Bad Gramma needs help!

Welcome to the forum N/a . I’m sure the experts will chime in soon , but in the mean time , a brand and model may be beneficial for them to help troubleshoot the problem better

Thanks! Wasn't sure if brand names were allowed. It's a blue hawk 1314 router on a blue hawk 1034 table. The plunge lock lever just moves around & doesn't feel to be unlocking or locking anything. Let me rephrase that. The lever unlocks it but it only moves about 1/2".

Hey Gramma, here is the manual, you can read it on line or download and print it out.

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/927954/Blue-Hawk-7343.html?page=20#manual

if you go to page 20, you wuill see a knob over the lock lever, will that knob turn?
Herb

This one is not a plunge router, it has to be raised and lowered manually, looks like.

If the router is in the table go to p.30 and it shows height adjustment from above the table.

Welcome Bad Gramma. Brand names are no issue and sometimes very necessary. Some routers are really bad for having the plunge tubes plug up with sawdust if run inverted for long periods of time. When that happens they need to be cleared which often means taking the plunge base off. But at the moment it's not for sure that the column lock is releasing so follow Herb's advice and see if that helps. AS far as the wrench, usually any standard wrench the right size will work. If there is room for a crescent wrench they will even work.

I have the manual. I've checked the plunge lock lever, depth stop rod & turret & locking knob, the lock bolt. It still only unplunges about 1/2". Everything turns fine. I've pretty much have it taken apart at this point & still not getting anywhere.

Sounds like you have the router out of the table, look at the base is there a hole for an allen wrench type tool to use to raise and lower the router when it is in the table? You might try turning it and see if the motor will raise up and down.
Herb

Yeah I can't get a wrench in there til I can get it unplunged. When you raise it the 1/2" it will move, it feels to be hitting something solid but there's nothing left externally for it to hit. I'm currently removing the base to see if the plunge tube are clogged.

I have the Allen wrench but I can't find where it would go other than to tighten the straight edge guide.

How the &÷)) do you get the metal base off if you can't get the [email protected]?! Bit out?

Try unscrewing the collet all the way off. Some collets have a “lock” that won’t allow the bit to come out until you loosen it to its “unlocked” position. If you try unscrewing it all the way you will either loosen the bit, or unscrew the collet all the way which might allow you to squirt in some lube to loosen the bit. If you get the bit out you will need to clean the lube out.


In woodworking there is always more then one way to accomplish something.

There is a collet lock button just like on a dremel. My problem is that I can't get a wrench on the collet nut because it's stuck in the plunged position so I can't access the collet nut. I've never had a tool beat me before. I'm not giving up!

Except my darling hubby removed the plunge lock lever & now it won't catch to screw it back in. I love him & he can make computers do flips but it's a family joke that he's not allowed in the house with a hammer. Daddy was a master cabinet builder back in the day so what I know I picked up from him. Fixing a tool is generally a piece of cake for me but this one's kicking my butt.

And she wins!! Woohoo!

Thanks everybody! Merry Christmas!

Tell us how you did it, Gramma Jodi. Santa must have helped you.
Herb

Welcome to the forum Jodi.

The fact that it moves a 1/2 inch seems to indicate that it is plugged by either saw dust or some rust/corrosion due to the fact it has not been used for quite a while. Most likely you will have to dismantle it to clean out the tubes. Some WD 40 might loosen it up. My tools were in storage for 3 years and I am having to tear them down and remove the corrosion to put them back in working order, sounds like you have the same problem.

Getting the bit out is a separate issue.
Assuming you can lock the shaft and undo the locking nut, then the bit should come out. If not try squirting wd 40 around the bit shaft and use a block of hard wood to give a sharp tap to the bit to loosen it.