Router bit slipped mid cut and sent wood flying across the shop

I was trimming some oak trim for a kitchen reno in Arlington yesterday, and my router bit decided to come loose halfway through a pass. The piece shot off the table like a rocket and cracked a window pane in the shop door. I spent 20 minutes finding the bit wedged in a pile of sawdust, then had to re-clamp everything and re-cut that board. Has anyone else had a bit work itself loose even with a collet tight?

2 comments

2 Comments

michael8951mo ago

Torque wrench is the fix, no question. A lot of guys don't realize collets stretch over time and hand tightening just isn't enough anymore. I keep a small one in my router box specifically for this.

julia_burns91mo ago

My 1/2 inch collet on a Dewalt 618 did the exact same thing last month with a brand new Freud bit. I started using a torque wrench on mine after that and it hasn't happened since. Just cranking it by hand isn't enough once these collets get some wear on them.