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Q: What are collets?
A: There are four different sized collets available for the rotary tools - 1/8", 3/32", 1/16" and 1/32". A collet is a slim aluminum tube with small slits in the sides and an outer end, which is slightly larger than the shank that can be used with each collet. When the chuck cap is threaded onto the end of the tool, over the collet, the fingers of the collet (slots) close around the shank of the accessory and hold it into place.
A: In most instances, the 1/8" collet will meet your needs. With the exception of the smaller shank (3/32" shank) engraving cutters and the diamond wheel points, our accessories are all on a 1/8" shank.
A: We don't recommend that.
Q: How do I keep the router bits from burning?
A: Try not to force the tool. Let the speed of the tool do the work. Forcing the tool does a couple of things; it forces the bit into more material than can be processed adequately and it creates even more heat than simply letting the tool move the accessory through the wood. Guide the tool through the design and work. Watch the depth. While forcing the tool may cause the accessory to burn, going too deep into the wood will not only cause the accessory to burn, it will smoke the wood as well. It is better to take a second conservative pass than it is to take so much that the accessory burns.
It is often difficult to know what an accessory tolerance is, as it is impossible to know what the density and grain of a wood will be. If the grain is strong or sap is heavy in the wood, there will be even more heat than usual and an accessory could burn from the heat of the excess debris and trying to get through the material. Keep in mind that many router bits are actually constructed of tungsten carbide. These router bits are constructed of high-speed steel. They are not designed to rout on really hard or brittle material.
Q: When I use the tile bit it seems to get red-hot. Why?
A: The tile bit should not get RED hot when it's getting through the tile. It is critical to the life of the bit that the initial hole in the tile is made via a 45-degree angle. The glaze is tough, so it needs to be worn away. That's why we recommend going through at an angle. If the accessory bit is spinning for a long time in the same spot, it will get red hot. The speed and the ceramic tile will create an intense heat that could cause the bit to get very hot. Guide the accessory bit through the material. Keep it moving. If the bit does actually get red, remove it, stop the tool and let the bit cool off. If the bit burns repeatedly, it will not be able to cut.
Q: Plastic seems to melt when I work with it. How can I stop that?
A: If you have a variable-speed tool, select 1 on the MultiPro and 5 on the Professional. These are the slowest speeds. If working in plastic and acrylic is your primary application, we would recommend working with the additional control of the Professional Tool, or considering a single-speed tool with an independent speed control, like the Foot Speed Control (#221). A single-speed tool with independent speed control will allow the tool to go even slower than the slowest speeds on the variable-speed tool.