New router collet too small for 1/2 inch router cutter

[andrew.f]

I recently bought myself a Triton TRA001 as I had a few Screwfix vouchers. This is my first router so I'm not sure what I'm about to describe is a defect or my own ignorance.

Basically, the problem is, I have a 1/2 inch collect and a 1/2 inch router bit but the router bit won't fit in the collet. Everything is brand new. I measured the inner diameter of the collet and it measures 12.5mm, the diameter of the router bit shank is 12.7mm, as it should be. No matter what I do, I can't seem to get the router bit to fit. It won't fit, either with the collet/nut installed or just loose in my hand. I was expecting the collet would expand a tiny bit when I installed it to allow for the router bit to slot in, but no.

Is anyone able to help me with this? See photos.

Thank you very much in advance!

 

[Bingy man]

Is the collet fully un tightened most will release after the spanner is applied but you need to undo the nut a little more which should open up the collet a little more .. to allow the router bit to be inserted / removed . Be very careful once sorted and don’t over tighten the collet .a 1/2 “ router is a beast -only take shallow passes . Good luck

 

[ChaiLatte]

... you need to undo the nut a little more which should open up the collet a little more

I think you may have missed this bit: "It won't fit, either with the collet/nut installed or just loose in my hand"


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Did the collet and nut arrive in the box already assembled or did you assemble them yourself? If the latter, are you absolutely 100% certain they are assembled correctly? If they did arrive loose, double check the nut and collet groove for dings, swarf or anything else untoward.

If the collet can be separated from the nut, try just the collet on the shank of the bit. If that needs excessive force, the collet is too small.

An option might be to find a 1/2 dowel, sand it to a taper and push into the collet. The collet may have sprung a little small and maybe once the tool enters for the firts time, it may behave itself.

As the machine is new, there is always the option to return it so long as your investigations do no harm.

 

[dizjasta]

From the details provided it seems the collet has been tightened without a 1/2" shaft router bit in place and deformed it. This is the time you return the tool to Screwfix for a replacement.

 

[Amplidyne]

Perhaps worth saying that the 1/2" collet with my Freud router is a tight fit to the cutter shanks. It sometimes seems almost impossible to get them in. They do go though.
As said, check there are no burrs or dings anywhere.

 

[Sideways]

Take it straight back. They'll swap it.

 

[andrew.f]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

From the details provided it seems the collet has been tightened without a 1/2" shaft router bit in place and deformed it. This is the time you return the tool to Screwfix for a replacement.

You may well be right about this @dizjasta, if I was meant to have the router bit shank in the collet before screwing the collet nut onto the router, then I don't think I did that.

Extra photos attached showing that the collet and nut are separate and kind of just push-fit together. When I initially screwed it onto the router, it got to a point where the collet was snug in the router and stopped rotating, but the nut kept going and they separated. After a bit of persuasion, I got both bits back off and pushed them back together fairly easily.

I think I will try and get in touch with Screwfix and hopefully just get a replacement

 

[Spectric]

it seems the collet has been tightened without a 1/2" shaft router bit in place and deformed it.

If you tighten a collet without a bit you also stand a good chance of it snaping as they are a tool steel.

 

[niall Y]

Folk can be quite imprecise when describing things and tend to think that 12mm and 1/2" are interchangeable. So, you could have been sold a 12mm collet instead of a 1/2" one.
Just a thought...

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Probably unlikely in something brand new, though.

 

[macetownhouse]

Hello, I bought same router and had same problem, Sauter in Germany replaced straight away saying the collet 12mm and 1/2inch got mixed up during assembly.

 

[Peter Sefton]

Sounds like a 12mm collet to me.

 

[harry the b]

I have the same machine and it came with the two collects. 12mm and ½inch.

 

[andrew.f]

It does indeed come with 12mm and 1/2 inch and I already thought I may have mixed them up, but I already double checked. You can see from my photos that I'm using the 1/2 inch nut and I already used my calipers to verify that I was using the larger collet (i.e. the 1/2 inch one). The collet I wasn't using was even smaller than the one I was using (as expected).

 

[andrew.f]

Anyway, I went to Screwfix earlier before they closed and managed to get a replacement ordered. Hopefully arriving tomorrow. I'll make sure I put the router bit in before tightening anything up next time. Will update tomorrow how I get on.

A lesson was learnt this day, the hard way .

 

[macetownhouse]

Sorry I might not have been clear, the collet marked 12mm had a 12.7mm insert, just mistake in manufacture.