# collet for Skil 297



## kenny17 (Jan 6, 2017)

Hi all.
A newbie from Oz.. old power tools is my passion, so i hope im posting in the right forum.
I have a Skil 297 router that requires two parts.
firstly a collet.. the one that came with it (1/4") is in two pieces !!.. these are the older cone type with a slot up the side.
This part is unavailable in Australia, and appears there is no collet that is interchangable..
The other part is the spring that operates the shaft locking lever.. i should be able to make one if i can see what it looks like.
Cheers .. Ken


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

There are very few parts still available it appears. This is the best source in North America. Search : eReplacementParts.com

Here is Skil's website. https://www.skiltools.com/Parts-And-Service/Pages/Owners-Manuals-And-Parts-Lists.aspx I tried to find a manual and parts list but it didn't come up and I see that there is a phone number (left side of screen) for older models. It may not be available online. To be honest Kenny cheap routers like Skil and Craftsman often aren't worth fixing and the parts are often not available. Collets are a common problem with no solution that I know of.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Ken.


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## Huey (May 23, 2017)

Ken,
If you still have your Skil router and have a friendly machinist nearby you may be able to get one knocked up for a reasonable fee, sure we are not NZ but we are not far behind them in the resourcefulness stakes.(I am assuming you don't have your own metal-cutting lathe.
Maybe the USA finds Skil cheap but when they were made here they were good stuff. My 3/8 electric drill is now 54 years old and still a good unit with light usage. Unless something went wrong your unit will certainly be one up on the Chinese crap sold here lately, I just spent an arm and a leg buying a Triton TRA001.


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## EdC (Mar 3, 2020)

kenny17 said:


> Hi all.
> A newbie from Oz.. old power tools is my passion, so i hope im posting in the right forum.
> I have a Skil 297 router that requires two parts.
> firstly a collet.. the one that came with it (1/4") is in two pieces !!.. these are the older cone type with a slot up the side.
> ...


I also have a skill 297 and looking for a collet Part #17056. Did you ever find one? Can you steer me to a parts supplier?

Thanks EdC


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

EdC; welcome! I haven't noticed any more posts from Huey or Kenny...I think those last ones really were their last ones (2017). 
Hopefully for you, resurrecting this old thread may get you an answer.


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