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First Time router user
So i used my Hitachi KM12VC router (that i bought 2 years ago) for the first time yesterday with the Whiteside bits i received for Christmas. i just had a couple of questions. First, should the bit be super hard to remove from the collet? I had to use a screwdriver as a pry bar to get it out. Also, the router is a variable speed.... so how do i know what speed to run the bits at? or is it just trial and error? Thanks for any help and info provided!
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no! the bit should slide easily out of the collet if you loosen the collet enough.
No prying! you'll damage the carbide.
VAriable speed - most bits 1/4" to 1/2" diameter cutters you will want to run at near top speed (20,000 RPM) but larger bits over 3/4" diameter you need to slow down (due to the increased diameter the tip veolicty will be the same) slow down.
(Excerpt from Rockler below)
The chart below offers speed guidelines for the maximum safe free running speed of bits of various diameters. This is supplied for general reference - manufacturer’s guidelines should be consulted:
Router Bit Diameter Maximum Speed
Up to 1" 22,000 - 24,000 rpm
1" to 2" 18,000 - 22,000 rpm
2" to 2-1/2" 12,000 - 16,000 rpm
2-1/2" to 3-1/2" 8,000 - 12,000 rpm
(end of excerpt)
or this article:
http://www.just-wood-routers.com/router-bits/rpm-for-router-bits.html
If you search on Google for Router speed vs bit diameter
then you'll get a number of similar opinions. After a while you'll get a feel for it on your router as you run it. Remember, smaller diamter = faster RPM.
as a word of general advise i always buy 1/2" shank bits if availble.
Loring in Katy, TX USA
If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questions -
thanks for the info... is there any way to make the collet loosen up? I did buy a refurb router from reconditionedsales.com... is it maybe that the collet has too many miles on it? the last bit change i did the collet nut and collet actually all came out of the shaft and it still had a pretty good grip on the bit. it was easier to get out though because i could lightly tap it from underneathComment
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Most routers nowadays have what is called a "self-releasing collet." After loosening the collet nut, it will seem to tighten up again. At that point just give it another half-turn or so with the wrench and it should loosen up fully and allow the bit to slide out easily.LarryComment
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Also, make sure when you are putting the bit in that you don't bottom it out. It should be up about an eighth of an inch or so and that leaves room for the bit to be pulled down with the collet as it is tightened.Chr's
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An ethical man knows the right thing to do.
A moral man does it.Comment
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i will try the machine oil... i wasn't bottoming it out... I just wanted to make sure it was ok to oil something like that. i didn't want it to be like the time when i was a kid and my dad said mom's car needed some new brakes b/c they were starting to squeak and i asked him why not just put some WD-40 on it
b/c we put it on everything else that squeaked and it worked
Comment
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Also, make sure that both the collet and bit shaft are clean before inserting the bit.RichardComment
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...and if all else fails, just get another collet. They are cheap enough, and your problem is likely there if none of these other suggestions proves out.Comment
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I have same router. The original collet that came with it had the same issue. I contacted the manufacturer and they replaced the collet (actually both 1/4" and 1/2" sizes). New collets have no problems. Hitachi knows about the problem.Alex VComment
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I have 2 of those routers. They have the 2 step collet where it seems like it releases then tightens back up when loosening, just give the spanners another half turn and they bit should slide out easy....Please like and subscribe to my YouTube channel. Please check out and subscribe to my Workshop Blog.Comment
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i think i'll see about just replacing the collet then.... if mine's doing the 2 step then one foot must be broken
feel free to not laugh at the bad joke
Comment
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Whenever I place my bit in the router collet, I bottom it and then pull it back up an 1/8-inch or so. I then tighten the collet nut, but am very careful that the shank doesn't slip back down.
On my Ridgid router, the collet nut loosens but then you have to continue to loosen it a bit more, in order for the "release" mechanism to open the collet enough to completely free the shank.
My Ryobi routers do not have that feature, but by leaving that extra space at the bottom of the shank (bottom the shank and then pull it back up an 1/8-inch or so), you can usually just tap the top of the bit to break it loose. Be careful, of course, to not damage the bit!
I'm hesitant to "lubricate" the bit shank, beyond a slight wipe with a clean cotton rag and a drop of machine oil. I figure you won't properly tighten the collet on the shank if your oil is too thick. I do take care to keep the collet very clean, especially the inside surface that contacts with the shank. Likewise, the bit shanks should also be kept very clean. I always wipe the surfaces with mineral spirits and then a light wipe with a machine oil before I put them away.
CWSThink it Through Before You Do!Comment
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Loring in Katy, TX USA
If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to treat all problems as if they were nails.
BT3 FAQ - https://www.sawdustzone.org/forum/di...sked-questionsComment
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If it's a two step it has been explained. If you didn't bottom it out you may have the old style collet as you did say it was re-furbished meaning the router could be an older mode. On all the old routers I have had over the years the bit would stick. In lieu of pry.. try tapping the side of the collet with the collect wrench which would usally release the bit and it came falling out was the accepted procedure in the old days before the new "texas two step" collects.
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twistsol
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