Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router? This
is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in now, but I
can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large (5/8") nut
immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"), and then the nut
that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the smaller middle nut to
move along the thread. And I can get the larger nut to move a little up and
down on the thread. But still nothing to get the bit out.
Anyone know the magic button to press?
Thanks
"Corey" <[email protected]> wrote in news:Iniad.2822$y77.2205@trnddc05:
> Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router?
> This is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in
> now, but I can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large
> (5/8") nut immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"),
> and then the nut that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the
> smaller middle nut to move along the thread. And I can get the larger
> nut to move a little up and down on the thread. But still nothing to
> get the bit out.
>
My immediate, sarcastic reaction is that the best way to remove a bit from
a Craftsman router is with a Sawzall....
Yesterday was yard sale day on our block. The wife and daughters-in-law
had all sorts of stuff laid out for sale, and the buyers were out. Down at
the bottom of the pile was an old Craftsman router given to me several
years ago by a neighbor. Somebody found it, and wanted to buy it. Only
when he assured me that he had owned several already, and knew about the
Craftsmen's tendency towards autonomous bit height adjustment, did I let
him give me $10 for it.
Corey, this router MAY be OK, but this router, and all routers, can cut
people a lot faster than they do wood. Before you use this, find someone
to show you how to work safely with THIS router.
If you just need to round over the edges, sandpaper wrapped around a block
of wood is your friend. It's quieter, too.
Patriarch
Do you see the little lever to lock the shaft? \
To remove the bit, lock the shaft and turn the big nut CCW, as viewed from
the top. It will run into the back of the bit and push it out.
My oldest C'man is a good little router.
Wilson
"Corey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Iniad.2822$y77.2205@trnddc05...
> Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router?
This
> is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in now, but
I
> can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large (5/8") nut
> immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"), and then the
nut
> that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the smaller middle nut to
> move along the thread. And I can get the larger nut to move a little up
and
> down on the thread. But still nothing to get the bit out.
>
> Anyone know the magic button to press?
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:06:32 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]>
scribbled:
>Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router? This
>is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in now, but I
>can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large (5/8") nut
>immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"), and then the nut
>that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the smaller middle nut to
>move along the thread. And I can get the larger nut to move a little up and
>down on the thread. But still nothing to get the bit out.
>
>Anyone know the magic button to press?
Try giving the bit a few light taps with a piece of wood.
Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html
"Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Do you see the little lever to lock the shaft? \
> To remove the bit, lock the shaft and turn the big nut CCW, as viewed from
> the top. It will run into the back of the bit and push it out.
> My oldest C'man is a good little router.
> Wilson
I do know the little lever to lock the shaft, and can manage that. But I
don't think I can get the big nut turned CCW enough to release the bit. Not
sure if there's rust/corrosion in there or if something else is wrong. I
can't seem to get a lot of torque power on the nut though, while trying to
hold the lever on the shaft lock.
I'll try again.
On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 08:11:48 -0700, Luigi Zanasi <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:06:32 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]>
>scribbled:
Mine (very old) has the large nut under the bit, which the wrench goes
on...
Under the large nut, there is a large, thin nut.... there should be a
little "lever" below the thin nut that you push in while turning the
large nut.. it will fall into place in a notch and lock the shaft for
as long as you hold the lever..
>
>>Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router? This
>>is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in now, but I
>>can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large (5/8") nut
>>immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"), and then the nut
>>that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the smaller middle nut to
>>move along the thread. And I can get the larger nut to move a little up and
>>down on the thread. But still nothing to get the bit out.
>>
>>Anyone know the magic button to press?
>
>Try giving the bit a few light taps with a piece of wood.
>
>Luigi
>Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
>www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
>www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html
On Sun, 10 Oct 2004 22:06:32 GMT, "Corey" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Anyone familiar with how to change bits in an older craftsman router? This
>is an inherited router, so the manual is lost. There is a bit in now, but I
>can't figure out how to get the bit out. There is a large (5/8") nut
>immediately below the bit, followed by another nut (3/16"), and then the nut
>that I think attaches to the motor. I can get the smaller middle nut to
>move along the thread. And I can get the larger nut to move a little up and
>down on the thread. But still nothing to get the bit out.
>
>Anyone know the magic button to press?
>
Yes, and it's blue.
My older Sears router (maybe 1985) has a blue switch/button near the top
(top when router is in operating position from above the wood) that gets
pushed in to lock the spindle so that turning the nut closest to the bit
can realease the bit. As I understand things, some routers need two
wrenches and some need one -- and my old Sears router needs just one. HTH.
-- Igor