Axminster AW127R 1/2"

[Anonymous]

I own this Router and so far I've been happy with it up until today. While I was routing, with the router fixed under a router table, the screw holding the Spindle Lock Lever in place became unscrewed, jammed the spindle in mid route which inturn threw the workpiece being routed in my direction, no damage to me but the workpiece was ruined. Be sure to check everything on your routers on a regular basis and that all screws and bolts etc are tightly screwed/bolted before using a router, whatever its size or make in or out of a table!

 

[Midnight]

Joe... if you haven't done so already.... you might wanna bring Axminster up to speed about that... things like that shouldn't be happening....

 

[Anonymous]

That's a good point Mike, I'll have a few words with them :twisted: I think the problem is one of excessive vibration at high speed when fixed to a table. On closer inspection other screws had worked themselves lose. This is, afterall, a budget Router, it's specs are very similar if not identical to other 'non-branded' routers costing the same. Axminster put their name on it but so do other companies. I'm learning that 'branded' power tools by reputable companies are a far better bet than power tools that only carry a 'business' name but no other identification!

 

[Anonymous]

I've worked out what happened. The Spindle Lock Lever pivots via a screw and a spring. The screw screws into a moulded part of the casing. This moulded piece had snapped so it was not the screw becoming unscrewed it was in fact the casing, where this screw screws into, that had broken. I have not returned the Router to Axminster because it is in daily use and apart from this incident everything else is working. I simply removed the Spindle Lock Lever and now use a pair of mole grips to hold the spindle when changing bits. It is obviously a design flaw but, as I say, other than that all works well

 

[Midnight]

Joe, this goes without saying, but I'll say it anyway..

2 main points...
Firstly, I hear what you're saying re not wanting to return the tool because it'd shut you down, but still, repeatedly compressing the shaft with moles has a high chance of weakening the shaft, or worse, knocking it off balance... I won't spell out the possible consequences..
Suffice to say... for your safety, you need to get a suitable replacement ASAP
2nd point
re the nature of the fault; all the more reason to report it fully to Axminster. A fault like that happened on the drawing board, either with weak design or wrong material specification, either way it's not an easy fix.

 

[Anonymous]

I hear what you're saying and thinking about it you're quite right! Back it goes

 

[Anonymous]

Back it went, got a refund and got an ERBAUER from Screwfix. Much nicer to use and no design problems with weak spindle lever lock plus now £5 cheaper than the AWR :wink:

 

[Gary H]

Joe.
Was looking at the Erbauer model today. Any chance of a review when you've put it through it's paces?
Seems good value with plenty of power, too.

Ta muchly

Gary

 

[Anonymous]

Sure Gary, will do.