Router bit moving

[Kevin Lauck]

Evening! I was cutting a rabbet in ash on my router table. It’s a Porter Cable router with a 1/4” collet adapter. Cut one side with no problems but when I flipped to the other about halfway through the bit moved up. I know I tightened the bit yet it still moved up. Any thoughts?
My only idea is the collet is too old?
Kevin

[Brian Holcombe]

Clean the collet and the receiver of dust.

[Jim Becker]

You should always clean the collet before each use. But if that doesn't solve the issue...REPLACE the collet. They are technically disposable. The condition you have can be a safety issue, in addition to a risk to the workpiece.

[Mel Fulks]

The bit should not bottom out. Should be about 1/8 short of bottom. Too deeply set can actually keep it from properly
tightening.

[Jim Dwight]

Even with a clean collet in good working order, if you take a big cut with a 1/4 collet it will slip. Depends some on the collet design, some are better than others. But the area for the collet to grip is just not very large with a 1/4 diameter bit shank. Most routers have a motor that can handle a bigger cut than a 1/4 diameter router bit can take without the collet slipping. At least that is my experience.

An adapter is more likely to slip than a collet.

I only use 1/4 inch shank bits when I cannot get a 1/2 inch bit.

[johnny means]

1/4 collets should not me on anything bigger than a laminate trimming bit. Imagine using a screw driver with a 1/4" diameter handle, you would have very limited grip. Same concept applies.

[Rick Potter]

I really love the new compact routers, but I sure wish they would take a 1/2" bit, since I have so many.

Yes, I understand that some idiot would put a panel raising bit on one if it had a 1/2" collet, but it doesn't stop me from wishing. Maybe they could put a stainless steel base on it with a hole sized appropriately, that most people could not drill out.

Wishful thinking.

[Kevin Lauck]

Clean the collet and the receiver of dust.

You should always clean the collet before each use. But if that doesn't solve the issue...REPLACE the collet. They are technically disposable. The condition you have can be a safety issue, in addition to a risk to the workpiece.

I cleaned the collet/receiver with a toothbrush and blew it out. Any other tips/tricks?
I used a cove bit and didn’t have a problem but I’ll defintely keep the cuts shallow until I finally get rid of my crummy Ryobi bits. (Live and learn there)

[glenn bradley]

You're probably fine with the toothbrush. What I want from a collet and bit is clean and dry. Bits often arrive with some residue o the machining process or protective packaging on them. I wipe them with a bit of naphtha on a paper towel, alcohol would probably do as well but, mineral spirits will leave a residue. I blow them dry with a bit of compressed air and watch for the parts to go dry, dry, dry.

My routine when changing bits is to brush spoil off of them as soon as I am done and put a drop of bearing oil on bits that have them before removing them and putting them away.

needle oiler.JPG

I haven't replaced a bearing since starting this little routine. I have a piece of paper towel in each spot for bits with bearings so I don't get slime in the storage box. This may seem like a lot of fuss but, I do it so automatically now it is just part of the bit removal process.

[Mark Wooden]

I cleaned the collet/receiver with a toothbrush and blew it out. Any other tips/tricks?
I used a cove bit and didn’t have a problem but I’ll defintely keep the cuts shallow until I finally get rid of my crummy Ryobi bits. (Live and learn there)

Try cleaning the collet and the adapter in and out with lacquer thinner and the inside of the motor shaft also. Polish the inside of the shaft with a piece of scotchbrite; I slot a piece of dowel, insert the scotchbrite in the slot. Then turn the motor on, get it to speed then turn in off and plunge the dowel with the scotchbrite into the shaft as it winds down, repeating as necessary. Polish the inside and outside if the collets and adapter with the dowel chucked in a drill. Once all is clean and polished, apply a thin coat of paste wax to the outside of the collet and adapter only. This will let the collets release when you loosen them-wax anything else and they'll slip. Oh, and polish the shanks of your bits with scotch brite too, but no wax or oils.
I've been doing this for over 20 years with my Bosch 1604 since I read about it in FWW (I think) and am still using the same collet. That router has done a lot of work, and bit slippage is rare enough that I don't remember problems with it.
Dull bits also grab more and can be pulled when the cut is too heavy for them. And inexpensive bits are sometimes dull right out of the package due to the carbide not being fine enough.