Sounds like you have no collett or a collett for a 1/2" shaft bit installed.
I'm going to try to show a cross section of what it looks like, but I'm not
very good with ASCII graphics:


_____ _____
| / \ | Nut
| / \ |
| ___ ___ |
/ | | \ Collett
| | | |
____________
| | Router

The collett is a round tube with slits on the side. It fits in the router
and the nut is put on loosly. The bit is inserted in the hole in the center
of the collett and the nut is tightened. Tightening the nut allows the ramp
inside the nut to exert pressure on the ramp at the top of the collett and
exert pressure on the shaft of the router bit to hold it in place. If you
have no collett, or too big of a collett the shaft of the bit will be loose
in the hole in the top of the nut.

Gene


"Tim Simmons" wrote in message
...
My folks bought me a (yeah, "economic") Craftsman router but I cannot
figure
out how the bit secures to the router. I have a half-inch bit (the steel
kind) and the shaft is round and maybe 3/4 inches or 1" long and maybe
1/4"
in diameter and when I put it in the hole and tighten the collet nut it
does
not put any pressure on the bit shaft. I locked the motor to tighten the
nut but still nothing. I can't see how tightening this nut will hold the
bit in place and I can't see that I'm missing a part but since I have
never
used a router, it may just be ignorance on my part.


I have searched the web and Usenet for a solution but have not found an
answer (the Sears store in West Memphis .... went through 3 different
people
and the last guy said he would look at it if I bring it in but he said he
never used a router before!)

So, that's why I am posting. Need experienced and wise human to quickly
solve this. So, just a straight answer would help me HUGELY.

The type is Craftsman 1.5 hp, 1/4" collet.


Thanks,
Tim