Router bits always get stuck in collet

[Justin Rapp]

I have a porter cable router (892 I think) in my router table. My bits are always getting stuck in the collet when trying to remove them. I have already wire brushed the inside of the collet to clean it up and gave it a shot of lubricant, but the problem still persists. To get the bit out, I need to use some leverage on the edge of the bit and give it a few light taps to get it out.

Any thoughts ideas to prevent this from happening?

Thanks in advance.

[Steve Eure]

First of all, you are not supposed to use any lubricant in a collet. Are you seating the bit all the way down? If so, you need to move the bit up about 1/16" off of the bottom. I don't know if that will help, but I would try that first to see.

[Mel Fulks]

I think they work best by making sure the bit is 1/8th inch short of bottoming

[Bill Orbine]

The rap on the side of collet nut with wrench is typical for PC routers to loosen router bit after the nut has been loosened.

[glenn bradley]

Many modern collet/nuts have a two stage release function. Often called "self-releasing" collets. You first loosen the nut till it comes free, then loosen it by hand about a full turn and it will stop, you then re-apply the wrench and loosen again, the bit "pops" loose. Could this be the type of collet that your router has?

[Bob Landel]

Buy another collet. The inner part of the one you are using my have some burs causing extra resistance. My porter cable and my Bosch collets take about the same effort to loosen.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I have 2 PC routers, a 3 1/4hp motor only in my router table and a 8925 IIRC. Both of them I loosen the collet and just tap lightly on the collet if it doesn't release the bit automatically.

I would never lubricate a collet. In fact, I bought a trim router recently and cleaned the collet with solvent to get out any oils that might have been there from manufacturing. That still didn't keep a bit from trying to climb out while I routing on a project.

[glenn bradley]

Ah . . . just tool a look at the manual. The PC 892 manual does not mention having a self-releasing collet. Sorry about that. I guess the rap on the side of the nut as Bill describes may be the norm.

[Tom M King]

I replaced the collets on all my routers that were too old to have self-releasing collets, with self-releasing ones. I don't know anything about the 892 though.

[Peter Christensen]

I have an 890 and it has self ejecting collets. Just tried it to confirm. There is an external circlip holding the collet. Is it there? If not that’s the problem.

[Bruce Page]

A Muscle Chuck was the solution to stuck collets in my PC7518.

[Justin Rapp]

Thanks all for the responses. I always leave the bit seated off the bottom, about 1/4 inch so that shouldn't be the issue. When I first got the router I never had this issue, so maybe there is a burr or something in there but if the tap tap tap trick down't work, I will replace the collet with a self releasing one. Before I do that, I will clean it out again and make sure the lubricant I used (silicon) is all cleaned out.

I have a bit in there now for a project so I will test out the tap tap tap release method when I get everything for this profile completed.

[Mark Wooden]

As all have said, don't lubricate your collets. Clean them with a piece of maroon scotchbrite (nothing coarser); I cut a slot in a piece of dowel, slip in a piece of scotchbrite and chuck it in a drill. You can use it to clean the inside of the router shaft also- its important- by turning it on, then off and slide the scotchbite in till it stops, repeat until polished. Do be careful when doing this, only polish the inside with the motor off and spinning down.
When the inside of the shaft, the inside and outside of the collet are polished, clean them with acetone or lacquer thinner. When dry, apply a hard paste wax- I use Butchers- to the OUTSIDE of the collet ONLY, and let dry.
The collet will release easier after this treatment.
I've been using this treatment for many years and haven't had a stuck bit that I can remember since.
Another thing that prevents stuck bits is to not leave them in the router when you're done, take them out when everything is still warm.

[George Yetka]

I always bottom it and pull it up a little bit so when i have to get it out i can tap the bit down if necessary to loosen it