[whiteriver]

Anyone out there know of a way to use 1/8 and 3/16 bits in a 3 1/4 hp Portor Cable router. I have 1/4,3/8 and 1/2" collets. Can you get blanks and drill them?

Donny

[steveald]

Hi Donny,

I use a split bushing available through ND Graphics in Canada to hold 1/8" bits in a 1/4" collet. They should be available through any mail-order tool distributor, I have heard of 1/2" split bushings for use with the stock 1/2" collet that came with your router, but I haven't seen one or know where to get them. Try ROUTER BITS Walter Hartlauer 85905 Bailey Hill Rd. Eugene, OR 97405 PHONE 503-343-5976 FAX 503-343-1409. He has a wide assortment of small dia. bits with 1/4" shank dia. They work better than the split bushing in my opinion, but for me they cost too much for everyday use because of the cross-border shipping and brokerage fees.

Steve

[HomeCNC]

I hope my link works. You can try making some collets like I did.

http://www.cnczone.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=3615

[seansear]

Porter cable does make a reducer for the 1/8 shank bits.

http://www.porter-cable.net/porcab4214to.html

I have never seen 3/16 shank bits

[turmite]

Hey Jeff while we are on the subject of your collet design have your ever decided to market them??? Hmmmm? Have you? If not why don't you copywrite the design and sell the drawings if you have them? I would love to have a set of holders like that but I would need to make them cause I probably couldn't afford them right now. Also if you decide to make them I know a shop in Denver that has 3.5 million in machines that is sitting right now.

Mike

[HomeCNC]

I would just love to have them made by a CNC lathe. Then have them hardened and ground. My problem I have with this is I believe it would cost too much for people to purchase. I would have to have about 200 of each size collet made to get the cost down to something affordable. I have only had about 5 people want a set. I would get stuck with 195 sets!!!

[turmite]

Jeff what kind of price were they for retail?
Mike

[ropewrench]

194

[HomeCNC]

Jeff what kind of price were they for retail?

What do you mean? The collets were designed by me and built by me. They don't exist anywhere else that I know of. You can't get them wholesale or retail.

Sorry for hijacking this thread

[cbcnc]

Whiteriver,

Here is my cheap solution. I have a Porter Cable trim router with a standard 1/4" collet.
I found a 1/4" dia. electronics standoff that was threaded for about a 4-40 screw and drilled it out to 1/8" on my wood lathe. The reason for the threaded standoff is that the hole acts as a pilot. My lathe would not be that accurate if I had used solid rod. With the predrilled hole it, it might work on a drill press too.
Then I sawed through one side with a jewelers saw to make about a 1/32" kerf.
I can't detect any runout with a dail indicator.

Chris

[whiteriver]

I was thinking about the old drill out and cut method, but was not sure about acurccy and holding power. I have a Lathe sitting in my shop I guess I should actually use it for a change..

Jeff,
Do you have prints of your collets you want to donate to the group.They look like they would be very helpfull. And like you said they would be tooooo costly to sell. So why not share. Maybe some of us with no money could benifit from your expertiese. Pardon the spelling..

Donny

[Budcan2]

Steve

ND Graphics doesn't carry this bushing any longer.
They dropped it after numerous customer complaints.

Joe

[HomeCNC]

Originally posted by whiteriver

Jeff,
Do you have prints of your collets you want to donate to the group.They look like they would be very helpfull. And like you said they would be tooooo costly to sell. So why not share. Maybe some of us with no money could benifit from your expertiese. Pardon the spelling..

Donny

That is not a problem. I have said in another post some time ago that I would give out my prints to who ever asked. I just used the nut and snap ring from an existing Porter Cable collet.

See below..

[HomeCNC]

1/4" collet

[HomeCNC]

1/8 and 1/16 collet

[turmite]

Jeff thanks for posting those. My friend who has all the cnc equipment that is sitting.......owes me some money!!! I feel a trade coming on! Have you figure out how to do the 1/2" yet? I have looked at it and it seems to me without having a larger thread on the router spindle that it can't be made unless done in more that one piece. BTW I don't know if you are aware or not but the threaded portion of the spindle also threaded on!!

Mike

[HomeCNC]

I have not went back to look again at the 1/2 fixed collet. I just have not needed one yet.

I have not looked real hard at the thread on the spindle of the PC router. It looks like it is part of the motor shaft but I guess that would make a custom made motor for Porter Cable. So it makes sense to thread it on as well.

[whiteriver]

Thank you very much for the prints.

Donny

[HomeCNC]

Your welcome! Dust off that lathe now and get cutting