# Bit going too far into collet



## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Hey folks. I need to pick your brains. I mounted a craftsman 1/4" router under a table saw wing router mount. This is an old, old one, from the 70's. I noticed that when I install a 1/4" straight bit, it is going too far down into the collet.
A full 1 and 1/2" of the bit is going into the the collet (see photo). The other photo is of the bit out of the router, so you can see how much of the bit is submerged into the collet. Sorry about the blurriness. 
I tried the same bit on my other craftsman router, and also my son's, and the bit only went in only one inch on each of them. I looked at the parts diagram and don't see that anything is missing. There's just the 1/4" diameter hole going down the center of the motor shaft under the collet.
My question is this: Do you think it would be safe to put a 1/2" length of 1/4" drill rod down into the hole in the motor shaft to limit the insertion of the bit to 1" ? Or maybe there's another solution? any and all ideas will be appreciated. Thanks. Jim


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Jim, that is probably just the way the end of the old router shaft is cut.

I have a router where the cutter that goes 62mm into the collet before the _cutter_ touches the end of the shaft. My other router goes in about 25mm.

No need to insert drill rod, which could throw the shaft out of balance.

Just insert the cutter about 1" into the collet.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Find some rubber grommets or use o-rings if you can't find the grommets and fill the unneeded void below the collet. As a router bit gets hot it stretches and if you bottom it out against a piece of drill rod it will push outward and possibly loosen in the collet. The grommets or o-rings are compressible. By the way, the same rule holds true for drill bits. Never bottom them out. Always leave a little gap at the bottom.


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## BOjr (Dec 1, 2012)

I have to agree with James. I've always been told to never bottom out the bit because of the expansion it goes through when in use. I definitely wouldn't put anything other than the bit in the collect. It could heat up enough to melt the "O" rings and then the collet wouldn't work properly. Just seat the bit in far enough for the collet to get a good grip on it.


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## Wildwood (Aug 14, 2010)

Jim - by putting a tight fitting O ring on the shaft of the router bit, you can use it to stop the bit from going in too deep - I use this method as well on larger diameter bits, to make sure that the bit doesn't go in far enough for the collet to grip the small bit of increased diameter where the bit is joined to the shaft.
But I notice you have a bit of a recess round the bit where it enters the collet, so just take care that the O ring is thick enough to act as an effective stop, and doesn't go into the recess.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Some Makita routers came with a plastic rod.


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## WurliTzerwilly (Jun 9, 2013)

FWIW My Draper router will allow the shaft to drop a long way into the collet.
On this particular router, there is a spindle stop rod which pushes into the collet shaft and if I press it in first, it will prevent the cutter shaft from going past it. If I don't press the spindle stop, I just hold the cutter tightly enough and gauge where I want it to sit.

I definitely wouldn't place anything under the cutter shaft or it could be just enough to throw it off balance.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The depth inside the shaft of the router varies a great deal between models and brands. You can use a short piece of wooden dowel to fill the extra space and place an 1/8" O-ring on top of it to give you a preset height that allows for proper collet function. This is a factory solution as Harry mentioned. Marc Sommerfeld sells a rubber grommet that is inserted in the shaft to adjust bit height. Just remember that the bit shank must be inserted a safe distance, on most routers this will be about 7/8". Check your manual for your manufacturers recommendation.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

WurliTzerwilly said:


> FWIW My Draper router will allow the shaft to drop a long way into the collet.
> On this particular router, there is a spindle stop rod which pushes into the collet shaft and if I press it in first, it will prevent the cutter shaft from going past it. If I don't press the spindle stop, I just hold the cutter tightly enough and gauge where I want it to sit.
> 
> I definitely wouldn't place anything under the cutter shaft or it could be just enough to throw it off balance.


Alan, this is where the MUSCLECHUCK comes into it's own, one hand on the bit the other on the Allen key, no spanners being required.


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## WurliTzerwilly (Jun 9, 2013)

harrysin said:


> Alan, this is where the MUSCLECHUCK comes into it's own, one hand on the bit the other on the Allen key, no spanners being required.


You have a point Harry.


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## Daikusan (Apr 12, 2013)

Jim
The stop (to keep the shaft from turning) looks like my old Craftsman router. I would use my middle finger to hold the stop and my index finger to hold the bit to the proper height. Just be careful and don’t put you finger on the cutters edge; you can get a wicked slice on your finger.


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## Willway (Aug 16, 2012)

Hi Jim, my suggestion would be to completely remove the collet, put the bit into the collet far enough to go past the bottom of the collet, then mark the shank of the bit (I would use a scribe or razor knife). Then put the collet back on the router and insert the bit until it bottoms out, then mark the shank again. Then remove the bit and measure the distance between these 2 marks, cut a wooden dowel that length and insert it. You can shove the bit down and check it against your first mark. This will locate all your bits to the proper depth. I hope this helps.


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

As always, you guys have given me a wealth of good ideas and some education thrown in for good measure. I've kind of hybridized them to benefit the most.

I cut a piece of 1/4" wooden dowel to go into the hole. The dowel, 3/8 long, plus the 1/4" O.D. grommet, 1/8 tall, added up to the amount of filler to allow insertion of 7/8" of the bit shank. That got the cutter up to the proper height. 

I also used tight fitting O rings on the shafts of my often used bits to make double sure I don't get any slippage. Thanks to everyone for your interest and help. Jim


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