Replies

1. 
   jharveyb | Feb 27, 2022 11:59am | #1

   As far as the fence moving, is there some way you can clamp scrap blocks behind the fence to add holding power. I often do something like this to add insurance if something is likely to move (or is a disaster even if only a small chance.) In a similar vein, I always use 2 clamps when clamping a stop block or such, to keep it from rotating or slipping.
   As far as the bit slipping in the collet, is your collet worn? That can keep it from locking down tight. In my early days, with a 1/4" collet, I had similar trouble. I wet the collet, nut, and bit shank with a bit of WD-40 to make sure everything tightened up fully. Not sure if that was a good idea; use at your own risk. It is recommended that you not have the bit bottomed out in the collet when you tighten it up, as if it sticks in the collet before the collet completely seats, it can prevent the collet moving inward and seating fully. I bought an inexpensive 8mm collet recently to use in a dovetail jig, and found that it didn't tighten down well on the bit; hole was a bit larger than it should have been, so contact with the bit was minimal. So, is your collet either brand new (and a bit loose on the bit), or real old (and worn)?

2. 
   _mj_ | Feb 27, 2022 12:37pm | #2

   As JHB said, make sure the bit is not bottomed out. Anything done with 1/4" shanks should be multiple light passes. Ease up on the featherboards, or add the backup blocks as JHB suggested. A hold-down is a good idea also.

   Using a solid block clamped to the table as a fence might work better for you in this case. Grooving on the tablesaw has always felt safer to me.

3. 
   gary_vaiskauckas | Feb 27, 2022 01:21pm | #3

   I agree with Harvey's comments on the collet and possible damage. A router bit should never loosen during operation if everything is up to spec, installed correctly and operating properly.

   Here are my thoughts / questions on the Router:

   1. Replace your Collet. Overtightening will damage a Collet.

   2. Check out your router for the proper Bit tightening procedure. Usually the procedure is to have bit bottom out and then backoff at least 1/16th of an inch. Otherwise the bit can loosen up during operation. You can also search FWW there are several articles on the correct Router Bit installation procedure.

   3. Regarding tightening the router bit (again check your router instructions) tighten by hand and then snug up the bit with the router wrench. Do Not Overtighten otherwise you can damage the collet. The rotation of the Router works in the direction towards tightening the bit so you do not need to overtighten.

   4. What is the diameter of the Router Bit and what is the speed of your Router? Larger diameter bits require slower speeds. Check your Router documentation. Larger bits do better with 1/2" diameter bits. There is more surface area for the collet to grab.

   5. Is the router bit sharp and free from wood resin? If not the Router has to work harder through the cut.

   I'm perplexed on why the Router Table Fence shifted mid operation. Possiblities:

   1. Are the knobs that hold down the Fence worn?

   2. Did you try to remove too much material in one pass? If so can you do it in several passes? Removing a small amount of material on the last pass often results in a cleaner cut.

   3. Harvey made a good suggestion for additional clamping, but if the Router Fence is designed properly and not worn it should not be required in my opinion. You might want to contact Woodpeckers Technical Support to see what they recommend.

   Best of luck on your woodworking journey.

   P.S. If you identify the Router Bit (Make and Model), Speed of Router, wood that you were cutting it would be helpful in the diagnosis.

4. 
   bilyo | Feb 27, 2022 09:05pm | #4

   In case you don't understand what MJ and JHB say regarding the bit "bottoming out" do this when you put a bit into the router: with the collet loose (of course) drop or push the bit in until it stops. If the bit stops because the back side of the cutters come down against the collet, that is one reason. If the bit stops because the end of the shaft has hit the bottom of the router bore, it has "bottomed out". The latter is a bad thing as it may keep the collet from tightening onto the bit properly. But, in either case, at that point just pull the bit out by about 1/8" or a little more and then tighten the collet securely. You should be good to go. If the bit still slips, something is wrong with either the bit shaft or the collet or both.

