Hey All,
I just started looking around for a collet for my Porter Cable router
that is designated for 8mm router bits. I am already using the collet
adapter but I would prefer to have a simpler setup, much like the
Festool routers.
I did not see any on the various retail websites I visited and the PC
website only shows 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets.
If anybody has any info please pass it along. I also thought about
buying another 1/4 collet and machining it out but I'm afraid I might
take away too much material to make it safe to use. Any thoughts on
this approach? Thanks for your comments, both serious and not.

Marc

On Sat, 26 Jun 2010 19:27:02 -0700 (PDT), marc rosen wrote:

Hey All,
I just started looking around for a collet for my Porter Cable router
that is designated for 8mm router bits. I am already using the collet
adapter but I would prefer to have a simpler setup, much like the
Festool routers.
I did not see any on the various retail websites I visited and the PC
website only shows 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets.
If anybody has any info please pass it along. I also thought about
buying another 1/4 collet and machining it out but I'm afraid I might
take away too much material to make it safe to use. Any thoughts on
this approach? Thanks for your comments, both serious and not.

Like this?

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/8...lerouters.aspx

Question: Why an 8mm collet? Are there bits not available in 1/4" or 1/2"?

Question: Why an 8mm collet? Are there bits not available in 1/4" or 1/2"?


There are some applications where 8mm bits are highly preferred .. .. ..
SOME of the setups on my LEIGH JIG call for a bit in either 1/4" or 8mm
but the 8mm is much more rigid and less likely to chatter, therefor, a
much cleaner cut.



__ Bøb __

On Jun 27, 10:45*am, "
wrote:
Like this?

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/8...lerouters.aspx

Question: *Why an 8mm collet? *Are there bits not available in 1/4" or 1/2"?

Hey KRW,
Thanks for that link, I never thought of checking Highland. Most of
the bits I am using on my Leigh jigs are 8 mm. I have used the 8mm
adapter in my 1/2 inch colletswhen I do work at home but I often get a
chance to use a Festool router with the 8mm collet and I prefer the
simpler setup. I know I could buy the Leigh bits in 1/4 shank but I
have a reasonable supply of 8mm.
Thanks again for the suggestion and also to Lew, thanks for the
recommendation to check Porter Cable- I had planned to so but as soon
as the working week started- I was just searching at the moment while
the thought was fresh in my mind.

Marc

On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:18:13 -0400, "__ Bøb __"
wrote:



Question: Why an 8mm collet? Are there bits not available in 1/4" or 1/2"?


There are some applications where 8mm bits are highly preferred .. .. ..
SOME of the setups on my LEIGH JIG call for a bit in either 1/4" or 8mm
but the 8mm is much more rigid and less likely to chatter, therefor, a
much cleaner cut.

Just wondering what I'd ever do with the 9mm collet. Good enough. Thanks.

"marc rosen" wrote in message
...
Hey All,
I just started looking around for a collet for my Porter Cable router
that is designated for 8mm router bits. I am already using the collet
adapter but I would prefer to have a simpler setup, much like the
Festool routers.
I did not see any on the various retail websites I visited and the PC
website only shows 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets.
If anybody has any info please pass it along. I also thought about
buying another 1/4 collet and machining it out but I'm afraid I might
take away too much material to make it safe to use. Any thoughts on
this approach? Thanks for your comments, both serious and not.

Marc

I have an 8mm collet for my Bosch router to work with the Leigh 8mm router
bits but to tell you the truth I prefer slipping the 8mm sleve inside the
1/2" collet.

On Jun 28, 12:12*pm, "Leon" wrote:

I have an 8mm collet for my Bosch router to work with the Leigh 8mm router
bits but to tell you the truth I prefer slipping the 8mm sleve inside the
1/2" collet.

Hey All,
Thanks for your suggestions and comments. Leon, why do you prefer the
sleave vs the direct collet?
Also, going along with Lew's suggestion I did contact Porter Cable and
their representative said they only sell the 1/4. 3/8, and 1/2 inch
collets. However, a guy at Highland Woodworking told me that the 8mm
collet that they stock is a Porter cable product. I told him about my
conversation with PC and he went on to tell me about PDC being bought
out by Stanley, and so on. and so on and that they have different
stock sources. So anyway, we'll see how it works when it arrives.
Rout on!
Marc

"marc rosen" wrote in message
...
On Jun 28, 12:12 pm, "Leon" wrote:

I have an 8mm collet for my Bosch router to work with the Leigh 8mm router
bits but to tell you the truth I prefer slipping the 8mm sleve inside the
1/2" collet.

Hey All,
Thanks for your suggestions and comments. Leon, why do you prefer the
sleave vs the direct collet?
Also, going along with Lew's suggestion I did contact Porter Cable and
their representative said they only sell the 1/4. 3/8, and 1/2 inch
collets. However, a guy at Highland Woodworking told me that the 8mm
collet that they stock is a Porter cable product. I told him about my
conversation with PC and he went on to tell me about PDC being bought
out by Stanley, and so on. and so on and that they have different
stock sources. So anyway, we'll see how it works when it arrives.
Rout on!
Marc


For me it is a lot easier to pull the sleeve out when I don't need it and
want to use the 1/2" collet. If you use an 8mm collet you have to screw
the 1/2" off and the 8mm back on. Then reverse that to go back to the 1/2"
collet.
I know that is trivial but my Bosch has fine threads and the removal and
replacement does take a lot longer than simply turning the router over to
let the sleeve fall out. No difference in performance.

"marc rosen" wrote in message
...
Hey All,
I just started looking around for a collet for my Porter Cable router
that is designated for 8mm router bits. I am already using the collet
adapter but I would prefer to have a simpler setup, much like the
Festool routers.
I did not see any on the various retail websites I visited and the PC
website only shows 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets.
If anybody has any info please pass it along. I also thought about
buying another 1/4 collet and machining it out but I'm afraid I might
take away too much material to make it safe to use. Any thoughts on
this approach? Thanks for your comments, both serious and not.

There is a seller on Ebay who has a set screw type device that holds .125"
bits that will fit in a 1/2" collet in the Porter Cable router. A lot of
the CNC router guys use the PC 892 with them so they can hold the small bits
for detail work. If that is what you were referring to I guess I can not be
of much more help.

K2 CNC is one of the vendors for them. Since they make them in house they
may be willing to make you some in 8mm. They may even have 5/16 in stock
which is very close to 8mm. (7.9375mm)