SO3: Help request for 1/4 to 1/8 collet on Dewalt router

I bought an inexpensive collet adaptor from Amazon, but it was not a good experience. Had to tighten it very tight a couple of times before it finally ran without sinking deeper into the chuck. Must be a good one out there.

Any recommendations?

Your best (but not cheapest) bet is to get a collet kit from PreciseBits.

I have one and it’s great.

There are some other kits out there too I believe but I don’t have any details about them.

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http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Spindle_Options#Collets_and_Adapters

PreciseBits is definitely the way to go. Out of all the collets made for the Dewalt router, they are the most precise (fits the name). They have a TIR (total indicated runout) of less than 0.0004". They are expensive, but you get what you pay for.

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Thank you all. I 100% agree the Precisebits setup is the way to go. I just ordered.

What I did was purchased the 1/4 to 1/8 collet reducer from Rockler. I included the website but the Rocklers buy me had it in stock. I think the open loop allows it to clamp down tighter then the other reducer. This is only $8.99 and I know someone else that uses it without a problem.

I agree the correct part would be better but Carbide 3D was out of stock when I put in my order.

I’m sorry, these just don’t work. They’ve been tried by many. The best thing to do is by real collets - 0.25", 0.125".

Maritool is one good vendor but there are many others.

mark

Precise Bits makes reducers they claim really work: http://www.precisebits.com/products/equipment/collet_reducer_500.asp

According to the Precise Bits web site, all other reducers are "made by Satan"
Funny, I thought he had an exclusive deal with Harbor Freight.

I doubt they include the Elaire Corp. collets in that. They work quite nicely and are very well made.

They didn’t say that about collets at all. They said it about collet reducers. :relaxed:

From http://www.precisebits.com/news.htm :

“After years of telling our customers that collet reducers are made by Satan, we decided to see if we could design and build one with the same level of precision and balance as our ER style spring collets. While there are some inherent differences between tapered collets and cylindrical collet reducers, minor tweaks to the inter-leave geometry enabled us to reliably produce reducers with low TIR, uniformly high clamping pressures and virtually perfect balance. Best of all, no Satan.”

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Sadly the Precise Bits reducers are all for 1/2" routers. The DeWalt 611 is a 1/4" router.

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Good point. I wasn’t shopping them, just pointing them out, and hadn’t noticed that. Sorry. :blush:

Although we are currently out of stock, we do carry a very nice precision 1/8" collet for the Dewalt

We should have them back in stock by the end of the week.

-Edward

FWIW, those have been listed at the link I provided for a while.

They’re also at: http://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/DWP611#Collets_and_Nuts which arguably is where we should collect information on using these.

I just wanted to say that I did buy the Precisebits collet system. I am totally pleased with their ease of use and precision quality. They are superb albeit pricey. But you get what you pay for and it’s comes with nice accessories.

I especially like the wrenching system over have 2 flats.

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+1 to the PreciseBits collets. They are well built and work great.

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+1 PreciseBits collets.

mark

No love for the Like button?

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too much like FB. :slight_smile:

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The 1/8" collet is out of stock now, one carbide3d.com. Do we know when there will be more?