Router bit case refuses to let go

[mpc]

First time I tried using this Freud bit that I've owned for a few years now. The case didn't want to let go of the bit shank... the two black case pieces separated instead. Never had this happen before and I don't remember seeing anything similar on the web.


That collar had a strong grip on the bit shank! I ended up having the bit straddle wood vise jaws so I could gently hammer the black collar part free with a dowel.

mpc

[LCHIEN]

If you need to make something a half inch hole and a couple of cuts in a thin strip of wood





Just tap the bottom of the shank with a mallet and punch to drop it out... make sure to catch it.

You can even use two thin strips of wood spaced 1/2" apart and not have to drill or cut.

Another suggestion: Use a 9/16" open end wrench to straddle the shank and strike the offending plastic part.

[dbhost]

What is with the router bits lately? Sorry you had that hassle. Kind of. Part of me thinks it's kind of funny...

[mpc]

Yeah, I thought it was funny too. Just something I'd never seen/heard of before. Getting the bit out of the whole case - I couldn't simply pull it out without risking serious cuts on my fingers. So I straddled the bit+case upside-down in the vise and used a small screwdriver to push on the bottom of the bit shank... Freud's case has a small hole. That worked... but the insert part of the case stuck to the bit. So the next step was to straddle the vise with the bit itself and use dowels to push on the insert in two places to walk it off. Only took a few seconds.

mpc

[Jim Frye]

First time I tried using this Freud bit that I've owned for a few years now. The case didn't want to let go of the bit shank... the two black case pieces separated instead. Never had this happen before and I don't remember seeing anything similar on the web.


That collar had a strong grip on the bit shank! I ended up having the bit straddle wood vise jaws so I could gently hammer the black collar part free with a dowel.

mpc

I just opened a newly purchased Freud Diablo 1/2 inch straight bit and the exact same thing happened with this one. I had to use a pin punch to try to drive the bit out of the case and only succeeded in separating the two parts of the case. I used a short piece of 1 inch PVC pipe to support the case piece and drove the bit out with a dowel also. I have no idea what the intent is with the packaging.

[mpc]

I'm having similar issues with a Triton TRA001 router collet: the half-inch collet is a tight fit to bit shanks. It takes a good shove to insert the bit - even when the collet is completely out of the router and thus as loose as it can get - and removing the bit is tough too. My solution to remove the bit: unscrew the bit+collet assembly and tap it on the collet storage dowel in my router table to drive the bit up-and-out. That way I don't have to strongly grip the bit and risk cutting myself. That happened with two different bits yesterday... those two bits slide in and out of the Bosch router collet easily. The Triton collet is clean as a whistle too; I checked.

The Freud box and the TRA001's collet... new annoying little hassles for my current project which has a rapidly approaching due date.

mpc

[Jim Frye]

I checked the new bit with my digital caliper and it measured exactly .50 all up and down the shaft. I checked the fit of the bit in my Bosch 1617 DVS D-handle router, in my old Ryobi R700 plunge router in my router table, and in my Ryobi R181 router body. The bit fit them all just fine and could be locked down OK also. I will toss the plastic base the bit came in and store it in a small zip lock bag with the packaging label and date purchased. The bit did not come in a nice reusable plastic case. It was in a blow molded sealed package the had to be opened with scissors, thus rendering it useless afterwards.

[LCHIEN]

It cost me a few bucks, but I bought a 33/64" drill bit to make holes in a working storage base to put my bits while changing them often for a job.
The standard drill bit set only goes to 1/2" and a 33/64" bit is .016" larger than 1/2". You don't believe how silky feeling a router bit feels sliding into that. It holds it without rattleing and has just the right resistance for getting it out when you need it. The base also has some 17/64 holes for 1/4" bits but most 27+ piece sets will have those.

Here's some under $10 and some with reduced shank for smaller drill press and some with brad point.

[leehljp]

I have two sets of this size "115 drill bits" sets - one regular set and one cobalt set. https://www.harborfreight.com/cobalt...ece-59816.html
These have the fractional sizes in 1/64" increments up to 1/2".

In pen making, there are OFTEN times when .5 mm or close to that are helpful in fittings and spacing, especially in wood. (1/64" is close to .4mm)

Several years ago, I used 33/64" (special purchase) to drill the holes for my 1/2" router bits, similar to what Loring mentioned above.

ALSO, there are a number of Drill Bit Charts that give reference sizes in fractions, numerical, MM, numbers and letters. I have a chart on the wall near my drill press and one on the wall by my lathe that I usually use for drilling pen blanks.

example of charts: https://www.custompartnet.com/library/drill-size-chart

[Jim Frye]

The Freud router bit saga continues. One of the carbide edges completely shattered on the fourth pass. I had done some overlapping 1/2 inch deep plunge cuts and was running the bit guided by a template and a router bushing when the noise changed. I stopped and saw the bit was missing a cutting edge. There were tiny little carbide shards in the cut. I packed up the bit, its packaging, and the receipt. HD is about three miles away by interstate so an exchange was quickly accomplished. We will see how the replacement fares.

[capncarl]

Reckin the bits stuck in the case is an anti shoplifting ploy by the mfg?

[Jim Frye]

The bit I bought was in a sealed blow molded package with the bit and its holder inside. The only way to open the package is to cut it open with scissors or a knife.

[LCHIEN]

The Freud router bit saga continues. One of the carbide edges completely shattered on the fourth pass. I had done some overlapping 1/2 inch deep plunge cuts and was running the bit guided by a template and a router bushing when the noise changed. I stopped and saw the bit was missing a cutting edge. There were tiny little carbide shards in the cut. I packed up the bit, its packaging, and the receipt. HD is about three miles away by interstate so an exchange was quickly accomplished. We will see how the replacement fares.

confused.

The black mark indicate the chipped carbide? Aren't you cutting relatively shallow grooves? How could that part of the bit been engaged????

And the carbide near the end of the bit looks horribly chewed-up/deformed. Hard to believe for carbide.


I mean here's what a used bit from my collection looks like:


Did you take 1/2" deep cut all at once? I don't usually try to take that much at one pass.

[Jim Frye]

The bit has a 2 inch cutting length and the depth of cut was set at just under 1/2 inch. Yet the entire length of the carbide cutter shattered. I have cheap carbide bits from the mid 90s that have held up better. I am thinking this one was just a manufacturing defect, and the replacement will work better. All of my table saw blades are Freud, are rather old, and none have had carbide issues.

[LCHIEN]

Oh, I see now, the whole length of carbide separated and came off.

[Jim Frye]

Yes, and broke into tiny fragments the size of table salt crystals. They were all mixed in with the wood chips and dust. I have never had this happen with a carbide tipped tool, including all of my Freud saw blades. It may have been a bad brazing job.

[dbhost]

Which has me going back to my eaerlier question. What is going on with these router bits?!

[Jim Frye]

This is my first Freud router bit, but all of my table saw blades are Freud with no issues. Now my saw blades are rather old and maybe they have some newer manufacturing processes. I have bits from Bosch, Viper, Craftsman, Woodline Arizona, and a bunch of cheapo Carb-Tech bits from the 90s. None have had any sort of carbide problem.

[Jim Frye]

Update: The new bit came in the same packaging and was not able to be removed by hand. I used a pin punch and mallet to push the bit about halfway out. I could then remove it from the base thing. I again did this over a folded up towel to protect the bit if it fell.

[Jim Frye]

I have come to the conclusion that this was a manufacturing defect in that the carbide was sintered improperly and that is why it disintegrated into small pieces. The replacement bit worked flawlessly for three hours today.