# Craftsman router collet woes!



## Jim Broyles (Nov 22, 2015)

I disassembled the collet on my Craftsman 315-269210 router....now I cannot seem to get the four jaws in the right order. I didn't realize when I took it apart that the jaws weren't all the same. The manual is no help, and neither are the folks at Sears. I've spent hours trying different combinations, and nothing has worked yet. Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome Jim. I've never seen a router collet that came as separate pieces before. I"m pretty sure I can see the break lines between the segments. You need a new collet and that can sometimes be a problem for Sears routers as Sears doesn't have a good record of stocking parts for old routers. I don't know if it will help but the router was made by Ryobi.


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Hi Jim. Welcome to our little corner of the 'net.

I agree with Charles, I've never seen a collet like that either.

If you need a manual for that router, I just uploaded one here: craftsman-315-269210-router It's in PDDF format, you can either download it or read it online. You will need Adobe Acrobat, or Adobe Reader to view it.


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## sunnybob (Apr 3, 2015)

occasionally, a collet like that will be held together by a circular spring around the outside. but very unlikely on a router chuck due to high speed balance problems. 
If you dont remember a spring, then what the others said. 
Its dead. Bury it.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Welcome to the forum Jim . I kinda took a double take as like Charles the first thing I thought was the collet broke into pieces


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## DonkeyHody (Jan 22, 2015)

Jim, what I see here is a perfect excuse to buy a new router. Lots of folks here are partial to the Bosch 1617, but Porter Cable, Milwaukee and Dewalt also make good routers. Stay away from Skil, Ryobi and Craftsman.


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## boogalee (Nov 24, 2010)

Are there numbers stamped on the jaws?


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

Welcome Jim. You'll find we are a happy, friendly, helpful, fun loving group


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

DonkeyHody said:


> Jim, what I see here is a perfect excuse to buy a new router. Lots of folks here are partial to the Bosch 1617, but Porter Cable, Milwaukee and Dewalt also make good routers. Stay away from Skil, Ryobi and Craftsman.


The DeWalt 618PK plunge/fixed base kit is pretty cheap right now - $25 off so it's around 165-175 online. I think it's 175 at home depot with free shipping but I've seen it cheaper on amazon.


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## bcfunburst (Jan 14, 2012)

I agree with others. I have 3 Craftsman routers and the collet you show is definitely broken. You can try to find a used router for parts ....OR.... as others have said; Now you have an excuse to buy a new Router. Best of luck to you either way and hope you enjoy your time spent here on Router forums.


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## Nickp (Dec 4, 2012)

Welcome, Jim...

Have you tried to assemble the pieces around a 1/4 inch shaft...? Sometimes the perspective changes when they start to go together in their original shape...especially if there's any interlocking going on...

Wishing I had the pieces in my hand...I like this sort of puzzle...

Toss a couple more pictures...it'll give me something to do later...


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

DON'T try to reassemble that broken collet! Nothing good would come from that. at 25,000 RPM nothing good can be REALLY bad. Not only could the bit fly loose, those pieces may well become shrapnel! 

Collet is available from Sears but you proabably won't like the price of 67.80 + tax and S/H.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/cra...02/0009/315/model-315269210/0247/0740000.html


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## seamuskennison (Nov 17, 2015)

Sounds like a lot of people have found out that the Craftsman router is garbage. My tightening flap (technical term  ) broke and Sears was useless to me. I appreciate the crew above giving some recommendations.


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## Roefa (Sep 14, 2007)

Hi Jim -
I'm through with Craftsman simply because of their parts philosophy... they don't stock parts for old tools and charge outrageous prices for the parts that they do have. BUT if you can figure out who actually made the tool you can probably still get parts. I bought an older Craftsman Jointer at a yard sale... it needed blades, bearings and a couple of other minor parts... Sears said NO PARTS for that model are available. Turns out it was made by Delta and identical parts were readily available from other sources. All that said, you might be able to determine who actually made your router by looking at similar parts lists online and buy a collet for that router.
Also, I absolutely love my Bosch 1617 ! I bought the kit with fixed and plunge bases... great !
Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving !

