For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router. I always put one wrench in my left hand on the
bottom nut and the other wrench in my right hand on the collet nut. To
tighten was easy - simply squeeze the two wrenches together as if they
were pliers. Worked very well, but loosening was always a challenge
because I had to pull the two wrenches in opposite directions which
exercised muscles I used infrequently and really did not care to bulk up
on.

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

"DIYGUY" wrote in message

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

It can be even easier than that. Do the same thing, but position the wrench
handles closer together (you may have to flip one over) so that you can
comfortably squeeze them together with _one_ hand only.

You can actually exert more pressure that way than you can with two hands
and the wrench handles further apart.

--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 11/06/04

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router. I always put one wrench in my left hand on the
bottom nut and the other wrench in my right hand on the collet nut. To
tighten was easy - simply squeeze the two wrenches together as if they
were pliers. Worked very well, but loosening was always a challenge
because I had to pull the two wrenches in opposite directions which
exercised muscles I used infrequently and really did not care to bulk up
on.

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

Well not everyone was luckey enough to grow up with Meccano sets

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router.

Do you have to tighten them that hard?

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router.


15 years? I figured that out in 15 minutes!
LOL!!
Greg

"Greg O" wrote in message
...

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router.


15 years? I figured that out in 15 minutes!
LOL!!
Greg


I've always made do with one wrench. I thought the other was a spare in case
you lost one.
Now I can get rid of that bloodstained dish towel I've been using to grip
the bits to keep them from turning.

-j

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router. I always put one wrench in my left hand on the
bottom nut and the other wrench in my right hand on the collet nut. To
tighten was easy - simply squeeze the two wrenches together as if they
were pliers. Worked very well, but loosening was always a challenge
because I had to pull the two wrenches in opposite directions which
exercised muscles I used infrequently and really did not care to bulk up
on.

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

LOL... Kinda simple aint it. I guess those people that swear by holding on
to the router some where with one hand and tugging on the 1 wrench with the
other hand may not understand how loosing and tightening with 2 wrenches and
1 hand can be so much easier.

"Battleax" wrote in message

Well not everyone was luckey enough to grow up with Meccano sets

I had a Meccano set. I know that through time, all the parts got lost. Did
anything ever come on the market to replace Mecanno?

"Upscale" wrote in message
...
"Battleax" wrote in message

Well not everyone was luckey enough to grow up with Meccano sets

I had a Meccano set. I know that through time, all the parts got lost. Did
anything ever come on the market to replace Mecanno?



What the devil is a Meccano set? Didn't think my formative years were *that*
sheltered. However, I do have two old Erector sets that the Grandsons have
spent hours losing the pieces of.

--
Nahmie
Those on the cutting edge bleed a lot.

On Wed, 8 Dec 2004 20:37:37 -0600, "Swingman" wrote:


It can be even easier than that. Do the same thing, but position the wrench
handles closer together (you may have to flip one over) so that you can
comfortably squeeze them together with _one_ hand only.


What he said. When I use two hands I pinch fingers.

It works on just about any two wrench collet.

Barry

I have a 2 wrench Bosch for about 12 years now.

I set the router on its side, engage the small inner
wrench and rest it against the workbench top, then
engage the outer nut and turn in the direction of
the inner wrench - the bench acts like a stop.

Easier than any other method I could figure. I must
be real smart since it "only" took me a year or so to figure
this out (after a few bruised knuckles).

Lou

In article , DIYGUY
wrote:

For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router. I always put one wrench in my left hand on the
bottom nut and the other wrench in my right hand on the collet nut. To
tighten was easy - simply squeeze the two wrenches together as if they
were pliers. Worked very well, but loosening was always a challenge
because I had to pull the two wrenches in opposite directions which
exercised muscles I used infrequently and really did not care to bulk up
on.

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

In article ,
"Upscale" writes:
"Battleax" wrote in message

Well not everyone was luckey enough to grow up with Meccano sets

I had a Meccano set. I know that through time, all the parts got lost. Did
anything ever come on the market to replace Mecanno?

Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Chris

--
Chris Richmond | I don't speak for Intel & vise versa

(Chris Richmond - MD6-FDC ~) wrote in
:

Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Chris


Wasn't Erector the original? When I was a wee young'un (mid 60's), we
had a really old set; I'd guess it dated to sometime in the '40s by the
look of the set and the artwork on the box. Great fun, don't know what
ever happened to it, though ...

Regards,
JT

Chris Richmond writes:

Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Set it up! Your son may not appreciate it now, but the memories down the line
will be worth having, probably for both of you.

Charlie Self
"Cabbage: A familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a
man's head." Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

I have this same problem. Whenever I finally figure out something like
that, I always wonder what else there is in my life that I am senselessly
wasting countless hours and energy on. Then I get mad.

In article ,
otforme (Charlie Self) writes:
Chris Richmond writes:
Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Set it up! Your son may not appreciate it now, but the memories down the line
will be worth having, probably for both of you.

