Storing routers in plunged position?

[Harry Rosal]

I am having rust problems in the column of my routers. So I'm thinking maybe i should plunge and lock it when not in use to minimize exposure to air. (In addition to spraying dry PTFE lubricant.) I don't think the springs will lose any bounciness doing this, right?

I'll experiment by plunging to half the way and storing it that way on the GOF 1600 (MRC23evsk) and to full on a metabo router (OFE 1229) and will report my long term experience.

Anybody else do this? Opinons? Thanks.

[pat warner]

Always plunged unless the cutter won't permit.

[Harry Rosal]

I learn something new here everyday, no less from the expert. So i can store routers plunged AND with bits installed. Thanks.

[George Bokros]

Always plunged unless the cutter won't permit.

May I ask why this is recommended?

[Lee Schierer]

If the springs in the tubes are compressed to solid height when in the plunged position, yes they can lose their spring.

[pat warner]

"May I ask why this is recommended? " Of course.
************************************************** ************
Not a recommendation nor a caveat.
It's simply an easy storage opportunity; a compressed plunger takes less space. They are usually 3+" taller un-compressed.

Moreover, all plunge springs are too springy (hi.K values). A motor head should be near bouyant; they're not. Milwaukee and the Sumos, e.g., are way over sprung. If ever you lose some K-value, (x prolonged spring compression), consider that something the manufacturer should have done already.

& if the collet tapers and threads are cleaned and wiped with a little oil (regularly), the cutters won't stick.

[Rich Greinert]

Pat, thanks for elaborating/explaining. Very helpful.

[Jerry Miner]

If the springs in the tubes are compressed to solid height when in the plunged position, yes they can lose their spring.

You might be right about this, Lee. I always thought so ,too, but I heard an engineer say that storing a spring compressed (or relaxed) does NOT contribute to "fatigue." It's the repeated changing from compressed to relaxed that does it.

Any body else have knowledge about this?

[Wayne Lomman]

Harry, I'm guessing you live in a tropical/coastal/high humidity area. I lived in a similar climate zone for 20 years and surface rust was a constant problem. The best solution is to use the tools frequently but we don't necessarily have the time. In the end I smeared light grease on the shafts and wiped it off before using it again. This will probably upset the purists but it works and I'm in favour of what works rather than what is considered correct. It doesn't cause clogging or stickiness. Cheers

[George Bokros]

Thanks for the additional info Pat

[Lee Schierer]

You might be right about this, Lee. I always thought so ,too, but I heard an engineer say that storing a spring compressed (or relaxed) does NOT contribute to "fatigue." It's the repeated changing from compressed to relaxed that does it.

Note that I said solid height. Partial compression is okay, pushing it down so all the coils touch is bad.

[Jerome Stanek]

When I bought mine many years ago it came in the full plunge position

[glenn bradley]

If the springs in the tubes are compressed to solid height when in the plunged position, yes they can lose their spring.


You might be right about this, Lee. I always thought so ,too, but I heard an engineer say that storing a spring compressed (or relaxed) does NOT contribute to "fatigue." It's the repeated changing from compressed to relaxed that does it.

Any body else have knowledge about this?

As Lee clarified, solid height. You will get various answers on this even from experts. I had a couple of physics professors on campus continuing the conversation (arguing) long after I was done with my question and had my answer. One view is not particularly fatigue based but rather, physical property modification based. A compressed spring generates heat. If left compressed the dissipation of that heat alters things as the metal cools. The degree of impact on the spring's intended function is where things get more involved than I need to know ;-)

[Charles Taylor]

...One view is not particularly fatigue based but rather, physical property modification based. A compressed spring generates heat. If left compressed the dissipation of that heat alters things as the metal cools. The degree of impact on the spring's intended function is where things get more involved than I need to know ;-)

Yep. There's theory, and then there's practice. More heat will be conducted from the router motor into the springs than will ever be generated by movement of the springs. Neither should be sufficient to make any difference to the springs.

I don't believe there's a risk of harming a plunge router's springs by storing it in the plunged position.

[Roger Feeley]

Pat, you are absolutely right. I never really thought about it but all my routers are way too springy. The worst on I have is a Dewalt 625 that I had in a table for years. I finally replaced it with a different router and when I started using it handheld, I pretty much had to get on top of it to get it to plunge. That just isn't safe.

I will start storing plunged.

[johnny means]

I never store routers in the plunged position because it has damaged a couple of my routers in the past. But not how one would think. Both times it was when someone inadvertently unplunged the router while picking it up. Both were the big 3hp PCs. The sudden extension broke the plunge stop on the casting.

[Ben Rivel]

I pretty much just follow the simple rule of if the device has a spring or any other tension mechanism in it I store it with as little tension in it as I can.

[Jerome Stanek]

How much tension do you really need on a plunge router. once you set it it stays and if therer is enough pressure to drop the face plate then it is good.

[Prashun Patel]

I am not a persnickety guy about springs and rust and bandsaw tension and I have to say all five of my routers are the most reliable, tenacious beasts. It's really hard to kill them. And I have a Milwaukee, dewalt, grizzly, bosch, and hitachi. All the motors and bases work as they did on day 1. For my money I say store it however you want.