Router Collett problem...need advice

[Iansaws]

I recently purchased a refurbished Hitachi router from ReconditionedSales.com, a store I have used before from a link that I got of this website. I have had 1 other experience from this store and have no complaints until now. The router comes standard with a 1/2" collet and a 1/4" collet is included as an accessory. The router arrived with both collets included, but they are in 2 pieces and I dont think this is how they are mean to be assembled. At least that is the way both of the collets on my Craftsman plunge base router came. I have included a picture for clarification. Does anyone know anything about this? I have contacted the company and after giving me an unnecessary hassle about whether a 1/2" collet is included and saying that they would only send me a 1/4", they finally admitted that I was right and sent me both sizes...but these were disassembled as well. This leads me to wonder if I am missing something.

[Daryl]

Have you tried them with a bit. there is only two ways the collet can go. The correct way would be for the collet to taper narrower at the outer end. The nut then draws it tight against the bit.

[Tom Slick]

you push the collet into the nut from the bottom at a slight angle and eventually the collect will pop into the nut. it might take a little fiddling to get it in there. that is a very common setup on machine tools.

[Schleeper]

I'm familiar with the router, and with RSI. As a matter of fact, I just shipped the router back to them today, because it was defective. There was no problem with either collet, though. One of them was disassembled when I got it, but it went together easily.

[just started]

I bought the same set new from Amazon and the collet that wasn't in the router was assembled.

[Iansaws]

problem solved

Thanks for all the advice. It seems that the collet's did not assemble as I thought. I had gone to a local Lowes to see how the collet looked on the display model of the same Hitachi router and it looked similar to my Craftsman collets with the compression prongs protruding slightly from the top of the threaded sleeve. Evidently Hitachi is now using a different collet style and the prongs piece does not protrude from the threaded piece any longer. At any rate the new collets that they sent seem to work fine as does the router. I just hope I wont have any trouble using it on my router table. The depth adjust by turning base on the motor, which would mean turning the motor on the fixed base when mounted to the table, which could leave me with a tangled mess of a power cord. I'm sure I will there find a way around this though. Now I just need a good circular saw.

[MikeMcCoy]

I don't think you will see any problems with the power cord using the router in a table. One turn is just about going to max the bit movement anyway. My Hitachi is a plunge router but the collets are the same as you and the others indicated. Evidently they are close enough to the Dewalt collets since I got them mixed up and don't know which is which.

[JimD]

I used to use my Porter Cable 690 in a router table and you adjust height on it by turning the base. It was not a big deal. You do not spin the motor through a bunch of turns - less than one turn total typically.

Jim