Roger Memphis


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## billyjim (Feb 11, 2012)

I have an old craftsman and I couldn't find my 1/2 collet. I went to a Sears Hardware and after searching for a while I asked some of the kids that work there if they had a 1/2 collet. They looked at me very strangely so I explained that it goes on a router at which point they said that they don't carry routers but I could probably find one at Best Buy. Just one of the reasons I stopped shopping at Sears.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Roefa said:


> Hi Jim -
> I'm through with Craftsman simply because of their parts philosophy... they don't stock parts for old tools and charge outrageous prices for the parts that they do have. BUT if you can figure out who actually made the tool you can probably still get parts. I bought an older Craftsman Jointer at a yard sale... it needed blades, bearings and a couple of other minor parts... Sears said NO PARTS for that model are available. Turns out it was made by Delta and identical parts were readily available from other sources. All that said, you might be able to determine who actually made your router by looking at similar parts lists online and buy a collet for that router.
> Also, I absolutely love my Bosch 1617 ! I bought the kit with fixed and plunge bases... great !
> Good Luck and Happy Thanksgiving !
> ...


Ryobi was the manufacturer for 315 source tools. If Ryobi has it Sears can get it... Ryobi is Sears source for the parts. When Ryobi doesn't have it any more(and they don't carry a lot of older parts) it will show as no longer available at Sears. The only way you are likely to find one then is if some 3rd party has old stock setting on their shelf. Many times you may be able to find a used(ebay, CL, garage sale, etc) an pull the part from it, but often that is just wasting even more money on an old tool.

Ryobi/Sears are not the only companies with similar parts issues. Remember, Sears doesn't make anything, They are a retailer/reseller only.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

If you have to pay $70 for a collet for a router that old you might as well buy a new router.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> If you have to pay $70 for a collet for a router that old you might as well buy a new router.


I fully agree with that, Chuck. No way I'd spend probably closer to $80 with S&H on a collet for that old of a router. And I am a fix it if all possible guy, but sometimes it just doesn't make sense! My general rule is no more than half the replacement cost, and on an old tool I may not even go near that high.


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## ttocsmij (Jul 27, 2008)

*Amazon link to new collet as someone said it might be ...*

Looks like 1/4" collet:

www dot amazon dot com slash Craftsman-300618002-4-Inch-Collet-Router slash dp slash B00F9Z4DYA

Craftsman 300618002 1/4-Inch Collet for Router - Power Routers - Amazon.com

! SORRY - NOT ENOUGH POSTS TO DISPLAY LINK DIRECTLY SO YOU'LL HAVE TO HAND TYPE IT IN AS PER FORUM RULES. 0


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## Little Jack (May 15, 2014)

Try Craigslist for a similar or exact model match...Sears has a bastard thread on a lot of their tools...if you can make it fly this way, you will save the expense and time to re-jig and fit to a table than if you were to replace with another make. Think it thru..logic will prevail!!

Good luck...


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## JRSherbundy (Oct 11, 2013)

I too have had problems with my Craftsman Router. I inherited it from my father. Years ago I developed a Craftsman tool rule, IF it has moving parts, don't buy it. That leaves me with screwdrivers, open end wrenches, etc. The lifetime guarantee works well for those tools. An electrical accident burned half the tip off a small screwdriver. They replaced it and asked no questions. The ratchet in my socket drive gave up, Sears offered me a free rebuilt drive. Not buying Sears has not been a problem. Buy a new router.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

JRSherbundy said:


> I too have had problems with my Craftsman Router. I inherited it from my father. Years ago I developed a Craftsman tool rule, IF it has moving parts, don't buy it. That leaves me with screwdrivers, open end wrenches, etc. The lifetime guarantee works well for those tools. An electrical accident burned half the tip off a small screwdriver. They replaced it and asked no questions. The ratchet in my socket drive gave up, Sears offered me a free rebuilt drive. Not buying Sears has not been a problem. Buy a new router.


Hmm, last I knew, ratchets had moving parts... just sayin'.

My craftsman radial saw... 40 years old. Works as well now as it did 40 years ago.

Several Craftsman router 5-30 years old... all still working.!

