Router Problem-Crude Fix

[Mike Hutchison]

I have a Craftsman 1/4" router with the cam lever lock base. After a couple years of little overall use the lever arm took to popping open
after you started up and were trying to concentrate on staying inside the layout. I put up with this for a couple of small jobs but trying to use one hand to hold it closed was taking away from my none too great routing technique. Had a little free time last weekend so I cobbled together
a fix. Just used a #10-24 tap on the "post" the lever arm comes to rest on
and bent some aluminum to shape of arm with a tab that parallels the post and has a through hole for bolt/machine screw. After that put some JB Weld around bottom of post hoping this would help the plastic accept added stresses. So far so good.

[Jim Heffner]

I have one of those exact same routers, same problem with it too! That is the reason it sits on the shelf unused anymore. I had mine mounted in a router table (upside down) the stupid thing, decided to all of a sudden,
pop open letting the motor slide out of adjustment and ruining a good workpiece. After that, no more for that router, I bought a DeWalt 616
with fixed base, and plunge base and could not be happier!

[pat warner]

Pretty risky scenario. These tools need a positive simple fix, otherwise scrap them. No problem destroying the work, breaking the cutter or getting injured, Get rid of the bugger.
Any spontaneous and unknown change of depth has to be tracked to its origin. Have been an expert witness on matters like this. Expensive and always an unfavorable outcome.

[glenn bradley]

Clever fix but, I too favor disposal. Anything spinning a cutter at 20+ thousand RPM's should be in top notch working order. I would gladly fork over much more than that unit cost if the alternative was a trip to emergency. JMHO.

[Terry Sparks]

No need to trash an entirely good motor, I don't know what the HP of your unit is, but as long as the collet is still good, I would be inclined to recycle the motor to be used as a shop made disk sander or some such thing. If it's variable speed, so much the better.

[Don Alexander]

i like a good deal as much as anyone , however when it comes to tools that spin sharp bits and blades at high speed it seems to me that saving a buck takes a back seat to having a quality (read safe) tool .

i have retired a not so cheapPorter Cable laminate trimmer router because there was no way to keep it from changing depths while using it
lousy design IMO and also declined several offers from friends and relatives of cheap (Ryobi, Craftsman, Skil and probably other brands too)
routers and circular saws in particular, as the use of these poorly designed or manufactured tools just isn't worth the risk .

saving 40-50 bucks on the tool won't seem like a very good deal the first time you need a trip to the ER


just my 2 cents :)

[Mike Hutchison]

Maybe I didn't go into enough depth in describing problem here. The router had no symptoms of loosening collet, wobble or run-out in bit, motor rev variation (without change of speed by means of the dial), excessive torque on startup, shaking or undue vibration outside of normal motor operation, etc. In other words, I had no safety issue unless you count trying to operate the tool in a manner other than using two hands - one on each handle and eyes on the work and collet/bit. The only problem was the lever handle wouldn't stay closed. This was solved and I thought I would pass this along.
I would submit that some of you folks are a little caught up in trying to
impress someone with how much buying power you still have in these times.

[John Schreiber]

Looks to me like a good solution which solves the problem. Sure total replacement might be the first choice for some, but since it solves the problem for a low cost, there's no problem.

[Myk Rian]

No need to trash an entirely good motor, I don't know what the HP of your unit is, but as long as the collet is still good, I would be inclined to recycle the motor to be used as a shop made disk sander or some such thing. If it's variable speed, so much the better.
A disk sander? Do you realize the minimum speed of a router is more than a sanding disk could take?

[Louie Ballis]

Just a thought, are there no after market, or replacement bases available for routers?

I made the mistake of buying a PC fixed base router to mount in a table a while ago, thinking that anything that could be done with a hand held base could be done with a table. but as always hindsight is 20/20 and now wish I had bought the model with two bases.

[Jim Rimmer]

Just a thought, are there no after market, or replacement bases available for routers?

I made the mistake of buying a PC fixed base router to mount in a table a while ago, thinking that anything that could be done with a hand held base could be done with a table. but as always hindsight is 20/20 and now wish I had bought the model with two bases.
Check ebay; there are usually a lot of bases for sale.