Collet inserts

[lauckstshipyard]

I'm in need of a collet insert for the Porter Cable router (3 1/4 HP) that will allow me to use 1/8" shank end mills. My business requires cutting very small parts and all of my end mills are 1/8" shanks. The Porter Cable router that came with my ShopBot only comes with 1/4" and 1/2" collets. Does anybody know where I can purchase a 1/8" collet that will fit the router or an insert that will allow me to use 1/8" bits?

[gerald_d]

If you are a model shipbuilder, and all of your mills are 1/8", don't you think that the 3.25 HP router is far too big/slow/noisy? Or are you planning to move on to full size ships?

Seriously though, your best option could be a complete change of router, rather than just a collet insert.

[paul_n]

Bob,
Try Hartlauer http://www.hartlauer-bits.com/ , but do not use the fiber ones, if you do the z-zero program will not work, as you will not get a switch close on the z-pad.

[srwtlc]

Bob, try these adaptor bushings (http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/adapbush.html). I've been using the 1/2" to 3/16" and will be trying the 1/4" to 1/8" today.

[J Scott (Unregistered Guest)]

Bob,
You can find 1/8" collets at Southeast Tool 1-877-465-7012 part #SE6390. also great prices on router bits.

[J Scott (Unregistered Guest)]

Bob,
I forgot to mention this collet fits the quick change t wrench adapter that Shopbot sells.

Thanks,
J. Scott

[beacon14]

Porter-Cable sells an 1/8" adapter which fits their 1/4" collet. You may have to be persistant with them, not all their sales reps know about it (I suspect they don't sell too many of them). If you can find a local PC service center, they should be able to order it for you if they don't have any

[papadaveinwy]

Bob The adapter is model # 42106 it goes from 1/4" collet and has an inside diameter of 1/8"
David in Wyoming

[papadaveinwy]

Bob I forgot it is from Porter Cable and any dealer can order it it is in the catalog under router accessories David in Wyoming

[gerald_d]

Doesn't anyone agree that he should dump the Porter Cable and get a smaller/faster/quieter router like this Dremel (http://www.dremel.com/productdisplay/Display.asp?SKU=395).

[dmdraper]

The PC 1/4 to 1/8 adapter is avaliable through Amazon in the tools and hardware section:

Amazon Link (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00004TRAW/qid=1078852866/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2_etk-tools/102-2274582-1247304?v=glance&s=hi&n=228013)

No need to change routers back and forth, the adapter works fine.

[gerald_d]

An adapter cannot speed a 1/8" bit up to a good cutting speed of +30 000 rpm. Bob doesn't have bigger bits, and he is a model shipbuilder.

[sheldon@dingwallguitars.com]

Gerald, Dremels just plain suck. They are OK for rough hand held work, but they lack power, have terrible runout and weak - not to mention loose bearing seats. I agree on the higher RPM point though.

Bob, I just bought a Bosch 1617. At 25,000 RPM it's no speed demon, but it can take 1/2" bits so it will also serve as a work horse router. So far I've only done a few test circuit boards, but I was impressed with the feed speed and quality of cut using a 1.5 mm bit. I don't have any long term or smaller bit experience to share yet.

The Porter Cable 310 laminate trimmer is slightly faster at 27500 RPM and from what I've been told has good runout specs.

[evan]

Just a thought , what about using a high end die grinder, perhaps one from Bosch or Milwakee?
I believe they run up around 30,000 RPMs.

[gerald_d]

The 3.25 PC router has a max speed of only 21,000 RPM.

[Mayo]

Evidently Amazon has discontinued selling the collet adapter

[Kevin (Unregistered Guest)]

I use an adapter for rotozip,available at home depot and lowes.It chucks into your 1/4 collet in the router, and holds 1/8 bits with a set screw.

Kevin

[pappy]

I went to the Porter Cable "Store" in Phoenix to get 1/4 to 1/8 adapters only to be told that they don't carry them. They sent me to "The Shop" (which carries a multitude of tools) and they are heavy into Delta. They had an ample supply of them.

[papadaveinwy]

Doug and everyone else,
When I had my Bot I used 1/8 " bits alot and I found that Rockler, www.rockler.com/ecom7/findprod.cfm?&sku=10631 (http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/findprod.cfm?&sku=10631) has some nice carbide bits in a decent selection for a decent price. I also found that the porter-cable router with an insert works very well you just have to slow down the feed rates so you don't snap off the smaller bit. David in Wyoming

[shipbuilder@adelphia.net]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. Shopbot had an insert after all which I bought and it works great. The PC router does just fine for the small parts and you can see some I cut at http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com/mayflowergallery.html

Also, the fiber insert did not cause a problem with the zero plate as you might suspect.

