lidl router off centre or just me

[simon1138]

hello,

i bought a lidl router a month ago and a few bits to go with it. i also bought a new collet as the one provided was no good, spinning slightly off centre. however, this new collet is also slightly off centre. i returned a bit to toolstation that i thought was slightly off centre. could it be the router?

i find that the quality of finish on the wood is poor possibly because of this. it has chewed into a few of my templates that i have made. i am not sure that i am fitting the bit properly or if the roiuter itself is off centre. is there some way i can check?

its really annoying me because it is holding up my build.

thanks

simon

[curtisa]

If you've already tried changed collets and bits, it could be the router. When you say the bit spins slightly off-centre, do you mean the bit sits eccentrically compared to the shaft? If you look end-on into the shaft does it look a bit like this (exaggerated)?:

Does the collet size match the shank size for the bits you're using (ie, you're using a 6mm collet on 6mm shank bits)?

Is there something inside the shaft of the router that is stopping the collet sitting centrally inside when you tighten the collet nut up?

The other possibility is that the bits are being held at a slight angle as they project downwards from the end of the collet (again, exaggerated):

If the fault is bad enough it should be visible to the naked eye if you manually turn the shaft of the router with a long bit installed in the collet. It could indicate that the hollow shaft is not bored concentric to the outer surface of the shaft.