# Collet problem



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

1/2 inch bit shank wont go all the way in. Haven't used my 3 1/4 HP Triton Router for some time & yesterday I was setting up to start working again but the bit shank still had about 1/4 inch to go in,but wouldn't .I cant remember this happening before & noticed this situation when I went to raise it 1/8 from the bottom of the collet.The router has been installed in my table ever since I got it.
I pulled the bit out & with a torch checked for foreign body & junk but apart from a little sawdust there was nothing to cause this problem. Has anyone ever seen this before or have I finally lost the plot? Jamesjj


----------



## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

James check the bit also may have small burr on it.
Take the collet out of router and see if the bit will slide thru.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

time to clean everything...


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I really can't imagine what, other than debris, could cause this to happen James. The complete cure for all time is to replace the chuck with a MUSCLECHUCK, it makes bit change from the top even easier, plus only a 4mm ball ended Allan key is required to lock/unlock the bit and it is held with a grip several times that of a collet chuck .
As a matter of interest, if you turn to page 5 of the TRA001 hand book, you will see that it reads: "NOTE: When fitting cutters, ensure the shank is inserted fully into the collet"


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

Thank you Harry,I'm about to purchase a Musclechuck for my Bosch router. Must see if it is interchangeable with the Triton. Will clean the collet out & get back to you.Thanks again,Jamesjj


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

So far as I know James Bosch takes a #4, the old* Triton the #11 and the new Triton the #8

* The old Triton does NOT have above table height adjustment whereas the new one does.


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

harrysin said:


> So far as I know James Bosch takes a #4, the old* Triton the #11 and the new Triton the #8
> 
> * The old Triton does NOT have above table height adjustment whereas the new one does.


Thanks again Harry.I blew the dust out & wiped everything nice & clean & it's like new again.Also try-fitted a couple brand new unused bits & all is good. Wont need a Musclechuck for the Triton but definitely will for the Bosch.The "fly in the ointment"there is,the Bosch came with three collets but no half inch size.Jamesjj


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

jj777746 said:


> 1/2 inch bit shank wont go all the way in. Haven't used my 3 1/4 HP Triton Router for some time & yesterday I was setting up to start working again but the bit shank still had about 1/4 inch to go in,but wouldn't .I cant remember this happening before & noticed this situation when I went to raise it 1/8 from the bottom of the collet.The router has been installed in my table ever since I got it.
> I pulled the bit out & with a torch checked for foreign body & junk but apart from a little sawdust there was nothing to cause this problem. Has anyone ever seen this before or have I finally lost the plot? Jamesjj


John & Stick,thanks for your advice.Wasn't that much dust in the collet but just enough to cause a problem.All good again & to make sure it stays that way I stuffed a piece of rag (cheese cloth)down the table insert plate hole to stop any foreign object entering the collet. Jamesjj


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"the Bosch came with three collets but no half inch size.Jamesjj"

I'm very surprised that there wasn't a 1/2" collet, I'm sure members more familiar with Bosch will jump in here.


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

*Bosch Router collet missing*

Hi All,My Bosch Router came with no 1/2inch collet.I cant find any advice as to the reason .It has 3 collets ,1/4inch being the only one I have used, & 2 smaller collets.The model is POF1200 AE 240V,50hz,1200watts.IMO I don't think a 1/2 inch bit would fit in this particular model.Could someone offer a "bit" of advice about this router please & will I be able to buy a Musclechuck to fit it?? Thanks, Jamesjj


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

James, I've just been doing some searching on the internet and it appears that your router is for 8mm, 1/4" and 6mm only and in any case being only about 1.5 hp there will be many operations that it simply won't be able to cope with. Sorry for the outcome you didn't want.

By the way, because so many members talk about inserting the bit fully into the collet then withdrawing it 1/8" I thought I'd show you what the Bosch manual says:

"The shank of the router
bit must be immersed at least 20 mm into the collet."

Research that I did and posted some time ago amongst many router manufacturers clearly showed that inserting the bit in any collet chuck was optimum at 1", any further produced no benefit.


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

More bad news James, it appears that there is NOT a MUSCLECHUCK available for the Bosch POF 1200AE.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harrysin said:


> James, I've just been doing some searching on the internet and it appears that your router is for 8mm, 1/4" and 6mm only and in any case being only about 1.5 hp there will be many operations that it simply won't be able to cope with. Sorry for the outcome you didn't want.
> 
> By the way, because so many members talk about inserting the bit fully into the collet then withdrawing it 1/8" I thought I'd show you what the Bosch manual says:
> 
> ...


you know how propagate myths are Harry...
like the users of the grommet idea... clearly they haven't thought that through...
many of the better bit manufactures have a depth insert line etched on the shanks...
most all say what you said in their accompanying paperwork..
instead of the user RTFM they rather propagate myth.. because they ''heard''...


