# Replacement collet for Elu router



## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hello,
For many, many years I have been using an Elu mof31 router - which I have found to be reliable, robust and effective. However last week the collet (which grips the cutter when the nut is tightened) shattered. The shaft is 3/8" diameter. 

Does anyone know where I can get a replacement collet (otherwise an excellent machine and dozens of tungsten cutters will have to be dumped in the bin).

Thanks,

Alex


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Alex and welcome to the forum!

I know where you are coming from on this one as I still own a couple of MOF31s. The problem with these routers is that originally they didn't hold the cutter in a collet at all. Instead the bottom of the motor shaft is threaded M12 x 1mm metric fine male and cutters for use with the router had a hollow end threaded M12 x 1 female and were made with two flats on the shank to allow them to be fitted. Elu did manufacture a collet conversion kit which converts the router into a conventional collet/nut holding system machine and DW continued this until about 18 to 24 months back. They're now delisted and nobody has any stock of them - believe me I've tried to get hold of them! Your machine may or may not have the Elu/DW conversion kit (there were also a number of third party collet conversions, I have a couple of them) - without seeing a photo of the collet holder and the collet itself I couldn't be sure which you have. If it has the Elu/DW kit, then that one is easy because that kit is designed to be used in conjunction with the same type of collet and nut which are fitted to the current deWalt DW625 (and many other routers). It comes with a 22mm open ended wrench. Would it be possible to take a photo and post it so that I could make a comparison? 

If anyone reads this post in the future and wants to search around for the kit it is DW reference DE6281. Please search this site for the DW625 collet references - I've posted them several times to date

Regards

Phil


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Alex, welcome to the forum.


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## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi Phil,
Thanks for your help. The router is exactly as I bought it from the dealer. I have sellotaped together the collet (which snapped into 3 pieces), and have taken some photos showing how it fits over the cutter shaft and is tightened by the nut.
The photos are in jpeg but I cannot work out how to send them to this forum from my computer. Excuse my ignorance! Can you let me know how to do this?
Best wishes, Alex


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Alex

I'd start by getting an account with Photobucket or Flickr (they're free) and uploading your images there, there is a tutorial on this site somewhere on how to do this and about resizing. Alternatively PM me and I'll send you my email address so that you can forward the jpg files to me and I'll do the rest for you

Regards

Phil


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## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi Phil.
I've taken your advice and set up a Flickr account. You can see 5 photos by searching for: ELU router MOF31 collet
Thanks and best wishes,
Alex


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Alex 

The photos are:














































And I can tell you straight away that your collet converter and the collet itself aren't Elu items. Are there any members who recognise this collet? I suspect that with it being a 3-slit design it originates in a Japanese or Chinese 1/2in router (because that's a 1/2in shank bit)

Sorry that's not really such good news. What I can do is have a word with someone at Trend UK and see if they can recognise the collet. They are pretty knowledgeable and may be able to assist

Regards

Phil


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## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi Phil,

Thanks for your quick response. I'm puzzled.

The shanks of my router cutters are definitely 3/8" and I bought the router and the cutters brand new through an authorised Elu dealer.

The plot thickens...

Best wishes,

Alex


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## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi again Phil,

I've just tracked down an Elu price list from 1991 which refers to a 3/8" collet Cat. No. E40104.

Alex


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Alex



Alex Russell said:


> I've just tracked down an Elu price list from 1991 which refers to a 3/8" collet Cat. No. E40104.


Sorry for the confusion. I assumed (incorrectly) that the router bit was a 1/2in one, oops! 

The E40104 you refer to is no longer available as such, instead deWalt (who bought Elu) sell the renumbered DE6275 (for a list of DW625-compatible collets see my post in this thread) - but a DW625/Elu MOF177/MOF98 collet looks like this one, not yours. 










The E40104 is a completely different design, I'm afraid. I suspect that your dealer sold you a third-party collet extender/converter which were quite commonly available in the eighties and nineties - in fact have two different ones, both 1/4in, both completely different and for neither can I obtain replacement collets.

