Router collet extension- newbie ?

[Anonymous]

Having used my new router (T3: the small model) inverted in a home made table for some time mainly for rebating, I now have a better table and realise all my bigger (actually they're not very big at all, max 20mm diameter) cutters have too short a shank to be of much use for edge moulding.
I want to get a collet extension and Trend seem to do a 1/4" extension which would fit.
My questions are: are they safe to use in a small router? How much shank length can I safely have in the collet? I would imagine they are pretty routine to use in a table but they are quite hard to find, do people just get longer shanked cutters?
I still have a healthy respect (actually terror might be more accurate) for my router and it's ability to take a chunk out of my soft yielding flesh so if you all routinely use extensions, that would be reassuring too!
Thanks, Keith

 

[RogerS]

Keith

Before you go down that route have you checked out the extended mortice cutter set from trend? They are slightly longer than the average cutter.

Roger

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Roger, I haven't. I have a good Perform set of cutters, I was hoping to use rather than splash out on new cutters with longer shanks. I noticed that the extension is about £30 but have only seen one for 1/2" routers which wouldn't fit. I was hoping to use a 1/4" one but wondered about the power of a small router and safety aspects of added length and increased shrapnel potential.....yikes

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Keith

The Xtreme Xtension, which is incredibly well engineered, costs over sixty pounds.

imho you'd be better off looking at a bigger router, with greater plunge depth, rather than an extension?

Cheers
Neil

 

[devonwoody]

I would agree with Neil,

but you will still have a problem when you run into the panel raising kit, the bit thats 3 1/2" wide. They need an extension collet and that looks even more frightening with that set up.

 

[ike]

My advise is DO NOT consider the CMT router extensions. At anything over minimum speed and a very light cut causes excessive vibration. They are 2 of the most useless things I ever bought.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all that, I am going to save up for a new router. It's the kind of tool that's small enough to sneak into the shed without my wife noticing, so long as I don't get it by post, I might get away with it!

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks for all that, I am going to save up for a new router. It's the kind of tool that's small enough to sneak into the shed without my wife noticing, so long as I don't get it by post, I might get away with it!

Easy give the lady some money to go our for the day and then go shopping yourself