On Mar 14, 1:02*pm, Swingman wrote:
On 3/14/2010 1:49 PM, Evodawg wrote:

Anyone having trouble with Porter Cable Router Colet holding bits tight? I
was routing a wood frame built to hide the edge of a beveled mirror for a
large bathroom mirror. I do remember tightening the bit and all was going
well with a 1/2" rabbiting bit/with bearing and without any warning, (but
expect I wouldn't get any anyway) the bit went flying off damaging the
area I was routing and spinning to the other side and taking a large nick
out of that side. This was an expensive piece of maple trim from Craft
Maid and to say the least I was ****ed! After a time out to calm down I
thought back and reflected I was really lucky not to get nailed in the
face by this flying projectile. This is a newer Router, 693 Porter Cable
using the fixed base. Needless to say, I torque the bit more than what I
thought necessary when I decided to continue. Wondering if anyone else has
had this problem or was it operator error?

While not all that common, it happens enough for the average woodworker
to be aware of the possibility. Three things which factor in as a cause
most of the time:

1. Seating the bit's shank too deep in the collet - (always pull it out
about an 1/8" from the bottom before tightening).

2. Dirt, dust, debris, rust, etc. in the collet - (clean collet out with
an old toothbrush and be meticulous ... a new, spanking clean collet
will rarely exhibit this behavior.)

3. Not tightening enough after the proper bit depth is set in the collet
- (crank the crap out of it ... PC's with two wrenches need some rice
and gravy in the wielding).

The 7518 can be worse than the 690 about this.

It happens to everyone, hopefully only once ...

Like Carl said. Just go buy a new collet & crank the **** out of it.
I've had to replace mine, but I was lucky as it had only started to
creep when I discovered it; it didn't go flying off.

Just be grateful it's not a Sears where the collet is past of the
motor shaft & your router ends up as a boat anchor.

Luigi