# Router wrenches.



## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

I have a PC 690 in my router table and it has through the top height adjustment which I love. I hate the wrenches that come with this router and all routers. I use a crescent wrench on the top nut and have an offset wrench for the bottom. The wrench is a piece of you know what. If I bought a Muscle Chuck I think they are around $50 and I would need two. One for 1/4" and one for 1/2" router bits. I could be wrong about needing two. So does any one have a good fix for this?


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I use Muscle chucks on both of my router tables and use the 1/2"-1/4" reducers in both machines,the Bosch 1617 and PC 7500 3.5 hp.
The Bosch is the only one that has the above the table height adjustment, the PC I can only get the chuck above table height about 3/8".
Herb


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Like Herb., I use a 1/2" to 1/4" reducer supplied by Derosa Engineering, the maker of the fabulous Musclechuck which only requires about a half turn of a 4mm ball ended Allen key, available everywhere in many styles.


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## Terry Q (Mar 2, 2017)

Have you considered offset wrenches? I know Rockler sells a set for Porter cable routers, I'm sure there are others 
as well. 



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

Agree with Herb and Harry, the Musclechuck is the answer. Just buy one with the reducer collet.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

I have the 690 router in a Bench Dog lift which doesn't quite allow using the standard (flat) wrench on the spindle nut without going in on an angle. I bought one of the offset (bent) wrenches and it solved that problem but presented another one. The wrench needs to be held at the correct height in order to stay on the hex, but it's easy to let it move while you're trying to get the other wrench on and lined up. Came up with the idea of cutting a piece of plywood in a "C" shape - outside to match the outside of the wrench and inside a clearance with the hex flats. Drill a couple of holes in the wrench and attach the plywood to the bottom of the wrench. When changing bits, the bottom of the plywood shim can sit on the motor housing at the correct height and not slip below the hex. Should only take a couple of minutes to make one, may give that a try.


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

My wife says this is why I never get anything done - too easily distracted.

Didn't take too long - except I was going to get fancy and tap holes in the wrench and come up through the ply with fl hd bolts. That idea lasted until I snapped a 6-32 tap off in the wrench. So I went back to plan "A", short SM screws with the point filed off on the back side.

Works OK, the plywood shim sits on top of the router face and the metal lines up with the hex so it doesn't drop down off the hex.

Now back to the scheduled project................


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## roofner (Aug 1, 2010)

I have mussel chuck 1.2 and white side 1/4 reducer works on my bosch at a better price works great.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Before I got the Muscle chuck, I was using the offset wrench along with the straight wrench . I could not get the collet nut up like you show and the offset wrench was gowing up the Aluminum twist lock insert in the table .I was afraid that it would do permanent damage such that the plastic plate would not fit, I decided to just go with the muscle chuck . After I used the muscle chuck, for awhile, I decided to get another for the bosch in the other table

Herb


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

@Herb Stoops

I don't remember if the larger opening was one of the features that led me to pick the Bench Dog lift way back or if I just lucked out. You can use the straight wrench with the lift as shown on their web site but the wrench has to be angled in and I was always getting them tangled. The offset wrench was a good solution except trying to keep it at the right height so it didn't slip off the hex - the plywood shim seems to have taken care of that.

Bench Dog Products: Pro-Lift


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

tomp913 said:


> @Herb Stoops
> 
> I don't remember if the larger opening was one of the features that led me to pick the Bench Dog lift way back or if I just lucked out. You can use the straight wrench with the lift as shown on their web site but the wrench has to be angled in and I was always getting them tangled. The offset wrench was a good solution except trying to keep it at the right height so it didn't slip off the hex - the plywood shim seems to have taken care of that.
> 
> Bench Dog Products: Pro-Lift


I think that is a good idea to keep it square with the router shaft.
Herb


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

I have heard of some issues with poor quality of offset wrenchs; the jaws are not thick enough to keep them from spreading (and slipping) when you torque the wrench. Has anyone found good quality offset wrenches for Porter Cable routers (1 1/8")?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

tappet wrenches and bend to your happiness..


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> tappet wrenches and bend to your happiness..


My understanding of a tappet wrench is that it is just a thin wrench. I need the offset feature for my Porter Cable router.


