new plunge router

[darrenls59]

hello.
Though by profession i was a decorator i am taking up carpentry as a hobby. I was bought a plunge router for xmas with a good selection of bits and two collets (1/4" and 8mm). The 1/4" collet is installed. Now i put in the dovetail bit and the instructions say to drop the bit in as far as it will go. If i do this the bit doesn't reach the wood even if I adjust the depth to minimum, so I pull out the bit to the point where the bare metal shaft of the bit is just visible and it shaves only mm of the wood. This is no good for dovetail and if i pull the bit any further out, I'm worried that the accuracy of the depth gauge will be compromised and that the bit's shaft may snap. Can anyone give me some advice on what to do?

Thank you.

 

[oilman]

Which router? Which bit? Then again, here might help.

 

[darrenls59]

Which router? Which bit? Then again, here might help.

It's the blackspur 900 watt plunge router and all the bits seem too short, rather I have to set the depth to maximum so it clears the router housing. I though perhaps the collet was in upside down but nope. Mind you there are two bits that look like squares with springs on the back. I haven't the foggiest where they go but they was in the same bag as the collets.

However i shall keep checking on this forum and post on the router one you showed me too.

 

[big-all]

i suspect your turret[the thing with three threaded rods on it] and plunge mechanism are stopping the the full plunge the collet nut should sould be with in a mm or two of the base plate !!!
may just be the turret needing to be turned one sixth to clear the machine body

please read you instructions before useing the machine

you should leave 1/3 the shaft out of the collet

 

[darrenls59]

i suspect your turret[the thing with three threaded rods on it] and plunge mechanism are stopping the the full plunge the collet nut should sould be with in a mm or two of the base plate !!!
may just be the turret needing to be turned one sixth to clear the machine body

I thought of that and checked the turret. It was on the smallest setting. (smallest screw thread) However there is a cover like a plastic protection over the main shaft (something to do with dust extraction i think) that prevents the bit going any further than a few mill.

please read you instructions before useing the machine

Read the damned thing cover to cover even though we blokey, bloke, bloke bloke types aren't meant to need instructions

you should leave 1/3 the shaft out of the collet

The manual said it should be flush.

[/quote]

 

[big-all]

ok fair point serves me right for such a tounge in cheek comment

ok take out the dust extraction plastic components
place the router without cutter installed base plate down with loosend plunge lock on table
it should now plunge to within a mm or two of the table

if you have any probs try pressing with more preasure on the plunge clamp side as this side will often have the only spring on lighter routers

if the base plunges to the max depth suspect a removed component
if not further investigation required !!!

check your getting the advertised plunge from top to bottom!!!

did you check the depth mechanism that dropps down on the turret to make shure it isnt hindering the depth movement

 

[eggplant]

Maybe it ought to "break" and get exchanged for a better brand (no offence to the person that bought it you, their intentions were well and a router is a cool prezzy) BUT blackspur are about as cheap and nasty as it gets when it comes to tools (alongside rolson "qualityless tools") they are very cheap and as I'm sure you'll agree you usually get what oyu pay for in most things.

 

[Deluks]

Maybe it ought to "break" and get exchanged for a better brand (no offence to the person that bought it you, their intentions were well and a router is a cool prezzy) BUT blackspur are about as cheap and nasty as it gets when it comes to tools (alongside rolson "qualityless tools") they are very cheap and as I'm sure you'll agree you usually get what oyu pay for in most things.

I've got the rolson lock knife and stumpy hammer. Both great bits of kit. Not too many moving parts though

 

[darrenls59]

ok fair point serves me right for such a tounge in cheek comment

ok take out the dust extraction plastic components
place the router without cutter installed base plate down with loosend plunge lock on table
it should now plunge to within a mm or two of the table

if you have any probs try pressing with more preasure on the plunge clamp side as this side will often have the only spring on lighter routers

if the base plunges to the max depth suspect a removed component
if not further investigation required !!!

check your getting the advertised plunge from top to bottom!!!

did you check the depth mechanism that dropps down on the turret to make shure it isnt hindering the depth movement

Yes, I checked that. Anyway I took off the plastic dust extraction unit and all seems fine without it. I had to set the turret to middle to get the exact depth. I don't know what the other ositions are but it will come to me.

Thanks for all your excellent advice.

 

[big-all]

the idea of the turret is
it gives you three different depth stops for different depths but i never use them [well rarley] as i would like the settings to be close together to allow perhaps 4mm increments to allow plunging on the same multy pass cut rather than general depth stops that arnt related for the same action

 

[darrenls59]

Maybe it ought to "break" and get exchanged for a better brand (no offence to the person that bought it you, their intentions were well and a router is a cool prezzy) BUT blackspur are about as cheap and nasty as it gets when it comes to tools (alongside rolson "qualityless tools") they are very cheap and as I'm sure you'll agree you usually get what oyu pay for in most things.

Bear in mind it's my first and maybe in the future i will upgrade to a better model but for now it'll do me. What brands would you recommend on the inexpensive but decent market that is?

 

[darrenls59]

the idea of the turret is
it gives you three different depth stops for different depths but i never use them [well rarley] as i would like the settings to be close together to allow perhaps 4mm increments to allow plunging on the same multy pass cut rather than general depth stops that arnt related for the same action

Thanks, I think

 

[big-all]

the idea of the turret is
it gives you three different depth stops for different depths but i never use them [well rarley] as i would like the settings to be close together to allow perhaps 4mm increments to allow plunging on the same multy pass cut rather than general depth stops that arnt related for the same action

Thanks, I think

yeh sorry

if for example you want to cut a groove 6mm wide by 12mm deep you need to do multiple passes of around 4mm
so if you could set your turret on the highest stop and the cutter protruding by 4mm you would then just plunge and cut
turning the turret one step each pass checking depth before final plunge

 

[darrenls59]

the idea of the turret is
it gives you three different depth stops for different depths but i never use them [well rarley] as i would like the settings to be close together to allow perhaps 4mm increments to allow plunging on the same multy pass cut rather than general depth stops that arnt related for the same action

Thanks, I think

yeh sorry

if for example you want to cut a groove 6mm wide by 12mm deep you need to do multiple passes of around 4mm
so if you could set your turret on the highest stop and the cutter protruding by 4mm you would then just plunge and cut
turning the turret one step each pass checking depth before final plunge

Oh right. I understand.