Kinda OT- Router question

Looks like the HF is not working so well so it may be time to upgrade and see what you've been missing. You get a collet for free when you buy a router from DeWalt, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, etc.

"ron" wrote in news:Z8SdnTjBf_8-yITanZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@trueband.net:

Did you try cleaning it? Warm water and soap may just go a long way in your case. (It's practically free to try, so why not?)

Puckdropper

Try their customer service for parts and buy a couple of collets from them if they are available

you just might have a shot at finding the part you need.

HF buys their machines from the lowest chinese bidder.

the chinese manufacturers often buy obsoleted engineering from higher end manufacturers. then they adjust the designs for cheaper manufacture by substituting plastic for metal, switching to a lower end bearing, that sort of thing. however, the geometry of things like collets may survive the cheapening process unchanged. the quality of the steel in that collet may not.

this could mean that your HF router might accept a collet from a makita, or a hitachi, or other such machine from a line that was in production a few years ago. you probably won't find the part from HF, or even from makita et al, but a shop that does service and repair of those machines is likely to recognize it and be able to supply you with one. don't be surprised if that collet costs a significant portion of the original cost of your router.

good luck.