Router bit slipping up in the collet

[Joe Fenwick]

I have a PC7518 motor in a router table. Several times lately the bit is climbing up in the collet. It's as tight as I can get it and is not bottomed out. What am I doing wrong? The collet is new.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

I'd invest in an extra collet.

[pat warner]

Down spiral cutter?
Indeed it's time to scrap slipped/said cutter and the collet.
Burrs, scrapes & scratches on the collet or the cutter will frustrate the grip on the shank.
And if the collet seat (ground end of armature) is scuffed you have another problem.

[Jim Rimmer]

Before you scrap anything, clean everything thoroughly.

[Bill Huber]

I have a 7518 and the collet was bad on mine when I got it, it was really hard to get the bit in and out of it.
I looked around and found Precision and got a new collet from them, not cheap but it is the best collet I have ever seen.
It is as smooth as it can be and works so good, you can do the second release by hand and I have never had a bit slip in it.
I bought the kit with the 1/2" and 1/4" collets, came with the wrench and collect cleaner. The collet cleaner is really great stuff and I use it on all my routers.

Go take a look.
http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/porter-cable_0429_kits.asp?tsPT=!!!Porter-Cable_0429!!!Kit!!!PG!!!

[Thomas Hotchkin]

Before you scrap anything, clean everything thoroughly. I have that same router. Dirt and lack of a lubrication on the collet threads, keeps you from getting full torque with your wrenches. Don't go overboard with the lube, I use a very small amount of a graphite grease only on the threads. Only my Porter Cable routers have this problem. Tom

[glenn bradley]

My guesses are manufacturer defect, residue from the manufacturing process, failure to clean the router bit shank before use, etc. I too would start by cleaning the collet and the router bit shank. I use the one-handed method of gripping the two wrenches to set the tension on the collet nut (in other words, not super tight) without issues. I do routinely clean the collet and the bits as a matter of course during use.

[Myk Rian]

mm and inch mis-match?

[Alan Lightstone]

I have a 7518 and the collet was bad on mine when I got it, it was really hard to get the bit in and out of it.
I looked around and found Precision and got a new collet from them, not cheap but it is the best collet I have ever seen.
It is as smooth as it can be and works so good, you can do the second release by hand and I have never had a bit slip in it.
I bought the kit with the 1/2" and 1/4" collets, came with the wrench and collect cleaner. The collet cleaner is really great stuff and I use it on all my routers.

Go take a look.
http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/porter-cable_0429_kits.asp?tsPT=!!!Porter-Cable_0429!!!Kit!!!PG!!!
Old thread, but I just picked up the 1/4" and 1/2" Precision ER collets, and they are superb. Very, very highly recommended. Thanks for the suggestion, Bill.

[Nick Decker]

I'll just add that I too wasn't happy with the collet on my new 7518. Hard to insert or remove the bit and just generally felt sloppy, for something that's supposed to hang on to a spinning blade. I went with a Muscle Chuck to replace it.

[Curt Harms]

Another example of Stanley/Black&Decker 'value engineering'? I have pre-Black&Decker collets and no issues.

[James Zhu]

I'll just add that I too wasn't happy with the collet on my new 7518. Hard to insert or remove the bit and just generally felt sloppy, for something that's supposed to hang on to a spinning blade. I went with a Muscle Chuck to replace it.

+1 for muscle chuck, http://www.rockler.com/quick-change-musclechucktrade-musclechuck, not cheap, but worth the investment, it makes changing bit so so much easier

[Nick Decker]

I had a Muscle Chuck on the Bosch 1617 before the one I bought for the PC 7518. Both have worked as advertised and I don't miss the wrenches at all. You can buy direct from the manufacturer if, like me, you'd prefer to avoid Rockler.