routers!

[Rob Davenport]

i've been going kinda nuts trying to find an answer to my question, hopefully you guys can help me! i just bought a craftsman 1/4 inch router/table combo. looking at some of the things i'd like to do, i see that a lot of the bits i want/need are 1/2 inch. can i put a 1/2 inch collet on my sears craftsman router that came with the table? and if so, where would i buy the 1/2 inch collet? please answer me here.
thanx in advance!

rob

[Matt Day]

I doubt people are going to email you if you posted your question to a forum, since the point is to share information.

To your question, it depends. What model do you have? I think I'm general that the router would come with both collets if it was meant to be used with both. Google craftsman parts and you'll find the parts.

[Keith Hankins]

Depends on model.. go to sears do a searh on 1/2" collet on your model. They should be able to order if they don't stock. There is no "one answer" to your question.

[glenn bradley]

I too find it doubtful that a 1/2" collet will be available if it did not come with one. If you bought it used the collet may have been lost. The model of your router will tell you for sure.

Bear in mind that smaller routers and table are meant for small work. If you are not finding the profiles you want in 1/4" they may be beyond the capacity of your rig. Proceed with caution.

The good news is that if you take small bites and work up to your final profile, a smaller router should be able to do a lot of things for you. Places like Eagle America and Whiteside Machine make many profiles in both shank sizes unless they would be unsafe.

[Rob Davenport]

i'm sorry if i used the wrong forum! i am new to this site and probably should have looked at the rules! again, please accept my apologies!

[Matt Day]

You picked the right forum, listing your email isn't normal though and is asking the spambots to capture it. No worries!

How about you tell us the router model so we can help you out?

[Kent A Bathurst]

i'm sorry if i used the wrong forum! i am new to this site and probably should have looked at the rules! again, please accept my apologies!

Nah - you're good. You are in the right forum. Matt's comment was merely a grooming tip - have the discussion here, rather than asking for email replies, that's all. Everyone wants to get the info - potentially valuable for others, which is why we have these discussions.

No foot-fault points assigned, especially for newbies. We all wuz wun wunce. [Some - like Dave Z - still are, even after 900 posts, and even he doesn't get foot-fault points. :D :D]

Do you know the model and HP?

As Glenn noted, it is entirely possible you have a smaller router that [a] cannot accept a 1/2" collet, because [b] it cannot power the bigger dia bits that are available as 1/2".

[Rob Davenport]

thanx for understanding. it is a Craftsman 9.5 amp, 1 3/4 hp, model #320.37595. again, thanx for any help!

[Matt Day]

I googled "Craftsman 320.37595" and got a thread on Sears parts asking the same question.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/questionDetail/388912

That might be your answer.

[Garth Almgren]

thanx for understanding. it is a Craftsman 9.5 amp, 1 3/4 hp, model #320.37595. again, thanx for any help!
You might try this: http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/questionDetail/388912

[Matt Day]

I beat you by 7 minutes Garth. ;-)

[Kent A Bathurst]

thanx for understanding. it is a Craftsman 9.5 amp, 1 3/4 hp, model #320.37595. again, thanx for any help!


That's cool. 1.75 HP will certainly handle 1/2" bits. I hope the link provided above works out for you.

[Kent A Bathurst]

I beat you by 7 minutes Garth. ;-)

Sure your name isn't Wayne? YOu and Garth seem to be on the same page, so I figgered...........

[Garth Almgren]

I beat you by 7 minutes Garth. ;-)
That's what I get for not refreshing the page before posting! :)

[Rob Davenport]

Wow!! i can't thank you enough Matt!! i thought i was pretty good at internet searches, but i couldn't find anything! all you guys are great! thanx for all your help!

[Kent A Bathurst]

Wow!! i can't thank you enough Matt!! i thought i was pretty good at internet searches, but i couldn't find anything! all you guys are great! thanx for all your help!

De nada.

Don't be a stranger.

[Matt Day]

De nada.

Wait, is your name Matt, or at least Wayne? :-)

[John Sanford]

Watch out for that puppy. Back in the days of my yute, I acquired a Sears Router Table w/ Router. The Router came with a 1/4" collet. There was no 1/2" collet available for it. Such may very well be the case for your router.

That lit'l Router Table combo and I soon parted ways...

[Kent A Bathurst]

Wait, is your name Matt, or at least Wayne? :-)


No - YOU should be Wayne, since you have the same info as Garth. I just like your Wayne's World shows and movies, that's all. :D

[Garth Almgren]

Party on, Kent! :D

[Rob Davenport]

thanx matt! i received the part today and it fits perfectly on my router. i really appreciate all the replies to my question! thanx all for the help!!

[Peter Gavin]

Please be careful and follow all safety instructions.

Peter