PC 7518 Router Collet Issues

[Bryan Cowan]

PC 7518 - I have no idea what I'm doing wrong, but I cannot get my 1/4" ONSRUD 63-622 bit into the collet that came on my MC-2840 CAMaster with Porter Cable 7518.

I've removed the entire collet from the PC and I still couldn't get the shaft into the collet.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Bryan

[mickey cassiba]

Your collet may be "sprung", caused by tightening with no bit inserted.

[joe milana]

Are you sure the bis is not a 8mm? Try another 1/4" shank bit and see

[Bryan Cowan]

Your collet may be "sprung", caused by tightening with no bit inserted.

Any possible way to release it back to its normal state? Possibly by wedging something in between to spread?

[Bryan Cowan]

Are you sure the bis is not a 8mm? Try another 1/4" shank bit and see

Yes, the 63-622 is a 1/4" shank bit. I've tried other bits too. It might be what Mickey suggested. Just wondering how I can restore it...

[mickey cassiba]

Possibly, but not likely. the webbing at the bottom(motor end) is really thin, the collets are harder than woodpecker lips(about 60 rockwell as I remember), and the re-flexing of the collet may snap it. If you want to try, remove the circlip from the end, and remove the collet from the nut. I'd advise heating the collet before trying to spread it out, but I'm not that smart about tempering, and annealing. Push a known 1/4" rod, drill bit shank should be fine, from the motor end of the collet. At this point the collet will either break, or spread out, but it will not stay that way unless you can find a way to normalize it.
Perhaps someone with metal heat treating experience will chime in.
That all said the best thing in my opinion is to buy a new collet. The part number is 876669, and retails for about $12.00. servicenet currently shows it as negative stock, meaning it will be backordered. If you have a dewalt service center local to you, they will probably have the whole assembly in stock, but at a higher price than just the collet.
Hope this helps.

[Bryan Cowan]

I was able to wedge in a tapered drift punch and the collet spread open, but once I took the punch out, it went back to normal, closed, tight position. Maybe Home Depot or Lowes would carry collets for the PC 7518?

[David Cefai]

1/4" is 6.25mm. I can assure you that there is no way that a 1/4" shank will even start to fit a 6mm collet (I have and use both sizes).

Is it possible that you got a "European" collet by mistake?

[Bryan Cowan]

I don't have any calipers here to verify, but I'm 99% sure it isn't.

[mickey cassiba]

I was able to wedge in a tapered drift punch and the collet spread open, but once I took the punch out, it went back to normal, closed, tight position. Maybe Home Depot or Lowes would carry collets for the PC 7518?
Collet is the same for 7518 as any of the newer PC's. 1/4" collet assembly is PC number 42999. HD may have them.

[Bryan Cowan]

Well if they don't sell just the collet, maybe I'll buy the entire PC router, salvage the collet and once a new collet comes in from ordering it online, replace the one from HD and return it. I had to do that with a Ryobi benchtop sander last year.

[mickey cassiba]

If you buy another router, consider the 893 or 690, both are decent routers and collet assemblies are interchangeable. No one can have too many routers. You may decide not to return it.

[Bryan Cowan]

If you buy another router, consider the 893 or 690, both are decent routers and collet assemblies are interchangeable. No one can have too many routers. You may decide not to return it.

I'm brand new to the world of routers, so I think the one and only one I have now should suffice for the time being :)

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

I do have the same problem with 1/4" collet from Milwaukee router. I even exchange collet ones with same result. Bit insertion is very-very tight. I hold collet with 1/4" rod inserted for sometime, but it did not help.
I just trying to use only 1/2" for everything.
Ed.

[Bryan Cowan]

I do have the same problem with 1/4" collet from Milwaukee router. I even exchange collet ones with same result. Bit insertion is very-very tight. I hold collet with 1/4" rod inserted for sometime, but it did not help.
I just trying to use only 1/2" for everything.
Ed.

1/2" collet or 1/2" shank bits?

[Chuck Isaacson]

I had this problem with a Freud router that I had. One thing to make sure is that the collet is seated in the collet nut. Take it off of the router, make sure that the actual piece that holds the bit is seated completely in the nut. Then put it back in the router. It took me a minute to figure this out one time. Have had no problems since. Good luck.

Chuck

[Bryan Cowan]

Well even with the collet/nut combo removed from the router, I can't insert the 1/4" shank bit.

[Chuck Isaacson]

Did you take the whole thing apart, maybe there is a chunk of something stuck inside there?

[Bryan Cowan]

Yea, everything looks clean. Not knowing what I'm getting myself into, I tightened the collet with no bit and it must have ruined it that way. Lesson learned.

[Leo Vogel]

Bryan - I'm sorry to say that is probably what happened to the collet. But with that said, the PC 7518 is one of the best routers of all time. Probably half the router tables in American have a 7518 hanging from the table.

[Bryan Cowan]

Picked up a couple new collet assemblies from DeWalt's Service Center and the bit fit like a charm!