Porter-cable router collet question

[Bill Brush]

I have a Porter-cable router in my router table and it's lived there since the day I bought it. It doesn't see a ton of use but it's always worked like a champ. Yesterday I went to swap the bit and I couldn't get it in the collet without a lot of force behind it and more than a little swearing. Even with removing the entire collet assembly It didn't want to move. Trying to switch it tonight was more of the same.

Has anyone run into this with the Porter-cable removable collet assemblies? (collet/nut all in one) Should I get a replacement or is it just stuck somehow?

[Mike Henderson]

Unless something is obvious, I'd just buy a new collet.

Mike

[shane lyall]

Don't know which router you have but IF you do need to replace a collet ereplacementparts has them for under $14. Just got mine in the mail today. I've bought tons of parts from them over the years and always got great, fast service.

[Bill Davis]

Do you ever remove and clean and lubricate the collet?
I find the problems of removing the collet and inserting/removing the bit aren't nearly so bad if I do this. They are steel and will rust if allowed to.
Be sure to do the same to the space the collet inserts into and threads. I'd try that before a new collet unless inspection shows it to be in bad shape.

[Tony Bilello]

Do you ever remove and clean and lubricate the collet?
...........

What do you use for a lubricant, if that's not too personal?

[Larry Edgerton]

What do you use for a lubricant, if that's not too personal?

Tony, I spray mine with TopCote when I clean them. Has never been a problem. When they stick it is because they have started to oxidize, causing friction after they have set with a bit in them for a while. They don't need to be replaced unless there is obvious rust pitting.

I work on site a lot where there are changes in temp from the shop to the van to the site and run into this often. I have over twenty routers and sometimes a bit will not come out of the router until it needs to be replaced. One thing you can do to ensure that you can get bits out is to not ever bottom them out in the collet. Then when this happens all you have to do is loosen up the nut and lightly tap on the top of the bit. It takes a while sometimes but it will break loose. Don't get impatient and hit it so hard as to damage router bearings, just light taps.This too has never caused any problems with the router itself.

[Charles Lent]

You can lubricate the outside cone area of the collet, but it's not a good idea to lubricate the inside where it makes contact with the router bit's shank. Lubrication here may cause the bit to slip and destroy your work, or worse, come out of the router at high speed. Most collets only need cleaning when the bits fit tight. A brass bristle round brush like used for gun cleaning will work well. Peach Tree Woodworking www.ptree.com sells a set of collet cleaning brushes for a few bucks that do an excellent job.

Charley

[hank dekeyser]

Spot on Larry - the darn things get a speck of rust and stick. WD40, silicone, whatever is handy does the trick. I take a skotchbrite twisted up and shine up the mating surfaces when they rust. Whatever you use for a lube, be sure to give it a quick wipe so you don't leave too much on the mating surfaces.

[Bill Brush]

Thanks for all the replies. After I'm done cutting with the current bit I'll take it apart and see if I can clean it up and get things working right. If not I'll just buy a new one.

[Greg Wease]

You can often get the springs in the collet to release with a couple sharp raps with the wrench on the side of the nut.

[shane lyall]

Just went out and look at the collets in my 890's. If it has ever had a shank slip it may have scared the collet. Also, I use the dry graphite from a tube used to lube locks in mine. Works like a charm.

[Chip Lindley]

I have a Porter-cable router in my router table and it's lived there since the day I bought it. It doesn't see a ton of use but it's always worked like a champ. Yesterday I went to swap the bit and I couldn't get it in the collet without a lot of force behind it and more than a little swearing. Even with removing the entire collet assembly It didn't want to move. Trying to switch it tonight was more of the same.

Has anyone run into this with the Porter-cable removable collet assemblies? (collet/nut all in one) Should I get a replacement or is it just stuck somehow?

From what I read, the old bit came out of the collet just fine. The new bit is the problem. Check your new bit for a burr on the shank end. A slight bevel can be filed on the shank end to aid insertion.

You never said what size collet is in your router. Check that you are not trying to put an 8mm shank in a 1/4" collet. 8mm = about 0.315" Otherwise, check that the shank was not manufactured a few thousands over .250" or .500".

[Larry Edgerton]

You can lubricate the outside cone area of the collet, but it's not a good idea to lubricate the inside where it makes contact with the router bit's shank. Lubrication here may cause the bit to slip and destroy your work, or worse, come out of the router at high speed. Most collets only need cleaning when the bits fit tight. A brass bristle round brush like used for gun cleaning will work well. Peach Tree Woodworking www.ptree.com (http://www.ptree.com) sells a set of collet cleaning brushes for a few bucks that do an excellent job.

Charley

Thats an old wives tale.....

I have sprayed them for probably more years than you have been woodworking, and I have never had one slip in the collet. I've broken them off and still they have not slipped.

[johnny means]

Thats an old wives tale.....

I have sprayed them for probably more years than you have been woodworking, and I have never had one slip in the collet. I've broken them off and still they have not slipped.

Whats an old wives tale? I have boxes of router bits scored from slipping. I also have had many a router bit "screw" its way out of a collet. I can't attribute any of these occurences to lubrication, because I don't see a need for lubricating a collet, but I imagine that lube would only aggravate the problem.

BTW I clean my collets out with a brass battery terminal brush, gets them nice and smooth on the inside.

[Larry Edgerton]

Whats an old wives tale? I have boxes of router bits scored from slipping. I also have had many a router bit "screw" its way out of a collet. I can't attribute any of these occurences to lubrication, because I don't see a need for lubricating a collet, but I imagine that lube would only aggravate the problem.

BTW I clean my collets out with a brass battery terminal brush, gets them nice and smooth on the inside.

Really! Then I suggest you either buy a different router, or do a few push ups, because your bits are not tight enough.

On my last job I used a custom 2 1/2" cove bit with a 1" guide bearing. You want to draw that out on a piece of paper so you can get an idea of how large that actually is? 3 1/4Hp Porter Cable, and I was hand feeding so there were a couple of times she caught a bigger bite than I would have liked.

You know what? It didn't slip a bit. And there was TopCote sprayed all over the bit before it was shoved in the collet. You need to tighten up your bits more. I have well over two hundred bits, many of them large customs, and you will not find a single gauled shank in the whole lot.

This place is a fountian of misinformation.

[John McClanahan]

If the collet assembly has been tightened without a bit in it, the collet may be crushed a bit. My DeWalt cautions to never tighten an empty collet.

John

[Ray Newman]

I have a habit of cleaning off the bit shanks after removing them from the collect. Just a quick and light wipe down with XXXX steel wool or Scotch Brite pad.

As others stated, it really is not too good an idea to leave the bit in the for an extended period of time or tighten down the collect without a bit in place.

[Bill Brush]

After I did my cuts tonight I pulled the collet out and after a bit of messing around I figured out it had lost its spring due to metal fatigue. I came to this realization when it cracked clean in two in my hands. Replacement seems wise at this juncture