Freud Router

[PTH]

I've recently bought a Freud 2000 router which came with two collets, supposedly 1/4" and 1/2". I particularly wanted both sizes as I already have a good selection of 1/4" bits. The first time I tried to use it I found that none of my smaller bits would be held by the 1/4" collet. Out of interest I tried drill bits to find the actual size of the collets and found that they are 8mm. I've contacted Freud who say that they don't make 8mm collets and will send me a 1/4" fitting.

I'm just a bit puzzled by how it got into the box. The router was bought from Machine Mart who sell various other makes so the collets could have been inadvertantly swapped from another manufactures.

My question is does anyone use 8mm collets? - I've never seen them on a routing machine.

I got the job done using a 1/2" milling machine bit with a very light cut.

 

[big-all]

power devil routers used to come with one strait cutter only and that was 8mm

 

[gemmy]

Hi PTH
I have a number of routers and most have 6mm, 8mm, 0.25", and 0.5" collets. All four sizes are quite common.
gemmy

 

[PTH]

Thanks, as you you may guess, wood butchery is not my preferred subject. I find welding so much more permanant than nails.

 

[kevplumb]

the 1/4"" collet might be 6mm not a lot but there is a difference

 

[Dewy]

the 1/4"" collet might be 6mm not a lot but there is a difference

6mm and 6.35mm (1/4") is a lot different, approx 14 thou.
Fitting a 6mm shank bit in a 1/4" collet is asking for trouble with the bit flying out at 20,000rpm.
Not my preferred method of singing soprano.

 

[PTH]

Thanks to all for for the advice - I have checked all of my smaller router bits and they are are all marked as 1/4". I found a set 15 Trend 1/2" bits on special offer the other day so I may not need to use any of the 1/4" bits at all.

Anyone got opinions on Trend bits? At £35 for 15, they seem too cheap to last!

 

[Dewy]

Trend make good quality bits.
Sets are always cheaper than buying the same bits individually.
If you think £35 for 15 is cheap you should see a set I bought at £4.99 for 12.
At that price I bought a few sets.
They are handy as backups if a better quality bit goes blunt.

 

[petewood]

i think £35 for 15 is very cheap for trend, are they tct? i'm sure the last trend bit i bought was about £18 (it could have been freud). i would not buy cutters at £4.99 for 2, never mind 12; i value my fingers more than that (what's left of them).

 

[Dewy]

If these cheap cutters were dangerous they would not be allowed to sell them.
Britain has a history of high prices compared with other countries which is a throw back to the days of empire when this was the richest country in the world and prices reflected that.
All items are sold for what they can fetch rather than what they are worth.
Many things are sold here for 80% more than in USA.
Theey are sold for the same number of pounds as dollars.
Look at the American adverts on the shopping channels.
I have looked at the American shopping channels and seen an item for approx $38 when the same thing sold by the same company in this country costs £38.
Before their new catalogue came out Argos were selling their router bit sets for half the old catalogue price.
A 40 bit set for £19.99 instead of £39.99.
The tungsten carbide may be of lower quality and the design may not be as good but they will still do the same job but may blunt quicker.
They are OK as backups to be used as throw away tools similar to the FC3 3 flute milling machine cutters I use in my router.
They keep their edge far longer than TC and cut much better until blunt then thrown away and replaced.

 

[PTH]

Petewood ; The Trend bits are TCT. For the use that I'm proposing if they last for the duration of one project (a bit of cabinet making) then I'll be happy. I'm only working with soft wood and I tend to be quite gentle with depth of cut and feed rate so I dont give the tools a hard life.

My old router (Skil) was very secondhand when I bought it and the only reason for replacing it is that the bits tend to jamb in the collets and I'm fed up of cutting my fingers trying to get them out, even with welding gloves on.

Where I bought them, the single Trend bits were around the £10 mark, single Freud ones were around £18. If they can sell a set of 15 bits at £35 then either the packaging for single bits is something special or someones mark-up is indecently high.

I'll let you know how I get on with them.