[Guy Fuson]

Does anyone know where to get a 1/4" to 1/8" collet reducer for Porter Cable Router?

[tobyaxis]

Does anyone know where to get a 1/4" to 1/8" collet reducer for Porter Cable Router?

Can you give just a little more info?

[aggie_67]

Saw them at my local Lowes!

[CNC Pro]

I've been making my own, 1/4" brass rod and a bench lathe have allowed me to make numerous reducers such as ¼”-1/8”, ¼ -2mm, ¼” –3/32” etc.

[GaryCorlew]

this is where I bought mine from http://www.cadcamcadcam.com/index.as...TS&Category=16

[ger21]

I think you can get them here:
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/

[southernexplore]

Sears also sells them. Look by the Roto zip supplies.
I have a few from there and they seem to be working fine for me.

TOmmy

[CNCRob]

I have used both te Roto Zip and another one I may have been made by Porter Cable Im not sure.It fits completely inside the collect. The Roto Zip one seems better for lighter duty work and the other one seems better for heavier duty work. I beleive sears has the RotoZip ones on clearance for a very good price.

[CNCRob]

Just to add to my above statement the only RotoZip one I broke was because my servo encoder wire got hung and broke; on my z-axis. The z went plowing into the table sinking a v bit I was using into the table, and breaking the adaptor. That happend right after I got my machine. I have since fixed all the cables so they will stay free and not get caught over anything and break.

[Salty72]

I have a quick Question.... What happens if you want to replace the manufactures Collet (usually they only have a single split and can create runout) with a machine quality ER... style of collet.

Thinking you will need to find the curent Collet pressure face of the router and match that with a ER style is there anything else I should look for ??

[Santa Fe Al]

Hi All,

It's an old thread, but I decided to use it instead of rehashing everything.

The purpose of this is: I want to use 1/8 inch shank v-bits,etc. on my Hitachi 2-1/4 HP M12VC Variable speed router. I am able use both 1/4 and 1/2 inch shank bits.

Reducers are, according to what I've been reading, "DANGEROUS". While scouting on ebay, I came across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-2-ER16-5-L-Str...item255732f0f4

The question is: can this, or a similar one on ebay, be used in my Hitachi router with the original 1/2 inch collet, thereby allowing me to use 1/8 inch and other sized shank bits.

There is a machine shop in town whose owner says he can shorten the shaft to any length I want/need. He claims it won't break my bank account.

Thanks for any replies to this query.

Al

[wildwestpat]

Hi Al

Adding an adapter by simply plonking it into the Hitachi's collet will add the adapters run out to that of the base machine's run out. The ER11 extender looks to be well made and others have used this or similar as the basis for a DIY high speed spindle with good results reported.

If you want to minimise run out try placing the adapter in the machines collet holder in various positions to find the best relative possition of the two collets / holders for run out using a sensitive DTI. Having found the best position mark the adapter machine spindle and the two collets and line these up every time the adapter is used. Adopting this method also helps with the simple split ring type of adapter which if well made can be as accurate as one could wish in terms of run out. The problem with the split ring is that the grip is not as good as the split finger type of collet. There are bad examples of both types! It is just unfortunate that the split ring type is associated with low end machines as the cost can be low particularly if mass produced out of sheet metal.

The shank could be simply reduced in length with an angle grinder taken slowly with a damp rag to protect the business end from excess heat.

I recall seeing the ER11 straight shank adaptors on ebay with shorter shanks. Might be worth asking the sellers.

Found this on the Trend web site looking for spares and it might be the best approach as the spares would be available from your local Trend stockist. http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/produc...xtensions.html I am assuming that the USA Trend people will have inch sizing as stock.

Regards

Pat

[Santa Fe Al]

Hi Al

Adding an adapter by simply plonking it into the Hitachi's collet will add the adapters run out to that of the base machine's run out. The ER11 extender looks to be well made and others have used this or similar as the basis for a DIY high speed spindle with good results reported.

If you want to minimise run out try placing the adapter in the machines collet holder in various positions to find the best relative possition of the two collets / holders for run out using a sensitive DTI. Having found the best position mark the adapter machine spindle and the two collets and line these up every time the adapter is used. Adopting this method also helps with the simple split ring type of adapter which if well made can be as accurate as one could wish in terms of run out. The problem with the split ring is that the grip is not as good as the split finger type of collet. There are bad examples of both types! It is just unfortunate that the split ring type is associated with low end machines as the cost can be low particularly if mass produced out of sheet metal.

The shank could be simply reduced in length with an angle grinder taken slowly with a damp rag to protect the business end from excess heat.

I recall seeing the ER11 straight shank adaptors on ebay with shorter shanks. Might be worth asking the sellers.

Found this on the Trend web site looking for spares and it might be the best approach as the spares would be available from your local Trend stockist. http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/produc...xtensions.html I am assuming that the USA Trend people will have inch sizing as stock.

Regards

Pat

Thanks Pat,

I gave up looking for reducer collets and decided to try the method above if I could find something that will work. I seem to be, finally, heading in the right direction.

Thanks again,

Al

[TDA]

Hi All,

It's an old thread, but I decided to use it instead of rehashing everything.

The purpose of this is: I want to use 1/8 inch shank v-bits,etc. on my Hitachi 2-1/4 HP M12VC Variable speed router. I am able use both 1/4 and 1/2 inch shank bits.

Reducers are, according to what I've been reading, "DANGEROUS". While scouting on ebay, I came across this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/1-2-ER16-5-L-Str...item255732f0f4

The question is: can this, or a similar one on ebay, be used in my Hitachi router with the original 1/2 inch collet, thereby allowing me to use 1/8 inch and other sized shank bits.

There is a machine shop in town whose owner says he can shorten the shaft to any length I want/need. He claims it won't break my bank account.

Thanks for any replies to this query.

Al

The problem with these is that you are talking about .00005" TIR (on the one you linked) this is the made worse the longer it is to the tooling. As you mentioned you can cut it down but you may still have issues. You also need very low runout in your 1/2" collet to begin with (which has not been the case in my experience).

What kind of router do you have? I might have ER style collets for it.

Edit:
Just realized that you listed your router in a previous post. We have 1/8", 1/4", 1/2" , and 8mm collets that will work in your router.

[Santa Fe Al]

The problem with these is that you are talking about .00005" TIR (on the one you linked) this is the made worse the longer it is to the tooling. As you mentioned you can cut it down but you may still have issues. You also need very low runout in your 1/2" collet to begin with (which has not been the case in my experience).

What kind of router do you have? I might have ER style collets for it.

Edit:
Just realized that you listed your router in a previous post. We have 1/8", 1/4", 1/2" , and 8mm collets that will work in your router.

Thanks,

You will certainly hear from me. I had thought it was all a lost cause and I needed to find another way of fitting 1/8 inch tools.

Thanks again,

Al

[corrie]

Check k2,s website they have a reducer made of brass for 1/8 shank bits,cheers.

[foxbay3]

Here is where I bought my adapters. I have only used them a few times.

R. L. Spellman Mfg. Company

From their site...

Bushings are made out of the finest alloy steel and heat-treated and
tempered to RC 61-64. Bushings with thin walls are heat-treated to RC
50-55. Bushings are .002 undersize to facilitate use with a tolerance of
plus .0005 minus 0. Bushings are concentric within .0015 TIR.


Good Luck - Bot on

Wayne