[Pat Williams]

I'm having trouble with the depth adjustment on my Sears Craftsman router. It has a micro adjustment, but it never seems to hold. I set the depth but once I begin to use the tool, it seems to have a mind of its own. What am I missing or not doing?

 

[Stick486]

adjust the lock...

 

[Cherryville Chuck]

Hi Pat and welcome. Which model Craftsman is it? That might help with the answer although it's possible that Stick covered it. Some of the routers had especially slippery motor cases and it didn't matter how tight you tightened the mechanism they still didn't want to hold in heavy going.

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum Pat.

 

[Shop guy]

Welcome to the forum, Pat

 

[JOAT]

Not enough detail for me, but if it is your bit lifting, it might well be because you are bottoming it out when you put it in. Gotta have it a little off the bottom.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Drop a small rubber grommet into the collet and bottom the bit on that. Otherwise make sure it is about 1/8 or so from the bottom. Stick's suggestion is good. Take a look at the instruction book and locate the lock and tighten it as per instructions. Yup, read the instructions. Not sure of the model, but also make sure you've tightened down the collet adequately. When spinning, the bit has a lot of momentum and rotational force.

 

[TallPaul85]

Check your collet. It may be dirty and not letting it grip enough to keep if from slipping.

 

[DaninVan]

I think Stick and Charles were on the money; my old Craftsman was a royal p.i.t.a. for shifting in the base...I could see the vernier knob turning.
I may actually have fixed the problem...but I can't remember. I never use it anymore; why would I?
I replaced it with Boschs (whats the plural of more than one Bosch?)

 

[CharleyL]

How about "several made by Bosch"

Charley

 

[Pat Williams]

It's a Craftsman 320 series.

 

[Pat Williams]

I've tightened the collet. I will check to see if has bottomed out, but the issue seems to be I get the depth setting I want and begin to work; then then it feels like the depth adjustment isn't locking properly?

 

[DesertRatTom]

Do you notice that the cut changes up or down? If it remains steady, then it's not really slipping. But if the cutline changes, then the collet isn't getting a grip. When you opened it, did you clean it carefully? Is there any chance the bit has any lubricant on it?

Are you using it as a plunge router? Or is it a fixed base machine? Did you try dropping a half inch rubber grommet into the collet to keep the bit from bottoming on the metal shaft? Are you using one or two wrenches (two if you don't have have a button that locks the shaft)?

I had a low end brand for my first router, and replaced it with a Bosch 1617 EVSPK kit. So much more precise and lots of accessories for the Bosch. I also used the Bosch in the table for some time, and still use the two I have for freehand work. The router is such a great way to put some final polish on a work piece.

 

[gjackson52]

Welcome to the forum !



Gary

 

[DaninVan]

Pat; if you set the small dial on the vernier adjustment to zero, and it changes, than the movement has nothing to do with the collet. As Charles and I have both mentioned, some Craftsman models just won't stay put in the housing.
I know I stripped mine right down, thoroughly cleaned all parts, and removed some minor oxidation. That blued steel inner housing is terrible for rust.
When I reassembled everything, played with the locking mech. as Chuck suggested, it seemed to be fixed...I just can't remember if there was some specific issue? I do remember scrubbing all the collected gunge out of the rack and pinion height adjuster; it was pretty crapped up. As Red says, "We're all in this together."