Frued 1700VCE Router Help

[mike_wood]

I got a new 1700VCE router at Lowe's for $75. I have two PC routers (a 690 and one mounted on my router table) and a DeWalt plunge but I thought it would be good to have a heavy router for dados, etc, in hard wood. I wanted to test it some this AM to see how it works but, believe it or not, I can't mount a bit in the collet. When I put the bit in the collet and insert it into the spindle the collet nut will not engage the spindle threads. The problem is the collet tightens on the bit shaft too quickly and holds the nut above the spindle threads. This pretty much makes the router worthless.

I was wondering if anyone had this router and ran into the same problem. I will probably return it tomorrow unless I can see some way to get it to work.

Thanks.

 

[scott hamm]

is the collet in upside down.
i have an old stanley that , if the collet is upside down it will not tighten up.
scott

 

[mike_wood]

No, the collet is tapered and has one open end.

 

[SteveColes]

Mike, hold on. Perhaps, Charles M, our Freud Rep will know the answer. He is probably not working today. So you might have to wait until tomorrow for answer.

I've got some freud router still in the box( will be a prize for the next contest) let me see which one it is.

 

[Travis Porter]

It looks like from the manual the collet has a flange on the upper side and clicks/locks into the locking nut and should be just below the surface of the nut. You should do this before putting a bit into the collet and before you put the collet/nut on the router. This is the same way my Dewalt 625 does.

 

[Charles M]

Mike,

I think Travis has it right. Remove the collet nut and collet from the tool and push the collet into the nut so that it snaps in place. Then reinsert the assembly in the router. Let me know if that doesn't solve it.

 

[mike_wood]

Yep, that was it. No manual came with the router and the one I got on line did not describe this process. It was not intuitive because snapping the collet into the nut was not easily done. I had to tap it in with an assembly hammer as it would not go in by hand.

Thanks much for the response.