Seized collet nut

5213 Views 18 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Bstrom, Apr 26, 2020

sharka2014

Discussion Starter · Apr 25, 2020

I have a Triton 3 1/4 hp router with the nut seized up on the collet. I was making cabinet doors today and I went to change router bits and it was really difficult to get the bit loosened up. I put another bit in and tried to tighten it up. It failed to secure in the collet. I tried a few drops of machine oil.
It will not move either way at this point.
I keep a grommet in the bottom to prevent the bit from bottoming out. However it doesn’t appear to be there now. Since the bits are matched sets and I have not had any misalignment with my door pieces I don’t know what happened to the grommet.
Any suggestions on what I should try at this point? Thank you!

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

Semipro

· #2 · Apr 26, 2020

Are you able to get the collet nut off the spindle shaft but unable to remove the collet.
The only reason I can see that they collet froze up or seized is from heat which means the bit or collet came loose inside spindle shaft ( probably destroyed the grommet)
If it were mine I get the collet out of shaft once out you could clean shaft pocket and replace collet

Bstrom

· #3 · Apr 26, 2020

Might be time for a Musclechuck...Hope the shaft and threads are OK. I guess you can both undertighten and over tighten a collet nut.

Cherryville Chuck

· #4 · Apr 26, 2020

Did you have the collet nut completely unscrewed before it failed to tighten? It sounds like it's possible that the nut got cross threaded.

Reactions: 1

Bstrom

· #5 · Apr 26, 2020

My Bosch 1617 has a little ‘tight spot’ midway on the shaft threads that I have to ‘get by’ with the wrenches each time I tighten a bit before doing the final snugging. Happens on both collets. Not a problem, not getting worse but not ideal either. If I could afford (and I can) a Musclechuck, it would eliminate the problem, which threading and unthreading anything is bound to create at some point. Eventually, safety drives us to make our tools work correctly before a catastrophe, which a router would be a candidate.

ger21

· #6 · Apr 26, 2020

My Bosch 1617 has a little ‘tight spot’ midway on the shaft threads that I have to ‘get by’ with the wrenches each time I tighten a bit before doing the final snugging. Happens on both collets. Not a problem, not getting worse but not ideal either.

Could just be a bad collet. Have you tried a new one?

sharka2014

Discussion Starter · #7 · Apr 26, 2020

As of yesterday I was unable to get the nut off the collet. It will not move either way. I put a little oil on it and hope it will get down in the threads. I will try again today.

Bob Adams

· #8 · Apr 26, 2020

The collet is captured in collet nut. So I am confused, is the bit seized in the collet or is the collet nut seized on the router spindle? There is enough play in the collet assembly to allow debris to cause the collet freeze up. I clean them with brake cleaner every now and then. If the collet nut is frozen on the router spindle I suspect it might be cross threaded. If that is the case, and the treads are damaged on the collet nut or spindle you might have to replace one or both.

DaninVan

· #9 · Apr 26, 2020

Brian; "My Bosch 1617 has a little ‘tight spot’ midway on the shaft threads that I have to ‘get by’ with the wrenches each time I tighten a bit before doing the final snugging..."

Do you mean in addition to the normal point at which you need to use the wrench. That point at which you need to use a wrench is normal. I never paid attention to the number of revolutions but I think it might be an additional 1 1/2 or 2 to get it properly tightened.

sharka2014

Discussion Starter · #10 · Apr 26, 2020

Collet nut will not loosen or tighten. There is no router bit in the router. Been using this router regularly for about 3 years, never had an issue. I decided to order a new one as I am making cabinet doors for a customer. I will either fix it or send it in to be repaired and keep it as a back up. Maybe make a new router table. Thanks for the input.

Danman1957

· #11 · Apr 26, 2020

I have the same issue with my Bosch 1617 as Brian. I can tighten by hand a few turns then use the wrench for about a turn or so then more by hand until time to use wrenches to final tightness. As he said, no big deal it still works well.

Stick486

· #12 · Apr 26, 2020

Danman1957 said:
I have the same issue with my Bosch 1617 as Brian. I can tighten by hand a few turns then use the wrench for about a turn or so then more by hand until time to use wrenches to final tightness. As he said, no big deal it still works well.

it's suppose to do that...

Reactions: 1

Cherryville Chuck

· #13 · Apr 26, 2020

sharka2014 said:
Collet nut will not loosen or tighten. There is no router bit in the router. Been using this router regularly for about 3 years, never had an issue. I decided to order a new one as I am making cabinet doors for a customer. I will either fix it or send it in to be repaired and keep it as a back up. Maybe make a new router table. Thanks for the input.

Sharka let me see if I understand exactly what happened. You tried to tighten a bit in and it didn't hold it. The bit came out and you can't move the collet nut either direction and it is still on the router and stuck?

If that is the case then the only cause I can think of is that it is cross threaded. I would take the base off so that I can easily get at the bottom of the shaft. Then I would try hack sawing the collet nut on one side lengthways. That might damage the armature threads a little but not enough to ruin them. That will open the nut up enough to screw it off so that you can assess the damage. Damaged threads can often be chased with the same size threading die. If that's possible to be done then I would install a Musclechuck since it only gets screwed on once and never moves again. The recess for the cone on the MC must be in good shape too though otherwise you might get excessive run out.

See less See more

Semipro

· #14 · Apr 26, 2020 (Edited)

Are you installing your collet in the nut properly
Here is a video

sharka2014

Discussion Starter · #15 · Apr 26, 2020

I never took the nut off, I only loosened it to change bits.
I had to use the offset wrench the entire time to loosen the nut. I assumed it got some dust in it and when I tightened it back down that would be the end of it.
When I got it to the point it was tight and secure I checked the bit and it pulled out of the collet. At that point I decided I better take the nut off and take a closer look.
It will not move in either direction at this point. So I don’t believe the nut is cross threaded. I make a lot of doors and change bits quite often. A quick google search reveals this has happened to a few others but no remedy for the issue. I will have a new one next week. In the meantime I can finish cutting all my door parts on the table saw, prime and sand. Thanks again

DaninVan

· #16 · Apr 26, 2020

Sharka; stating the obvious here, but it can only be an issue with the threads, either the nut or the armature. Have you tried saturating the threads with something like Liquid Wrench? Basically letting it soak for a couple of hours?
If there's crud packed in there, it needs to be softened, then flushed...be creative!

Nickp

· #17 · Apr 26, 2020

You mentioned the grommet is nowhere to be found...maybe it's playing hid n seek with you in the collet nut threads...?

It depends on the feel of the collet nut when you try to move it...is it "hard" as in two pieces of metal jammed together...? Or does it have a "spongy" feel to it and it doesn't move...?

If need be, you might be able to take a Dremel to the nut and slice it on one side, then spread it with a screwdriver (as Cherryville suggested above).

Reactions: 2

DaninVan

· #18 · Apr 26, 2020

Or a multitool, or die grinder.

Bstrom

· #19 · Apr 26, 2020

Stick486 said:
it's suppose to do that...

Say what!? I know you have an explanation for this, Stick...I’m listening.

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.