Problem with height adjuster

6500 Views 8 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Mike, Nov 24, 2004

Glenmore

Discussion Starter · Nov 5, 2004

My craftsman router I have is a fixed based router I'm having problems with the height adjustment it won't turn either up or down. Tried to take it apart but won't even come loose what can I do with it besides throwing it against the wall. I'm that aggraviated with it.

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Woodnut65

· #2 · Nov 5, 2004

Hi Glenmore:
Not knowing the specific on your router, my guess is the its bound up. I would
get out the booklet from Sears and disassemble the unit. Something may be stripped
and or broken. If that won't work I would suggest that you buy a better router,
Porter Cable, Hitachi, Makita etc. Over the years I have found that Craftsman tends
to be expensive, when you consider that you will have to replace it anyhow.

Hope this helps, Woodnut65

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reible

· #3 · Nov 5, 2004

Glenmore said:
My craftsman router I have is a fixed based router I'm having problems with the height adjustment it won't turn either up or down. Tried to take it apart but won't even come loose what can I do with it besides throwing it against the wall. I'm that aggraviated with it.

Can you take a picture of the model so we know what kind it looks like. Sears has had a lot of models and they vary greatly on how they work. I would how ever suggest the use of a small rubber hammer to lightly tap the housing. I'm guessing it might be sawdust and oxides of the housing making a bond.

I have an old craftsman router, my first router which I purchased in the mid '70's, it still works fine, never had to replace anything...... I have a few jigs from the same time frame and now the router is used for those and a few other times when I need one with a 1/4" shank. That old router has a lot of hours on it and a few more to go.

ED

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fredsintheshop

· #4 · Nov 5, 2004

I over-adjusted mine once (tried to raise the bit too far) and the housing bound and became mis-threaded. I had to really reef on it in order to turn it back into alignment. I assume yours has the plastic height adjustment housing on the outside of the router. You turn the housing and the router bit raises and lowers.

Hope this helps.

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Glenmore

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 6, 2004

Sorry don't have one of them cameras I looked at the book and it doesn't tell me much about the break down. And yes I'm using my porter cable that I had in my router table. Intend to get another in the near future. Thanks guys for the help I'll figure it out some day so I'll either fix it or break it darn crapsman.

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DONALD

· #6 · Nov 12, 2004

Glenmore said:
Sorry don't have one of them cameras I looked at the book and it doesn't tell me much about the break down. And yes I'm using my porter cable that I had in my router table. Intend to get another in the near future. Thanks guys for the help I'll figure it out some day so I'll either fix it or break it darn crapsman.

Glenmore the problem you're having is exactly like the one I just finished repairing. The height is adjusted by a small plastic knob. There is a gear rack located inside the router this rack is secured by two screws from inside the router housing. These screws can be removed from the out side only if you can raise the motor unit but they dont have to be removed. There should be screws on the other side that must be removed to take the router apart. If you have removed these screws and still can't get it apart you may have to spray some WD40 into any opening you can especially around the adjusting knob. Try this first and it still won't move. Give the WD40 a few minutes to work. You don't want to take it apart unless that's the only way. Between the housing and motor there is a tempered thin piece of sheet metal that will make it hard to put the whole thing back together again. If you do get it apart probably all it needs is a good cleaning. When you go to put it together don't tighten the screws that hole the rack in all the way. Wrap the sheet metal around the inside the housing and just under the rack. Hold it there and tighten the rack screws and it should go together. TRY the WD40 first and give it time to work. If you have a compressor try blowing the WD40 deeper. Before I discovered how to secure the sheet metal I almost threw the whole thing in the trash. Good luck.

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Glenmore

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 13, 2004

Thanks for the info I didn't do much of anything with it yet but thats what I'm going to do spray some wd 40 in it and let it soak. Thanks

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g-man

· #8 · Nov 19, 2004

Height adjustment on Craftsman router

Glenmore said:
Thanks for the info I didn't do much of anything with it yet but thats what I'm going to do spray some wd 40 in it and let it soak. Thanks

I wish I knew what model you have. I have a 10 year old Craftsman router. Sometimes wood dust gets in between the housing and the motor. I spray silicone spray onto it and let it penetrate for a few minutes. You should've dropped the motor down every once in a while and vacuumed it out around the threads on the housing.

g-man

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Mike

· #9 · Nov 24, 2004 (Edited)

Does your router have a knob you turn to adjust the height or does it have the cam locking band that you twist around the router body? I have a 1 1/2 hp model with the locking band and it has a couple ball bearings inside the band which adjust the height. It is prone to getting a small build up of sawdust inside the band which blocks the balls from moving. By removing the cam locking lever you will get the band to open enough to get it apart, and yes, the ball bearings will go flying. a quick clean up and a lot of frustration trying to reinstall the balls will get you back in working order. Make it a point to use a dry lube since oil or WD40 will attract more sawdust. And like gman said, make it a point to vacuum out the threads on a regular basis.

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