I recently upgraded my XL to an XXL and while using my Carbide Compact router, I heard a strange noise which sounded like something broke so I stopped the machine, turned off the router and after looking closely, I noticed that the button to hold the spindle in place to change bits was missing. Located it on the floor of the shop, noticed that the pin which it screws onto was still in the router but the threads were stripped out so I was not able to screw the button back on.
Now I have this pin in my router that I needed to get out so I could continue to use the machine, the slip washer on the backside of the pin started to disintegrate so I was not able to get it all off in order to push the pin out. Ended up using a punch to get it out.
Anyone else have problems with the spindle lock button on the Carbide Compact Router?
Makita and Dewalt routers are seldom mentioned with problems on the forum. Maybe because c3d does not make the Makita/Dewalt routers could account for the lack of mention but I suspect the reason is because the Makita/Dewalt routers are dependable. The c3d router in contrast has a lot of problems listed on the forum. Recently I bought a used xl that had C3D router. The lower bearing was bad with excessive runout. I bought a Makita for a replacement. C3D has the router made for them and they brand it as thier own. The c3d router is a clone of the Makita but not the same quality.
C3D makes many great products but the c3d router is not one of them in my opinion. Now my opinion does not count for much but when I had a choice I bought a Makita. C3d routers being clones are not the same quality as Makita Chinese made routers and that is saying something. After WW2 Japan became imators but eventually matured and became inovators and not imators. The Chinese have been imators for a long while and for the forseeable future they will remain imators.
Buy the real thing and skip the imators. I think c3d would survive without thier own router. That is thier own business decision but you have to make your own business decision for you best interest.
One hears about the failed units, the many, many more units which go out and just work are rarely spoken of.
If nothing else, bundling a trim router eases the burden on the support queue asking which routers can be used.
Hopefully we’ll have the ER-11 units in stock in the near future, which changes the calculus and makes them seem an even better value and fit. For further information on product development write in to sales@carbide3d.com.
I have no complaints at all on this router aside from the 1 issue with the spindle lock. It’s been working great up to this point, along with all the other items I have from Carbide 3D. In fact, I just received the Sweepy V2 and it’s the bomb compared to the V1.
well… I’ve had super terrible luck with Dewalt. Brushes don’t last long, and at some point (in say 6 months) they (I had 2) developed a wobble, as if the bearings got lose…
One thing that keeps popping up time and time again, do not use the armature lock to install or remove a bit. Use your wrenches only. I only use the lock to hand tighten my bits.
I hear that and going forward, I will be doing the same. Now I just need to customize a half inch wrench that will fit the spindle as the ones I have are too thick. The supplied wrench is too small to get any real pressure on the nut. Maybe I can use my lathe and turn a handle to accommodate the little wrench.
I wouldn’t bother trying to improve the stamped wrenches bundled with the routers — you need a low profile 13mm, and a stubby 22mm is a nice pairing.
The community has the following notes on collet wrench/nut sizes:
The Capri wrench is a lot longer than it needs to be — I probably would have taken a grinder to mine if it hadn’t wound up in my bicycle tool box, eclipsed by the much handier Asahi wrench (which was so nice I bought a full set for my car tool box).
Trim router, also commonly referred to as a palm router. I have an actual Makita laminate trimmer, I suppose you could call it a “trim router”. It has a single high speed. Full plastic body, to include base. It is a higher quality, more expensive tool. Made in Japan. Interestingly, Makita tools come from all over the world(For instance, my saws all originate from the UK).
I recently purchased a couple reasonably priced Makita tools that were made in the USA(more accurately “Assembled”). And purchased another embarrassingly expensive tool from FLEX, traditionally of German manufacture(I believe they have been Chinese owned for some time now)… it was made in China. Over priced, but fine quality.
A small router, often referred to as a trim router, palm router, hand router ect, is just a small router. One handed operation, tight places ect. Uses a plenty. Pattern work. Fitting doors. Sizing/Trimming. Finishing. I’ve fitting many hundreds of doors in with the same Porter Cable palm router. It is my opinion that the trim router is more capable than my machine machine(3xxl). Countless commercial shops run standard routers on their industrial machines, sometimes multiples of them to facilitate simplified tool changes. They even make pneumatic tool change systems for standard routers, or at least they did.
To the OP: The Carbide3D router is not comparable in quality to something like the Makita RT0701. I’d get a replacement Carbide router, and buy a Makita RT0701(optional of course). I’d put the Makita on my machine, and throw the C3D router into the Makita’s included base. Then you can easily trim off tabs, onion skin, add a chamfer or round over; a handy dedicated tool.
Today is a great day in the Neighborhood… Shapeoko Support has graciously sent me a new C3D Compact Router to replace mine that broke. To me, that is top notch support in my book.
Big shout out to Shapeoko and the entire support group for being generous and taking care of the customers as they do.
Also want to thank Will Adams for suggesting that I contact the support team and send them pictures, which I did.
Thanks again to everyone else that has provided excellent suggestions and or recommendations on this issue.
Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful 4th of July weekend.