PC 8529 height adjustment slips

The height adjustment on my PC 8529, which is a hollow rod with a clamp, slips. Each time I plunge into a piece it slips a bit. I just used it to drill about 15 shelf support holes in a cabinet side. By the end of the run the depth of the last hole had increased by 1/8 inch over the first hole. I've tightened the clamp as much as possible and am careful no to push down so hard as to force the depth to increase. This is not the first time this has happened. Does anybody have the same problem? Any fix (modification) for it?

Len

Reply to
l-lopez
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Hello, Len. IIRC, the 8529 is the newer brother of the 7529, which is essentially the same router with some neat little upgrades like dust protected switches, etc.

I have used my 7529 a lot over the years, and while it has it quirks, I personally haven't had any problems with the depth adjustment changing when plunging. The key for repeated performance i (like with a lot of tools) is to not rely on the gauges. They are fine for setup and reference, but that's it.

Use the hollow rod/clamp as a reference gauge to get the router to plunge the depth you want. Once you have it set, plunge to the depth you want and release the carriage lock to hold the router body in place on the plunge bars.

Between the motor housing and on top of the base, there should be a small rotating turret with 3 square headed screws. Find the one that will most easily adjust up to the motor housing (the longest one possible) and screw that one up until it just touches it. That will prevent the router bit from going any further down when plunging, no matter how many holes you plunge. That is how you use the turret stops on this router.

The rod/clamp/tube is not meant to be used for much more than indexing for setup, and wasn't meant to be used as a plunge stop. Remember that every time you change bits you will need to reindex the turret stops, not matter how careful you try to be when putting in a different bit.

As another a tip, make sure your bits are seated properly before using your plunger for repeated cuts. They need to be seated in the collet pretty tight for a lot of drilling. Dirty bits, bits with oil on the shaft, dirt in the collet, etc., are all contributors to bit slippage as well.

In order to ensure that the depth adjustment on the turrets can do its job properly, you might also need to adjust the depth the bit in the collet as well, depending on the profile and length of the actual bit.

Hope that helps.

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

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