5. 
   esch5995 | Feb 28, 2022 12:40am | #5

   I can't imagine how much pressure you were applying with your feather boards but it shouldn't require that much. A light touch to keep the workpiece consistently against the fence is all it requires. A router table is not much of a threat for kickback as long as you are feeding right to left, even less so when grooving a board.

   As for the bit slippage, the above advice is all valid but don't rule out an out of spec shank. Discount bits have been known to have shanks that can be out of round and or undersized which is why I only buy from trusted suppliers, mostly Whiteside. Those imported tool suppliers who love to mail me catalogs can find them all in the trash.

6. 
   pantalones868 | Feb 28, 2022 02:11am | #6

   A router bit should never move up or down or spin in the collet. Agreed! Never the less sometimes they do. The material is too hard, the depth of cut is too deep, the collet maybe has some wear, you hit a knot, the bit is dull or at least not sharp enough, the stars are not in proper alignment, something causes it to happen and not always for the same reason. When it does happen it pretty much always ruins the piece. One of the short falls of routers is that they can take many hours of work and ruin it in a split second. They can also do in a few seconds a tremendous amount of work that could take hours to do any other way. I can almost predict when I'm doing some operation when this might happen, as in, "This is going to be really hard on the router"! My solution to the problem is to coat the shaft of the bit with a thin coat of threadlocker. The blue stuff,not the black or red. Let it dry and chuck it in. The blue threadlocker doesn't seem to gum up the collet and cleans off the shaft easily, the bit isn't difficult to remove, it also gives the bit more grip in the collet. Black and maybe you'll ever get it apart! My proof to this ,at least to me, is when I haven't used the threadlocker and I start having problems I'll then remove the bit and apply the threadlocker and it works from then on.

1. 
   john_c2 | Feb 28, 2022 04:45am | #7

   I've got to say, if you need to put threadlocker on a router bit, something is seriously wrong. It may be the bit, the collet, router, or technique. Something. There's just no way I'm spinning up a piece of metal at 20,000 rpm and depend on threadlocker.

7. 
   DRBWWing | Feb 28, 2022 09:20am | #8

   The bit issue could be either the lift or something with the router collet? You sure the motor was locked?

   What kind of router motor?
   How deep was the pass?

   Re: the fence, it should stay solidly locked in place, you're never putting that much pressure with a feather board anyway.

8. 
   pantalones868 | Mar 01, 2022 03:02am | #9

   Johnc2, 999 out of a thousand times the router performs as it should. I probably have 20 routers. To me the tool is a means to an end and admittedly I will push it to accomplish some task if necessary and I have fried some tools as a result. The project and the material are to me what matters. A matched set of boards for example cannot be replaced if one gets destroyed. A tool on the other hand is expendable and replaceable and a write off anyway. There have been times and I would think that almost anyone who has spent thousand of hours using a router has had it happen that a router bit has changed depth in the middle of a cut. The cause could be that maybe the operator didn't set up the tool properly or it could be that the tool is just worn out or it could be the operator was trying to make the tool do something beyond its capacity....such as a very large bit on some really dense material.. Guilty as charged! I don't depend on the threadlocker anymore than I depend on a spare tire but as with a spare tire it helps assure me that I get where I'm going. I don't use it every time, just sometimes. If I had a router that this was a common problem I'd probably toss it in the bin and pick up another router.

9. 
   chiwoodworker | Mar 05, 2022 01:25pm | #10

   If there is any pitch, rust, or grime on the bit or the collet it can come loose. I just touch the shaft with high grit (400 or 600) sandpaper knocks off any grime and gives a rough surface to grip to. Never had a bit loosen up after this practice.

1. 
   stevieray | Mar 06, 2022 12:25pm | #11

   People were asking, here are the answers: the wood was cherry. I was putting a groove in the edge of rails to accept a plywood panel. The plywood was undersized 1/4. The groove was 1/4 deep. And one time the bit went down, one time it went up. I always leave a 1/8th gap when tightening a bit. The collet was part of the Portamate router motor package.