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## smitty10101 (Oct 15, 2004)

@Stick486

"tappet wrenches and bend to your happiness.."

How about a crowfoot wrench?? & ratchet 

crowfoot is a bit 'thicker" than a tappet wrench

smitty


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

smitty10101 said:


> @Stick486
> 
> "tappet wrenches and bend to your happiness.."
> 
> ...


might be too thick...


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

You can always grind them thinner. You could insert the crowsfoot from the side and then slip an extension in it from the end.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I really can't understand why in this age anyone uses even one spanner never mind two since the MUSCLECHUCK hit the market, not only is just an Allen key required, only a half turn locks the bit far greater than a conventional chuck, in addition, there is about an extra 1/2" of height. I would treat with scepticism if anyone claimed to have had a MUSCLECHUCK then gone back to a conventional one.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

A fellow member sent me a PM this morning claiming that his MUSCLECHUCK was no more than an expensive paper weight with far greater run-out than his original chuck. Having never heard of a faulty MUSCLECHUCK, I presumed that he had set it up as per the instructions, so I suggested that he contact the maker who, one way or another would solve his problem. MUSCLECHUCK have a reputation for answering all questions and ensuring that their customers receive complete satisfaction. I hope to hear from the member as to the outcome.


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## mjadams61 (Dec 24, 2015)

harrysin said:


> I really can't understand why in this age anyone uses even one spanner never mind two since the MUSCLECHUCK hit the market, not only is just an Allen key required, only a half turn locks the bit far greater than a conventional chuck, in addition, there is about an extra 1/2" of height. I would treat with scepticism if anyone claimed to have had a MUSCLECHUCK then gone back to a conventional one.


because being on a fix income it would take me a few months just to save enough to purchase that


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## mjadams61 (Dec 24, 2015)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> You can always grind them thinner. You could insert the crowsfoot from the side and then slip an extension in it from the end.


There are crowfoots that are thin or thick 

Any way I have some cheap long handle combo wrenchs I am going to take over to a friends house and he has a small forge where I can heat and bend them where I need them after I get my table and lift set up.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I completely understand Marlin, I'm 84 and still buying tools, my shed wasn't set-up overnight, it has taken many years. This pdf which is a few years old shows my shed, a few changes have been made, some of the tools I've had for 45years!


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## JFPNCM (Dec 13, 2009)

as an aside, I still have the new Musclechuck for sale that I posted in the Marketplace back in February. As described then, this is not a negative on the Musclechuck.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

"I can certainly see and feel the difference!" (Quote from Harry)

And the sad part is that it can take hours to clean and only minutes to trash again.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Cherryville Chuck said:


> "I can certainly see and feel the difference!" (Quote from Harry)
> 
> And the sad part is that it can take hours to clean and only minutes to trash again.


Please remind me Charles, when did I say that and what was I referring to, also what takes hours to clean and minutes to trash. Please forgive my poor memory.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

It was an annotation in the last photo of your new shop arrangement Harry.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Thanks for that Charles, it was quite some time ago that I made that post.


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

I finally purchased the 1/2" Musclechuck with a 1/4" collet insert. With shipping it was about $115. It is well machined and I did not have any balance problems. I use a Porter Cable 7518 in an Incra router lift. The Musclechuck sits about 3/8" taller than the standard Porter Cable collet. So far, I am very satisfied with it. As you can see in the attached photos, I am able to raise the lift high enough to loosen the Musclechuck without having to remove the (magnetic) throat plate. Here are the nits I found to pick at:

1. The printed instructions were small print on a small piece of paper. Fortunately, you can download the instructions from their web site.
2. With the 1/4" insert, I "lost" my 1/4" spiral upcut bit inside the chuck. Retrieving it required removing the 1/4" insert and a strong magnet to fish it out.
3. The (blue handle) 4mm Allen key that comes with the Musclechuck does not come with the ball end. Consequently, you have some difficulty rotating the handle. Fortunately, I had a 4mm Allen key (red handle) with ball end plus a traditional 4mm ball end Allen key so I was ok.

I have no regrets about the purchase other than price. I think the price will come down as others start making similar devices.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

tomp903, you made a crow's foot wrench?


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