I’m using the C3D compact router and the precision collets it came with. I’m finding that removing them is extremely difficult, to the point that I’m having to grab the collet with a pair of pliers to get it to move at all. I’ve cleaned the collet and holder inside and out, and I tried using some silicon lube on it, but it’s still impossible to remove bits by hand. Eventually I’ll likely damage the collet using the pliers.
I don’t think I’m over-tightening it, the nut just feels snug to me.
Is it supposed to be this tight? Any suggestions for removal?
The Makita and Carbide3d Routers use the same collet system. The collet sleeve is a cylinder that has cuts in it similar to a W shape. The inside of the router shaft is an inclined plane. When you insert the router bit and tighten the collet nut you are squeezing the bit and shrinking the collet by forcing it up the incline plane. The spaces in the W cutout of the collet are contracted and hold your bit.
When you loosen the collet nut the natural spring of the collet helps to bring the sleeve down the inclined plane and release the pressure on the bit.
The Dewalt router has the collet sleeve attached to the collet nut so when you loosen the collet nut you are pulling the sleeve down and releasing the bit. The Makita and Carbide routers are not attached to the sleeve. This why your sleeve is sticking in the router shaft.
You do not want any lube inside the collet sleeve. You want the inside of your router shaft and collet sleeve to be dry as the Sahara desert. What you could try is to loosen the nut a few turns and GENTLY tap on the nut and that could make the spring action of the sleeve slip down and release the bit. Do not pound on the nut and do not hit the threads.
Edit: As Will Adams points out below Carbide3d sells collets also. I forgot they also sell the collets. I have a Dewalt and the do not sell collets for them any more.
The precision collets from Carbide 3D should be pretty much equivalent to the matching precision collets form Elaire (I believe they tumble theirs to ease the edges, but we don’t).
Pliers should not be necessary.
If you have difficulties with the precision collets please contact us at support@carbide3d.com and we’ll do our best to assist.
Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I cleaned the collets and the ?receiver? with mineral spirits to remove any oil, and now the “pull down while tapping the shaft gently” trick seems to work most of the time.
I notified support regarding this on my last spindle bearing issue. I’ve received two sets of precision collets recently and both have been tight. I foolishly used the new tight set vs my old set tonight and the above picture just resulted. Pillars to remove and my 1/8” Amana o flute bit was the victim when the grip slipped.
I THINK there is something out of tolerance on the precision collets. My original set works fine in all 3 C3D routers I have in my possession.
Obviously something is wrong but your bit seems to be very high up in the collet. When installing a bit in the collet measure your collet length. You only need to insert the bit as far into the collet as it is long for maximum hold on the bit. So if your collet is 1 inch long you only need to insert the bit in 1 inch. A little more wont hurt but if you insert the bit in too far during tightening the bit may bottom out on the router shaft. Ths leads to rough cutting, out of round and high runout. Not sure if it would cause your bit to stick but the picture seems odd that your bit is so far up inside the collet. Is the bit extremely short or is it average length?
