Matt

 

[Eric The Viking]

The Elu design has been "continued" by DeWalt (I think they bought Elu) and Trend, so a spare collet for the DW or Trend equivalent model may well fit. Try one of the major tool shops who sell DW/Trend, and see what they say - D+M Tools in Twickenham springs to mind. There are a number of spares suppliers too, such as Miles Tools and Machinery in Shepton Mallet. Their site has exploded diagrams on it, too.

It's certainly the case that the Trend and DW versions have interchangeable parts, with minor exceptions (the base of the T11 is unique to Trend as far as I know). If it is a 1/2" capacity machine, a useful tip is to buy a second collet nut at the same time - not expensive and much cheaper than trying to force the actual collet out of or into the nut before you can swap cutter sizes - DAMHIK!

 

[foxhunter]

This also occurs in my brand new Triton but only with the 1/4" adapter inserted. They do not offer a 1/4" collet so I have to go this route. I tighten the collet nut with the adapter and cutter inserted as hard as I can after suffering the first incident and with a replacement it happens again.