[Jay Johnson]

Hello from the south side of Kansas City Missouri. Retired teacher trying to do some projects. Trying to do lots of stuff with my router. Just got a tongue and groove bit and trying to put it in router. Collet/nut is loose but the clamps will not let go of the shank of the bit last used. I tried using pliers on the bit but it would not come loose.

 

[DonkeyHody]

Jay,
Welcome. Many routers will release the bit if you continue to turn the nut after it feels loose. After a turn or so of easy turning, it will get hard again and probably require a wrench to turn it. This last bit of turning will finally release the bit. Good luck, and let us know if that doesn't work.

 

[Semipro]

Hello and welcome to the router forum,Jay
Agree with Andy

 

[ggom]

Welcome Jay!
I think andy is right.
Tell us about that.

regads
Gérard

 

[Stick486]

Hello from the south side of Kansas City Missouri. Retired teacher trying to do some projects. Trying to do lots of stuff with my router. Just got a tongue and groove bit and trying to put it in router. Collet/nut is loose but the clamps will not let go of the shank of the bit last used. I tried using pliers on the bit but it would not come loose.

..

 

[RainMan 2.0]

Welcome to the forum Jay

 

[Jay Johnson]

Thank you everyone for the initial greeting. This appears to be a great place for me to learn my woodworking skills.
My router has a button to push that pushes a metal tube into the shaft that holds the collet and bit in place so my wrench can loosen the nut. I have the nut undone all the way down to where it hits the metal tube that is holding the collet shaft in place. The bit will turn but I am unable to pull it out of the 4 pieces that clamp around the shank. Would they have melted and ruined the whole tool?

 

[MT Stringer]

Welcome aboard.

 

[DaninVan]

Hey, Jay; welcome!
"I have the nut undone all the way down to where it hits the metal tube that is holding the collet shaft in place"

What Andy said... http://www.routerforums.com/introductions/127673-hello-help.html#post1801457
????...the nut on most routers loosens by rotating it up and away from the motor body, not towards it. Did I misunderstand your description?
It would loosen then get hard to turn, It needs to be turned past that point. I could be wrong but I'm not aware of any collet inserts that are made of anything that could melt; they're all metal.
If you use any liquid lubricant you'll need to completely flush out the assembly afterwards...Mineral spirits or Acetone will work (confine it to the collet asembly!)
Have you had a chance to read Stick's .pdf's ?

 

[old55]

Welcome to the forum Jay.

 

[MT Stringer]

My router has a button to push that pushes a metal tube into the shaft that holds the collet and bit in place so my wrench can loosen the nut. I have the nut undone all the way down to where it hits the metal tube that is holding the collet shaft in place. The bit will turn but I am unable to pull it out of the 4 pieces that clamp around the shank. Would they have melted and ruined the whole tool?

Remember the old saying - Righty tighty - lefty loosey. So with your wrench on the nut, turn it counter-clockwise until it backs off. It doesn't hurt if you loosen it completely and it comes off the router spindle. It should come off with the router bit still inside of it.

 

[DesertRatTom]

The push button sits against a flat spot on the shaft. I find it hard to hold it tight enough to really apply the wrench. The four prongs inside the collet usually don't need to come out, although they might. When I first got my router, I tended to over tighten the collet. It really doesn't need to be cinched up. I think the shafts are threaded like the arbor on a table saw. The rotation keeps the bolt, or collet, on.

 

[MEBCWD]

You don't say what router you have so it is hard to give you a complete answer.

Older routers just had a loose collet with nut to clamp the collet. Most newer routers have a nut that you inset the collet into and there are groves in the nut that holds the collet, it snaps in place. When you clamp a bit in the router the collet tightens around the bit, when you remove the bit the nut loosens and you keep turning and the nut pulls on the collet and makes it release the bit. If the nut and collet are not snapped together then the collet tightens in the shaft but when removing the bit the nut can not pull the collet up to loosen the bit. Most of the time you can tap on the bit with a large dowel or stick and get it to release, remember I said tap not hammer. After you get it out clean everything nut, collet and the shaft inside and out. Lightly lubricate the parts then insert the collet into the nut and push until you hear it snap into the nut. you might have to tilt the collet a little bit to get it to go into the nut. Now it will pull the collet out of the shaft along with the bit.

 

[DaninVan]

That was a great explanation, Ken! First time I've heard the rational for the way it's designed. Thanks for that.