He's 17, has a real car (in the shop), a girl friend, and plays
PC games online A LOT. Its not his bag. My and the wife would
probably have more fun with it. Its just one more thing I don't
have time or space for just now. Later will be better as the
kids move out. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and
it isn't an oncoming train. Although I was out in the light for a
few months, and two kids moved back in, so I had a set back. :^)

Chris
--
Chris Richmond | I don't speak for Intel & vise versa

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .
For the last 15 years I have always groaned when having to remove a bit
from my P-C 690 router. I always put one wrench in my left hand on the
bottom nut and the other wrench in my right hand on the collet nut. To
tighten was easy - simply squeeze the two wrenches together as if they
were pliers. Worked very well, but loosening was always a challenge
because I had to pull the two wrenches in opposite directions which
exercised muscles I used infrequently and really did not care to bulk up
on.

Lo and behold this weekend I made an amazing discovery. Simply reverse
the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench
in my right and squeeze just as if I was tightening and the collet would
open like a dream. Where have I been and why was this not so obvious to
me?? Talk about a lack of brain power ...

I found that one fairly quickly with my PC 690. I am usually good at
figuring out things like that fairly quickly. But once in a while I will be
struggling with something and my wife will come walking by. "Why don't you
just do it this way?", she says. "****!", I says.

Wayne

"Chris Richmond - MD6-FDC ~" wrote in message

He's 17, has a real car (in the shop), a girl friend, and plays
PC games online A LOT. Its not his bag. My and the wife would
probably have more fun with it. Its just one more thing I don't
have time or space for just now. Later will be better as the
kids move out.

Then save it for your grandchildren to be. You might also consider selling
it. I might be mistaken, but I believe mecanno sets in good condition are
worth something. Much better than all the plastic stuff that's on the market
these days.

He's 17, has a real car (in the shop), a girl friend, and plays
PC games online A LOT. Its not his bag.


I sometimes think dynamite is the only cure for excessive PC gaming (by
which I
mean more than one hour a day, about equal to a rational amount of TV
watching).

PC games are super addictive to some people, literally. It actually raises
serotonin levels in the brain. That explains why I have probably spent
_years_ of time in front of a console. With that said, I think video games
used to be my OxyContin.

But you would never want to use dynamite to solve the problem... the sudden
withdraw would be too severe. Check him into a clinic where skilled
professionals can gradually reduce his playing time.

"DIYGUY" wrote in message
.. .

the wrenches making the top wrench in my left hand and the bottom wrench

I also saw the 1 1/8" ?Husky? wrenches on clearance at Home Depot for under
$10. I like them better than the pressed steel ones. Also, an 8" Crescent
(TM) just barely opens to 1 1/8" too.

"Chris Richmond - MD6-FDC ~" wrote in
message ...
In article ,
otforme (Charlie Self) writes:
Chris Richmond writes:
Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Set it up! Your son may not appreciate it now, but the memories down the
line
will be worth having, probably for both of you.

He's 17, has a real car (in the shop), a girl friend, and plays
PC games online A LOT. Its not his bag. My and the wife would
probably have more fun with it. Its just one more thing I don't
have time or space for just now. Later will be better as the
kids move out. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, and
it isn't an oncoming train. Although I was out in the light for a
few months, and two kids moved back in, so I had a set back. :^)

Chris
--
Chris Richmond | I don't speak for Intel & vise versa

Yep, way too old for Meccano. Meccano is for 8yrs to 13yrs, then from 47
till you die

"Upscale" wrote in message
...
"Chris Richmond - MD6-FDC ~" wrote in message

He's 17, has a real car (in the shop), a girl friend, and plays
PC games online A LOT. Its not his bag. My and the wife would
probably have more fun with it. Its just one more thing I don't
have time or space for just now. Later will be better as the
kids move out.

Then save it for your grandchildren to be. You might also consider selling
it. I might be mistaken, but I believe mecanno sets in good condition are
worth something. Much better than all the plastic stuff that's on the
market
these days.



Meccano fetches very big bucks on ebay. A set that cost $35 in the mid 70s
will, in excellent shape, fetch $200 easily.

LOL

Dan

On Thu, 9 Dec 2004 17:04:00 +0000 (UTC),
(Chris Richmond - MD6-FDC ~) wrote:

In article ,
"Upscale" writes:
"Battleax" wrote in message

Well not everyone was luckey enough to grow up with Meccano sets

I had a Meccano set. I know that through time, all the parts got lost. Did
anything ever come on the market to replace Mecanno?

Erector sets were the big competitor. I've still got my Mecanno
set in the garage! I tried to get my son interested a few years
ago. Wouldn't have anything to do with it. I'm still threatening
to set up my Lionel train too. I've got some pretty cool old
engines.

Never saw a Meccano set, but Lego makes a pretty nifty product with
that "mindstorms" set. They're kind of hard to find, but they sure
are cool.
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam