MK router collet

[sawkerf]

Have any of you guys with an MK router had any trouble with the bit coming loose? I have had this happen 4 times since switching to MK in the spring. Today it plunged into my plenum and caused much frustration. I never had this with my PC, I guess everything has a catch.

[paco]

Never. I have this 1/4" collet that I didn't changed yet and must have about 200-300 hours of service now.

Do you have another spare to test for? Does this happen with both size (1/4" and 1/2")? Does it happen with various of your tool bit from various brand, configuration and size?

Sound like it slipping bad and not just of a few thousand; y'a sure you tighten it correctly?! Do you use any kind of lub for any reason around the collet/chuck?

I do can say that this collet have this kind of two step tighten/loosening; when I tighten, I use first my hand then the keys to tighten it solid... when I loosen, I start loosening the nut with the key, make a few turn of the nut until it get tight again and use the key again and THEN it's really loose and the bit is free.

Keep professional procedure when changing bit/collet; clean throughtlsy and blow air on all contact parts... on EVERY bit/collet change!

If you ask me, those collet are much better than anything else that I have seen yet... on router that is. They are much more like ER collet than PC which are completly splited like some cheap sleeves/bushings. Not that I have ever have my PC to let slip any bit yet...

[sawkerf]

Paco, The only bit that I have had slip is a .25 compression bit. I cut 99% cabinet parts so I don't use a lot of different bits. I had cut about 5 sheets of Baltic birch drawer parts when this happened. I do not normally check the collet between sheets but from now on I will. I agree these collets do look very well designed and made. I am very well pleased with my MK router. I guess this is just one of those "live and learn" things. Thanks, Kip

[cnc_works]

Kip, I'm going a little off topic here, but would you be kind enough to share the specs of how you cut BB? Passes, feeds, speeds, bit, etc?

I'm either getting tear-out or burning up bits.

I dunno, maybe taking your answer to a new thread might be appropriate.

Donn

[paco]

Donn,

have you tried the compression bit?

Kip,

you normally wouldn't have to check the collet in between sheet if it's CLEAN, TIGHT and surely not faulty which can happen. Again, at every bit and collet change (the collet should be changed regularly), SUPER CLEAN procedures, make sure it's ROCK SOLID TIGHT (now don't get extension on the key, right?! Once it's start to be tight, use both key held in one hand and tight as if you would be grasping pliers to cut a 8G copper wire...).

You could mark the bit where the collet meet and this would help on checking if the bit is slipping.

[billp]

This may seem a little simplistic, but have you tested the compression bit to see if it's REALLY .25"? A surprising number of router bits are not what they claim to be....

[sawkerf]

Donn, I use two passes. 1st pass is down to .0625 and .0312 oversized, then the 2nd pass goes all the way through or just leaves a skin, it depends on how big the drawer parts are. If needed I take one more pass to go all the way through. I've found that if I start with a newly surfaced spoilboard and mask the rest of the table with a scrap of formica I rarely loose a part. This may seem like it takes a long time so why not just rip and chop on the old tablesaw and radial arm. Well, I don't have to 'cause I own a ShopBot!

Paco, I always squeeze the snot out of the wrenches like a pair of pliers, but I have not made a habit of cleaning the collet, I just started doing that today. Oh here's a wierd one, today I started cutting a new sheet to replace the one I screwed up yesterday and the same bit broke very close to the same place it slipped out yesterday, that freaked me out!

Bill, I have actually thought about measuring the "real" diameter of the bit, but I usually think about those things while I'm lying in bed trying not to think about work. I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow. Thanks guys, Kip

Oh BTW Paco, I'm gonna spend this years Chistmas gift money on Photo V-Carve pro and carve everybody a portrait for Christmas. How's that for creative justification of tool expendatures?

[cnc_works]

Yeah, Paco, I did happen to have a compression bit, but it was a 7/16" or so upcut and since I was using a router at the time I couldn't bury the upcut and couldn't feed the bit fast enough. Now I have a spindle, so I'm ready to try again.

Donn