Regards

Phil


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi again Alex

After quite a bit of digging around I _may_ have come up with a collet conversion kit for the Elu MOF31/MOF11/MOF131 routers which have an M12 x 1 male threaded shaft as opposed to a collet. There is a German tooling firm called KWO who still list a collet converion kit for these routers see here then hit "Expand" and navigate backwards to page 101. The collet kit is available in 3 sizes, size I (4 to 8mm: collets 4, 6, 6.35 and 8mm), size II (9.5 to 10mm: 2 collet sizes) and size III (12 to 13mm: 2 collet sizes). They also list a 12.7 to 9.5mm reducer and a 9.5mm to 6.35mm one

I cannot say whether or not those collets are the same type as yours (they look similar, but that may not be significant), but at least it looks like an alternative/replacement is available. I have sent an email to the UK distributors to query availability, price, etc. 

Regards

Phil


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## Alex Russell (Jul 11, 2012)

Hi Phil,

Thanks for all the effort you are putting in on my behalf - greatly appreciated!

Alex


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Alex

I have to say that I'm also doing it for myself (I have two MOF31s as well)

Regards

Phil


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Again Alex

I've had a reply from KWO UK which seems to be hopeful. Basically they can supply any of the collets and components in their catalogue, but they're not ex-stock - they would have to be delivered from Germany which may take a few days. They think that







would be similar on delivery, but they obviously couldn'yt quote me a price. The items you would require to make a complete adaptor and collet are:

Order No. 15067 / IDN 2230537 - Collet holder, M12 x 1 female (for 9.5/10mm collets ONLY) - £ 9.89 + VAT
Order No. 00036 / IDN 390000520 - Collet nut (for 9.5/10mm collets ONLY) - £ 2.91 +VAT
Order No. 15060 / IDN 2201676 - Collet, 9.5mm (3/8in) - £ 12.11 + VAT

Total £ 24.91 + VAT = £ 33.89 incl. VAT

The design of their collet looks similar to yours, so it might be possible to purchse the collet alone (Order No. 15060 / IDN 2201676 @ £ 12.11 + VAT = £ 14.53) and check if it is the same. If it isn't them you'd have to buy the rest of the kit.

In the UK Wealden Tools would be able to supply these, although there would possibly be a shipping charge on top

If anyone else is interested in these items for the Elu MOF31, Elu MOF131 or Elu MOF11 then these are the items and a full range of collets is available from KWO

Regards

Phil


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## jeremy.honner (Feb 10, 2014)

I actually have one of these but sorry will not part as I have a couple of useful bits that I need it for. Unfortunately these are out of production. I am seeking DE6281 collet conversion kit myself which will permit use of dewalt collets. May be you can help on that one??


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## jeremy.honner (Feb 10, 2014)

Alex

Dont throw away your bits! I've done some research and contacted Wealden tools

They are getting some adapters in from Germany. Will be about 7 days.
Comprises a body, nut and collet and will cost £37.5 + VAT. They can also provide adapters for 1/4" and 1/2".


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Thanks for the update,Jeremy, but Alex has not been on the forum since 2012.


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## Kiwijohn (Mar 19, 2014)

*Another confused ELU owner*



jw2170 said:


> Thanks for the update,Jeremy, but Alex has not been on the forum since 2012.


Hi All, it's KIWIJOHN here from down here in NZ. I recently purchased an ELU MOF 96 router with a partially complete accessory kit. Problem is my router has a 8 mm shaft bit in it. Upon researching it I found it to be a real expensive German Dress bit specially designed for high speed work on aluminium window frames! My problem now is ( as 8 mm shaft bits are virtually not available in NZ) do I buy some 8 mm shaft bits from overseas or am I better off trying to change my collet ( and possibly collet nut ) to suit the 1/4 inch or 1/2 inch bits that are more readily available down under. I have looked at several of your threads regarding trying to find collet nuts and collets but my fear is if I gear up and spend lots of $'s on 8mm shaft bits and my ELU s--ts itself I am going to be left high and dry because I won't find another router here that will work with 8 mm shaft bits. I know ELU's are good gear so I welcome your learned advice! PS I only want to do light woodworking with my router, the previous owner must have been a window fixer!


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Welcome to the forum , John.

If it were me, I would get a 1/2" collet and take advantage of the number of different cutters available.

just my 2c worth....


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