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I'm getting tired of having to buy $25-$30 1/8" spiral bits for my saddle
routing jig just because I only have a 1/4" collet. Then of course 3/16" spiral
bits are a pain to find. I'd much rather be able to select from a wider
selection of end mills for much less, but they of course generally come with
the same size shaft as the cutter.

So what are the options? I would love to find a set of split adapter bushings
like these, but
for 1/4" O.D. I don't think I can get a 1/2" collet for the PC310, or I would
just do that. A set of adapters would just make shopping for bits so much
easier. Anyone know of a source I haven't found yet?

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I tried one of those to go from 1/4" to 1/8".  The bit slipped and I haven't used it since.  Maybe some are better than others or maybe I just needed to tighten it a lot more than I'm used to.  But the concept of a collar inside a collet seems inherently problematic.  Maybe others have had better luck?

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http://www.chassonguitars.com

I've been using 1/4" to 1/8" adapters forever. I have two
 of them, and soon get a third....


never had one fail or come loose.










.

Ditto.   They work fine.   I tend to use Bosch laminate trimmers for small bits, Porter Cable 100s for medium sized 1/4" bits, and then a big honking Hitachi for 1/2" shank bits.

Perfect! I've been searching around through tool suppliers, and never
thought to check a luthier supply house. It looks like they have both 1/8"
and 3/16" adaptors, which is exactly what I needed.

Thanks guys.

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I bought a 1/4 to 1/8 adapter from stewmac and also the spiral 1/8" bit too. So far I havent had any problems with it coming loose.

What I would really like to have is a dremel-like flexible shaft tool that would connect to one of my laminate trimmers. Anybody know of one?

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Reguards,

Ken H

Ken, if you want a good flex-shaft tool, just get yourself a Foredom. It's an
investment you won't regret in my opinion.

I was actually a bit concerned about the risk of split collet adapters coming
loose, though it seems if they were cleanly and accurately made there should
be no problem. Sound like that's the consensus from everyone's experience
here, so I'll be ordering one soon. I may try the StewMac one first, as I think I
need to order a few things from them anyhow.

_________________
Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I get mine from LeeValley

Lee Valley sells them for less than 1/2 the stew mac price. That's where I got mine

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"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Mario posted while I was reading.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

David (and all), Lee Valley also has 1/2" to 1/4" adaptors if you need one of those too.

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My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Man I'm slow today. I searched every machinist supply house, but for some
reason my tired brain never thought of looking at any woodworker stores for
router accessories.

I've been rebuilding an old compressor, looking at grinders, a lathe, and just
cutting more metal than wood this week. My brain is just stuck in
machining lately and thinking in R8 and 5C collets instead of routers.
Duh....

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Eschew obfuscation, espouse elucidation.

I use the 1/4" to 1/8" adapter from Stewmac too. Never had a problem with it.

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

[QUOTE=David Collins] Ken, if you want a good flex-shaft tool, just get yourself a Foredom. It's an
investment you won't regret in my opinion.
[/QUOTE]

Ditto!! and with many different had pieces available they are easy to adapt to different tasks and the ease of changing hand pieces is convenient to assigning hand pieces to specific jigs. I have Stewmac's hand piece for inlay routing #30 chuck three point chuck style handle for bits, larger burrs, grinding stones and cutoff wheels. I would be lost with out my Foredom

I haven`t had any trouble with the adapter I got from Stew Mac.I`m also using the same Ridgid Router that Todd is.
                   James

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James W Bolan
Nashville Tennessee

I'm happy with the Hertel spiral end mills I get from J&L Industrial. I think (not sure) I got the 1/4-1/8 adaptor from them too. Cheap and effective--no slipping.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.