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

Harry & Stick, thank you both for your help with collets & routers.Best wishes,Jamesjj


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Stick486 said:


> you know how propagate myths are Harry...
> like the users of the grommet idea... clearly they haven't thought that through...
> many of the better bit manufactures have a depth insert line etched on the shanks...
> most all say what you said in their accompanying paperwork..
> instead of the user RTFM they rather propagate myth.. because they ''heard''...


Far from propagating the myths I'm debunking them! Regarding the marked bits, is the line by any chance 1" from the end?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harrysin said:


> Far from propagating the myths I'm debunking them! Regarding the marked bits, is the line by any chance 1" from the end?


not you propagating Harry..
I'm w/ ya...
and yes on the 1''..
if there is no mark what's to stop you or any body else from putting one on...
marking gauge set to 1''... KISS/MISS..


----------



## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

_"like the users of the grommet idea... clearly they haven't thought that through..."_

Stick - can you elaborate why you think this is a bad idea?


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

vchiarelli said:


> _"like the users of the grommet idea... clearly they haven't thought that through..."_
> 
> Stick - can you elaborate why you think this is a bad idea?


sure...
the bit is still bottomed out and the grommet won't compress hardly at all no matter how thick it is...


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Stick486 said:


> not you propagating Harry..
> I'm w/ ya...
> and yes on the 1''..
> if there is no mark what's to stop you or any body else from putting one on...
> marking gauge set to 1''... KISS/MISS..


Sorry Marty, I misunderstood you. As for marking, again we agree, I use "O" rings, a bag full costs peanuts on Ebay.


----------



## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

harrysin said:


> Sorry Marty, I misunderstood you. As for marking, again we agree,


so let's go ride herd on some propagators..
it'll be fun..


----------



## P.W.H. (Feb 16, 2018)

Well James, the POF 1200 is a "Bosch Green" product. I am afraid that the green Bosch tools are not at all in the
same quality range as the Bosch Blue tools. They are cheap, and basically designed & priced for dabblers (sorry).

My own experience of them has not been exceptional (jigsaws, a drill). Whereas the blue ones are top notch (and a lot more
expensive). 

Some genius at Bosch probably figured that the dabblers who buy this machine would have no need to use 1/2" router
bits since it's comparatively speaking a bit gutless anyway. 

If you were over here across the Tasman, I'd post you my newish 1/2" collet that I've just retired for a musclechuck.
That way you could figure out if they are compatible with the Type4. But to Aussie the postage gets up a bit. 
Try the blokes on Woodwork Forums - mostly inhabited by other Australians. There's bound to be someone
in your area.


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

So far as I know (and I know a lot!!) there are only MUSCLECHUCKS made for 1/2" routers. But you can always email John Derosa, the manufacturer of the MUSCLECHUCKS
.
http://www.musclechuck.com/ 

He must be the most contactable manufacturer that I and so many other forum members have ever come across.


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

vchiarelli said:


> _"like the users of the grommet idea... clearly they haven't thought that through..."_
> 
> Stick - can you elaborate why you think this is a bad idea?


It isn't so much a case of being a bad idea but a totally unnecessary one that achieves nothing. As I said a few posts ago, inserting the bit more than an inch achieves zero benefit. If you remove the collet then insert the bit 1", you will see how the collet has maximum grip and further insertion simply protrudes beyond the collet.


----------



## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I like that o-ring idea Harry. The other alternative is marking shanks with a magic marker. Like you say, there is absolutely nothing to be gained by extending the end of the shank past the collet which is usually about 1".


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

P.W.H. said:


> Well James, the POF 1200 is a "Bosch Green" product. I am afraid that the green Bosch tools are not at all in the
> same quality range as the Bosch Blue tools. They are cheap, and basically designed & priced for dabblers (sorry).
> 
> My own experience of them has not been exceptional (jigsaws, a drill). Whereas the blue ones are top notch (and a lot more
> ...


@PWH Hi Peter,thank you for your input.I will cut to the chase & tell you & others that I intended to sell this 1 1/2 HP Green model Bosch Router many posts ago.Thanks again & best wishes,Jamesjj


----------



## jj777746 (Jan 17, 2015)

Thanks again Harry,I have a lot of tools that I'll never be able to use any more so will bundle them up,along with this green Bosch router,& flog the lot on Woodwork Forums or Ebay.All the best,Jamesjj


----------



## Hypnotoad (Apr 17, 2018)

P.W.H. said:


> Well James, the POF 1200 is a "Bosch Green" product. I am afraid that the green Bosch tools are not at all in the
> same quality range as the Bosch Blue tools. They are cheap, and basically designed & priced for dabblers (sorry).
> 
> My own experience of them has not been exceptional (jigsaws, a drill). Whereas the blue ones are top notch (and a lot more
> ...


The Bosch green series is for DIY work, not designed nor priced for the professional, I have the same router and it does nicely as a hand held one, very well balanced and easy to use. It would take me a year to do the amount of work a pro would do in a week so I can't see myself wearing it out.

If you look you can get 8mm shank bits which are much stronger than 1/4" ones. It can't compete power wise to my 1/2" Makita but it doesn't have to.


----------