Craftsman belt sander 30 years give or take... still working!

Craftsman drill press 12 years old +/-... still working!

Jointer, Scroll saw, circular saws, corded drill, etc, etc 8 - 30+ years... still working!


Such troublesome tools... NOT!


To each their own, but I just haven't had much trouble with Craftsman power tools YMMV.

That doesn't mean that I would spend much trying to repair really old tools, especially if its cheaper to replace them, though.


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

I have to agree with Duane here.. I too have quite a few Craftsman tools and have not had any appreciable problems with them. Agreed, parts availability is sorely lacking for older Craftsman machinery, but I would not hesitate to purchase another one.


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## fireman010152 (Jan 23, 2014)

go to parts direct and enter your model number they may have parts break down that shows how it goes back together if you don't have the owners manual


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

fireman010152 said:


> go to parts direct and enter your model number they may have parts break down that shows how it goes back together if you don't have the owners manual


Posted a link to the replacement part. The parts breakdown will show you(fairly obvious anyway)... that part is BROKEN. Please do not attempt to reassemble it!

I have 40 years experience as a repair technician, just for the record!


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## Larry McDougald (Mar 3, 2011)

Craftsman routers are an enigma to me. I would never buy one new, but I own several that I've picked up at the local flea market for 10-20 dollars. They're in pretty good shape, and for light duty work, like 1/8 round over on a tabletop, I find them ok. I like to keep different bits in each one, so I don't have to rummage around in a drawer for bits and mess with collets and such. I also own a 2.5 hp Bosch. All the big mfgrs push the 3.5 hp models, but in my opinion, that is overkill for most uses.

That's mine.
Larry


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Welcome to the forum Larry. So you are not a disciple of Tim "The Toolman" Taylor?


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Except for my RAS (1984) and the model 315.17480 router (1980) the 6" circ and the 3" belt sander are from the late 60s and early 70s when the bodies were still cast metal and built to better standards. While the RAS and router still run I wouldn't and haven't used the router for well over 15 yrs and only use the RAS for basic dado work on multiple cut long stock like for grape arbors and such.

In 2013 I had to fabricate, (for a lack of correct term) a belt skid plate, (heat shield?) for the sander, the original finally wore out/rubbed away below the clasp, I used alum step flashing as a replacement. I thought of retiring it many times but the thing has mucho cajones


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I think the proper term is platen Ron.


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## ttocsmij (Jul 27, 2008)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> I think the proper term is platen Ron.


Quite so ... see paragraph 2 here: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Platen


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## gjackson52 (Jul 4, 2015)

Welcome to the forum !



Gary


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Sounds good to me Charles, wifey's late father gave me the sander around 1979/80 I didn't get the owners manual and I haven't found one I could D/L from the net. I don't know how much it was used when Harry had it, I don't use it a lot but when I do it usually has 40 or 60 grit belts in it. I wasn't as diligent when I began building my tool resources, I was lucky to find a manual for the router.


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## Mowry155 (Jul 14, 2015)

*Router*

Ereplacementparts has the collet for $86.00 not including shipping......
Does that tell you something?
I hate to admit it, but Stick's direction towards Bosch is beginning to grow on me. I was always the yellow an black guy or the gray buyer.....but today with parts the way they are (okay, I'm the one with the Triton 3 1/4 hp but in a router table....happy with it's built in lift mechanism.....I may regret it down the road) Today Bosch is always a consideration. 
I'm happy for the guys who have the older Craftsman machines, but as my late father said, "don't worry about death and taxes...worry about your ability to keep up with change!"
Good luck......
Bob


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## Larry McDougald (Mar 3, 2011)

Another thing about Craftsman routers that would drive one to distraction is that crappy plastic housing you have to manipulate to raise and lower the motor, supposedly super easy etc, but in fact, after a while the plastic doesn't slide around easily and it's not easily apparent how to deal with it. That's why I tend to keep a blade in each of mine and never change the settings. I use my Porter-Cable and Bosch for anything that requires adjustment. Right now I'm still trying to come to grips with the 'Ready to Route' set-up I bought. I'm sure I'll eventually work it out.

Larry


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