Official Luthiers Forum!

Bought a Porter Cable laminate trimmer to use for my guitar work. Haven't used it too much and needed to remove the 1/8" router bit on Sat. It was the first time I've tried removing a bit from this router and it was stuck hard. I finally got the bit out but broke the bit in the process.

I'm wondering how I can prevent this in the future. Do you think using an anti-sieze grease on the outside of the tapered collar that is forced between the bit and the collet would help prevent this? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

You are not the only one who has experienced this. If you go back into the archives, I think there are some threads on this very subject from a couple of years ago. I usually whack the collett on all sides with the wrench they supply and this usually frees it up.

Mine does this too! I thought maybe it was a router thing, and I just didn't know what I was doing. I pry the bits out with a needlenose and it works sorta ok, but I struggle at first to get em out.

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

Grease in a collet is icky bad. When you insert the bit, do not slide it all the way in. When you go to remove the bit, you will have room to bump it further in with a soft piece of wood to get the bit to release.

Steve

This ^ ... The tapping on the collet works pretty well, too. Just loosen the collet a little bit and give it a good sideways tap with the wrench.

_________________
______________________________
Jonathan Kendall, Siloam Springs AR

On my PC laminate trimmer I can squeeze the very top of the collet closed just slightly with a pointed pair of vise grips, pulling upwards/out, and it will release, otherwise it is a bear to get the bit out. Not sure if the 310 has the same set-up?

Greg

_________________
Gwaltney Guitars

+1 for tapping the collet nut. It will make the bits pop right out.

If your bits are rusty, use some fine still wool to clean the shafts.

Ken

_________________
http://www.casperguitar.com

Seems I recall that someone found that putting an O-ring that just snugly fit in the collet and pushed it down to the bottom. It gave the tiny bit of cushion that kept a bit from bottoming out, and then if you tap the bit, there is enough spring in the O-ring to let it have a little relief so it can release.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Just never change your bit and Bob's your uncle..... You can never have too many routers.....

Seriously what Steve said, don't bottom the bit and a light tapping will drop the bit.

Regardless of the stinginess with the bits it's too bad that the PC-310 is now out of production - great little router!

This is the nature of the beast.

With the router on its side on my bench, I put a piece of wood under the collet nut and a second piece on top, and tap on the top piece with the collet nut wrench. I keep my little pieces of wood with the wrenches. After you've used the router a whole bunch, it will release a lot easier.

BTW, I broke a collet nut on one of these once, overtightening the nut. I still tighten it aplenty, but not so hard as before.

_________________
Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'll try them next time.

_________________
Formerly known as Adaboy.......

Bosch colt is the same way.

I have found all PC routers to be like this. Never bottom the bit out, then give it a tap with a scrap of wood on the top to free it up. Been doing that for 30 years, and it works fine.

Bob

There is a well-known and very simple fix for these type of collets -- graphite powder. You DO NOT apply the graphite powder to the surface that interfaces with the bit. You apply the graphite powder to the outside of the collet -- the surface that interfaces with the router. I have only needed one application and have been using my laminate trimmers for years -- never had a bit stick once and have never had a bit slip either.

Thanks!!

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Has anyone tried the replacement collets from Rockler?

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=21401

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

I purchased one a few months back. They are OEM Porter Cable replacement parts in Porter Cable packaging.

Steve

A machinist friend of mine told me that the collet is behaving normally. a simple tap on the nut with the collet wrench and the bit releases immediately. I went through all the drama with locking pliers, etc. trying to twist the bit out...Now....no problem,.....ever.

Makitas seem to be bad for this as well. A friend of mine has a hammer dedicated to the router table for prying bits out.

I love my festool... ratchet collet and bits never stick.

The collet on my PC trimmer was just becoming user friendly when the bottom bearing decided to crap out!
When that trimmer was new, even tapping the bit into the collet wouldn't free it. Thus the vise grip scars on one of my flush cut bits... Dang thing near drove me nuts!
Now I have 2 Bosch Colts & will pick up a couple more when they go on sale again.

thanks for that tip, simon.
i got a 310 a few months ago, and i love it.
i've used a lot of routers, and have 6 at this time.
that 310 is the hardest one to get that bit out of.
if it don't budge with a few taps to the collet nut,
i take the collet nut of completely,
then i can get the collet off the bit easier.

I've had my Porter Cable 7310 for about 6 months. I've used it twice. At first it worked out ok. But it's been a struggle to fit bits into the collet. I learned the hard way, not to twist that nut too tight. Doing that squeezes the collet too far, and will break the collet nut.

I turns out that there is dewalt / porter cable service center near my house. so I took it in today. Because my router had developed an unrelated problem coverable by warranty (the spindle lock was sticking), the guy there was nice enough to also take the time to explain to me what I was doing wrong.

_________________
"...you have to get over your strict adherence to your largely imagined notion of absolute perfection..."

This is a classic trim router problem and the suggestions above are all good. I don't like the idea of any lubricant in this area though as you really can't control where it might migrate later.

The only thing I can add is to keep the collet and the pocket it fits into clean. Dust can collect and bond itself to the metal well enough to cause enough friction to make trouble. Cleaning the collet is easy but gunk in the pocket can be hard to get to. I clean that with a simple pencil eraser carefully applied while the tool is running.

Greg N

The instructions for my 7310 that's 8 years old states to tap the collet nut to loosen the bits (I just happened to read those instructions. ) and I pretty much have to do it with all my PC routers. I'm not sure if it's in the 310's instructions or not. You might even find the discussin in the MIMF library.