MuscleChuck quick change router collet

[SVB]

Hi,

Thinking of buying one of these MuscleChuck quick change collet systems for my Woodrat.

http://www.musclechuck.com

does anyone have one and have a view or did you buy a similar but different unit and why?

Final Q - I already have a number of reducing sleeves to take a 1/2" collet to 8mm or 1/4". I notice MuscleChuck recommend their own (what a surprise) but I don't really want to buy a whole new set. Has anyone used 'normal' sleeves with this?

Thanks

Simon

 

[custard]

I use two of them. One in a Router Boss, so a very similar application to your WoodRat, and one permanently fitted in a conventional router table. I think I bought the reducing sleeves from WoodRat, but I've had them a good few years so I might be mistaken. Some top of mind thoughts,

-Get yourself a really good, ball ended allen key. You'll often be operating it a few degrees off from perpendicular, and they need to be tight, so a properly handled and ball ended tool is what you need.

-They're a bit of a faff when fitting and removing the bit when the chuck is pointing down (as in the WoodRat position) because they tighten up and let go very suddenly, so at first you keep dropping bits on the floor or losing them in your dust extraction system. The other thing that takes a bit of getting used to is that there's no need to lock off the router shaft (which is main thing that makes them worth considering), so you have to learn to insert the allen key but not to actually press it forward while you're twisting it to lock or unlock. If you do the chuck will rotate as it loosens and nine times out of ten the bit then ends up on the floor!

-Talking about dust extraction, they foul on the under table extraction I use with a Festool 1400 router in a Festool router table, so that needed a bit of work before it all operated correctly. No similar problems with the DeWalt router in the Router Boss, but that's because there isn't much in the way of dust extraction in the first place!

-The tolerances are extremely tight on both the chuck and the reducing sleeve, you need decent quality router bits and you need to keep them in good condition. Cheap Chinese bits, resin encrusted, or burred bits, and they just won't work.

 

[Myfordman]

You possibly wont need one but the 12mm adaptor sleeve will be exceptionally fragile with a wall thickness of 0.35mm or 14 thou in real money.

I can only assume that you need to get a chuck that matches the taper in your router as that is what must be used to make it locate concentrically. i can't think of the make of extender I have but it has single screw cutter locking and with its 1/2" male shank can be moved from router to router. I cant really see what advantage the MuscleChuck offers over the one I have. I will try and find the make of mine and post it here.

Mine is the Xtreme Xtension chuck

 

[PAC1]

I have one on the router on my Woodrat. I also have the reducer for 8mm bits. I only ever use straight or dovetail bits with it so no large moulding bits. As Custard says you need clean good quality bits. The muscle chuck works well. You may need to try a few different positions and set ups to optimise the balance but once set up leave well alone.

 

[SVB]

I have one on the router on my Woodrat. I also have the reducer for 8mm bits. .

Thanks for info. To be clear, do you have the MC reducer? If so, did you get that because you didn't have any reducer so needed one or because you tried 'normal' reducers and they didn't work well?

Thanks

Simon

 

[PAC1]

I got the reducers from Woodrat, I thought they were Woodrat's own so cannot be too precise. It was a long time ago

 

[scholar]

Like Custard, I have two of these chucks, one on the Woodrat router and one on my router table.

Previously, on one of them I had the Xtreme Xtension (?) - the Muscle Chuck is undoubtedly better (if you google Muscle Chuck you can find some promotional stuff that explains why - it grips the shank of the cutter differently, by closing up the whole collet, whereas the Xtreme grips it with a small cam). The MC is definitely the best I could find.

If I recall I did have some problems with the 1/4" insert slipping on the Xtreme Xtension, but that was overcome by being careful to avoid the slits in the insert coinciding with the cam. I don't think I have had problems with the Muscle Chuck - I use either a MC insert or a the Woodrat ones I have had for years.

Finally, Custard's point about dropping the router cutter from the Woodrat is right - the best solution is to clamp the "brush in position underneath the router cutter when inserting and removing it.

Cheers

 

[SVB]

Thanks for all replies. I think I'll go for it and get the MC and see how I go with my existing WR / std reduction sleeves noting scholar's point re orientation.

With thanks,

Simon

 

[custard]

Here are a couple of photos of the Muscle Chucks as I use them.

The photo of the DeWalt router on the Router Boss shows the extra plunge depth the chuck provides, which pretty much gives you back the plunge depth lost to the router support plate.

The photo of the router table shows the kind of allen key that I use, and also the kind of larger router bit that I'll regularly use with a Muscle Chuck, in this case a 65mm panel raising bit. I'll generally use that particular bit in two passes to full depth on hardwoods like Oak, and the chuck seems to deal with it without any problems.

If you're going to use the Woodrat reducing sleeve with the Muscle Chuck I'd be interested if you can get a definitive answer as to if the slot in the sleeve should line up with the slot in the chuck, I've had advice from two authoritative sources, one says definitely "yes" and the other says definitely "no"! I've tried both ways with a fairly wide range of bits and can't actually see any practical difference, but it would be interesting to know if there is a right or wrong answer.

Incidentally, you may find a square of thick leather useful, sometimes the bits are a fairly close fit in the reducing sleeves and removing them requires a tight grip, you can easily slice open your fingers on a router bit so I wrap them in leather before tugging them out.

Good luck!

 

[MikeJhn]

Incidentally, you may find a square of thick leather useful, sometimes the bits are a fairly close fit in the reducing sleeves and removing them requires a tight grip, you can easily slice open your fingers on a router bit so I wrap them in leather before tugging them out.

Good luck!

Funny you should say that, I use my welding gloves to take the bit out of my muscle chuck, as you have said a decent ball end Allen key is a must I always seem to snap the ends off the cheap one's.

Mike