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plunge router

1K views 8 replies 8 participants last post by  roundabout22 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
My husband bought me a plunge router
For my router table, he didn't know
Any better. I was still able to mount it, but
I'm unable to tighten down my router bits.
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Do you have a picture of your setup that you can post? A picture is worth a thousand words (sometimes more) and might aid in someone being able to help with a solution for your problem.
 
#3 ·
Let' see if we can get behind this: What brand of router…? How much hp….? Does it take 1or 2 wrenches to change bits…? We need a little more info on your basic set-up. Do you have a router lift, or remove the plate and router to change bits..? It's best to remove the springs so you can adjust the heigth either by hand or a lift..Try to explain a little more in detail…. There will prolly be others who will chime in….It's hard to know your situation at this time….
 
#4 ·
I think Rick asked all the right questions. Many need two wrenches. One goes on the shaft below the collet(smaller) and the other goes on the collet(larger). Let us know which make and model it is. Many have some features that make them more usable under the table. Also you may be dealing with the issue of not being able to change bits above the table. Many can't do that.
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
When I bought my first router table, it came with a big Hitachi plunge router. You either had to crane your neck and reach inside the cabinet, or else remove the router and base plate to change bits. Some routers are just really tough to change bits in a table. I would look for a fixed router that has a high-extending collar. This will allow you to make bit changes above the table.
Otherwise, some people take the spring out of their plunge routers for table use. That makes it a little easier to adjust, but doesn't solve the bit changing issues.
Good luck with it.
 
#8 ·
Willie…..I still have to "crane my neck" and reach inside the cabinet, or take out the baseplate and router to change bits…..I guess I'm just old school, cause I haven't forked on the sheckles for a lift…...And my router is also a 3 1/4 horse Hitachi M12V…....I think I'll get a jack and use it for a lift…...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#9 ·
I use a ryobi plunge router in my table. Like this one.

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

I took the springs out to make adjusting easier. It has a spindle lock, so it only requires one wrench to change bits. Jack, I did use a jack as a router lift until it topped working for whatever reason. Now I use a little jig that Nick Engler showed in his Woodworking Wisdom book. It is basically a dowel with a handle on one end and a hole drilled in the other with a nut epoxied on the end. you thread that onto the plunge post and you can make adjustments that way. I'm not at home now, but later if I remember I'll post a picture on my setup.
 
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