Desperate for help. The collet will not budge. The bit has been in there for a long time. I managed to turn the bit back and forth with pliers but I can't pull it up at all. I have the spindle locked so it doesn't move but the collet won't budge. I've "tapped" on it and oiled it but no progress. I looked all over the internet but nothing suggested has helped. The info is all for hand held routers. I can't tell if taking the whole thing apart will help or if it will still be stuck but in pieces. I really need to use this thing now. Any help will be greatly appreciated. JED1000
stuck collet on delta router/shaper table Model 43-505
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I don't know how much room you have to work with. But if you can try to hold the bit with a pair of vise grips then hit the vise grips with a hammer. Turn the bit a little and hit it some more, working your way around. If that doesn't work then leave the vise grips on and somehow wedge them so that they don't move. Then briefly turn the machine on. The downside to doing it this way is that it's possible the collet will wear away slightly making it a little larger and useless. I have always had success doing this with stuck router bits and never had a wearing problem.
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I would also try heating it up. A heat gun would be best, but a hair dryer will do in a pinch. Nothing with a flame, though.
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2,323 Posts
I have one of those router/shapers. My first question is, "How far did you loosen the collet nut?". The collet nut is designed to extract the collet from the shaft, but you have to not only loosen the nut, but loosen it further and it will become tight to turn again, usually requiring the wrenches to loosen further. This time, turning the nut further in the loosening direction, will pull the collet out of the shaft and the bit can be removed easily with only about 1 more turn with the wrenches. Most modern day routers have collets with collet nuts that work this way. If this isn't the problem, come back with more information and we'll try again.
Charley
Charley
The collet never budged. I ended up taking the tabletop off and that gave me some space under the bit. I had been turning the bit back and forth with pliers but could only move it up 1/8 inch. I used a wrench to wack the under side of the bit. It had “wings”. The bit was already ruined. That was the last thing I cared about. It took quite a while but I finally got the bit out. Then it was fairly easy to unscrew the collet. It was a mess. Lots of fine sawdust. I guess I got what I deserved for not keeping it clean. It’s all very clean now! Thanks a bunch for the help.
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2,323 Posts
I don't think you paid attention to what I was saying. You use the two wrenches to loosen the collet nut while holding the shaft with the second wrench. The nut is then loose to unscrew for about 1 revolution, but then it becomes tight again. You then use the two wrenches to loosen the collet nut yet again. This second time extracts the collet from the motor shaft and loosens the collet hold on the router bit. The only time that this might not work is if the collet and nut weren't snapped together properly before use. The collet has a groove that the thin top portion of the nut snaps into, when both are not installed in the router/shaper. Once snapped together they can be used and the 2 step method of router bit extraction will work properly. This is a common collet/nut design that is used for most routers. It is not unique to the Delta Router/Shaper.
Charley
Charley
Thanks Charley but I did understand. I am familiar with what you are saying. My hand router is that way. Unfotunately, the problem I had was that the collet would not move one iota. There was not second time, there wasn't even a first time. It would not move at all even with the 2 wrenches. After taking the tabletop off I was able to use a wrench and eventually knock the bit out. The problem was that the collet had sawdust in it. I had not cleaned it out and it must have been overtightened. Bad mistake.
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