But I have bigger problems now. Version 3 does not convert my DXF files correctly. First, it often leaves out the jz command to raise the cutter before doing a j2 command. If you look at the coverted file or cutting file, the jz command uses a variable which is set at the beginning of the file. You set this variable in the convert wizard or fill in screen.

Also, my DXF files have layers of different colors and each color is a different dept. I set these depths in the conversion wizard screen but all of the mz commands move the head to 0.000 and not the depths of the different colors in the DXF file. It's definitely some sort of bug, which I've reported but I need a fix now or I'm dead in the water.

Thanks,

Bob Hunt
The Luack Street Shipyard
http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com

[shipbuilder@adelphia.net]

Gerald D.,

For the kind of work I am doing, there's no way I'd ever use a Dremel, that would be a total waste of money and effort not to mention a real pain to try and mount. I know what I'm doing, and for the kind of production work I am doing, the Porter Cable is the ideal tool for my ShopBot. But thanks for your comments.

Bob Hunt
The Lauck Street Shipyard
http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com

[srwtlc]

Bob, did you try the old dxf converter from the dos software? I don't use it much, but if you make a copy of it and place it on your desktop (or however you want to do it) and just drag and drop your .dxf onto it. It will make your file and place it there. The file is called Ux_dxf.exe, in the SB200 folder.

I've had good luck with a small .125" bit in a adapter collet and my P-C also. Cutting oak and walnut .75" deep, .125" per pass.

4756 The islands surface sand out.

[gerald_d]

Bob, I have never seen, or used, a Dremel. And that was only mentioned as a smaller/faster/quieter example as an alternative to the PC. I am interested to know why you are so vehemently opposed to a smaller router if all your end-mills are 1/8" shank? Or are you just opposed to the Dremel brand? (The model that I linked too looks quite easy to mount.)

[Robert Hunt (Unregistered Guest)]

Hi Gerald,

The reason I'm opposed to the Dremel is it's a hand tool, not suited for heavy production work, the bearings would not hold up at all and it's tollerances are not adequate. I'm going to be producing a model ship kit with over 1000 parts all milled with the Shopbot. The parts are small and have to be accurate to fit together properly. If you look at my latest photos uploaded this morning showing my second prototype run, you'll see that the pieces have notches milled across their surface and scarf joints that are used to fit the pieces together in typical ship construction. The entire assembly is only 5" long and 3/4" wide and the notches of all four parts match up perfectly on both sides. Later, this assembly will be attached to other assemblies forming the keel of the model. Frames will fit into the notches. This type of cutting requires precision and the dremel just wasn't designed for this type of work nor would it hold up cutting thousands of parts. Then there's the issue of a mounting system for the dremel. That would have to be custom made and would present many challenges. It's just not the right tool for the job at all.

Thanks,

Bob Hunt

PS. You can see my latest photos at http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com/mayflowergallery.html

[Robert Hunt (Unregistered Guest)]

Hi Scott,

Yes, that's what I ended up doing. The Windows version of the dxf converter just doesn't work. I've submitted a tech support request to Shopbot on it. It recognizes the layers and lets you set the depth of each color layer but it does not use that information to set the Z depth. The DOS version works fine though and even fixes the problem of jogging the Z axis up before doing a jog 2 command, which is another bug in the windows version of the dxf converter.

Thanks,

Bob Hunt
The Lauck Street Shipyard
http://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com

[Robert Hunt (Unregistered Guest)]

Scott,

Forgot to tell you, I ordered the full set of collets you mentioned from MCLS.

Bob Hunt

[gerald_d]

Nice work Bob!

[bill.young]

Hey Bob,

What about a Foredom flexible shaft tool http://www.foredom.com/ ? They're very nicely made, and you could hang the motor over the Z-axis (like an IV in the hospital) and would just need to adapt your z-axis to hold the handpiece. The handpieces are basically cylindrical so it shouldn't be too hard to work up something.

Bill

[gerald_d]

Bill, it looks like the flexible shafts limit the speeds to under 20 000 rpm. They do have a range of MicroMotors (http://www.foredom.com/html_files/micromotors.html) that run up to 45 000 rpm.