Dremel Router Fix

[Rockytime]

I love my Dremel router and drill all my pattern holes with it. There was a minor annoyance however. The knob on the right which can be used to lock the Dremel tool itself in position would always back out and I would keep screwing it back in. I solved the problem with a jam nut between the router and the knob. Perhaps this has not been a problem for others but I just throw out the suggestion. The nut should perhaps not be called a jam nut as it just prevents the knob from tightening and locking. A washer may do the same thing.

[lawson56]

I don't have one.always wanted one.Darn good tip to keep had.I will write it down. Thanks.

[kmmcrafts]

Great tip.. Yeah.. mine backs out like this.. I had thought about loctite to make it not so easy to back out on it's own.. but I like this idea better.

[JustLarry]

Thanks for the tip. 

Larry

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

OK now what I do not get, and unless mine is different than yours, putting that nut there does not allow the bolt to go down far enough to lock that travel. Even a washer on mine would interfere. That bolt pushes against a small stop that pushes against the shaft to keep it from sliding. Are you inserting something else to meet that stop??? Something is not adding up. Never had a problem with the knob loosening and as I said I router with mine and not drilling. A router would cause more vibration than a drill.  

[amazingkevin]

Wish I'd have known about this as I lost my knob somewhere where i can't reach now.

[kmmcrafts]

32 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

OK now what I do not get, and unless mine is different than yours, putting that nut there does not allow the bolt to go down far enough to lock that travel. Even a washer on mine would interfere. That bolt pushes against a small stop that pushes against the shaft to keep it from sliding. Are you inserting something else to meet that stop??? Something is not adding up. Never had a problem with the knob loosening and as I said I router with mine and not drilling. A router would cause more vibration than a drill.  

JT, that knob on mine is a lock to set a certain height or depth.. otherwise the router will move freely up / or down.. in my case... I have to have that knob loose all the time in order to move the plunge portion freely to use as a drill press.. I have no need to screw the knob all the way in and lock it for drilling.. the issue is.. since it's loose you're always loosening and or tightening the knob and you'll be drilling and moving to other spots to drill etc and the knob either comes out so far it falls off in your hand or.. it locks down slightly and make the plunging motion to stiff to move easily.. a fix is that nut to lock the knob down tight while not interfering with the plunge motion..   

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

1 hour ago, kmmcrafts said:

JT, that knob on mine is a lock to set a certain height or depth.. otherwise the router will move freely up / or down.. in my case... I have to have that knob loose all the time in order to move the plunge portion freely to use as a drill press.. I have no need to screw the knob all the way in and lock it for drilling.. the issue is.. since it's loose you're always loosening and or tightening the knob and you'll be drilling and moving to other spots to drill etc and the knob either comes out so far it falls off in your hand or.. it locks down slightly and make the plunging motion to stiff to move easily.. a fix is that nut to lock the knob down tight while not interfering with the plunge motion..   

Again I know I do not grasp things well but you are an intelligent man why not just take the thing out all together. As I said you put that nut on there it will not lock at a certain height then. Simple fix and please do not tell me then you will lose it. . I know you are going to say you need the handle to push down. Why not just push down on the center object the drill motor. Then have at it.

 

You do know you are all using that attachment for something it was not designed for. It was designed for routing. 

Edited April 28, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

18 minutes ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Again I know I do not grasp things well but you are an intelligent man why not just take the thing out all together. As I said you put that nut on there it will not lock at a certain height then. Simple fix and please do not tell me then you will lose it. This coming from a man who bought a laser and cnc machine. 

Well then you'll lose it 

No seriously.. speaking for myself.. I use those knobs to hold and pull / push down on to drill the holes and use to hold the plunge router to move from one spot to the next.. I won't loose the knob.. but it has came off while holding the unit and made me drop it.. lucky for me it was only a couple inches off the bench.. so it wasn't a damaging drop.. 

I thought of all people that'd understand this it'd be you since you have so much router experience.. I'm not sure how to explain it any further.. maybe regular plunge routers aren't designed in this way.. since I've never used a real router I don't know..

Looking at this picture of my system.. The plunge router base has those two knobs.. one side is threaded in and tight.. the other one if you thread it all the way in and lock the knob tight prevents you from moving the plunging action.. so it locks it into a fixed base type router at a certain height. thus you cannot use as a drill press because it's locked into position and won't plunge.. When using the thing you hold those knobs and push the base downward to drill holes.. but one side the knob is loose and while handling it and over time that knob gets spun out and will fall off in your hand.. putting that nut on there allows you to tighten the knob down tight without locking the plunging action so the knob doesn't back out and fall off in your hand while using the machine.  

Edited April 28, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I know what it is Kevin I have it. As I said you are using this for something it was not designed to do. Different plunge routers have different mechanisms to operate the plunge system You do not need to push with 2 hands to drill. Push in center. As I said the only time I use this cheap thing is for certain router jobs. It will break with all that movement up and down. A good drill press would have been the better way to go. good luck with it and all that use it to drill holes. 

[teachnlearn]

Its the basic thread design with the tread angle and number of threads per inch. Wood vice has course a few threads to work fast and tighten down. Finer threads with an angle are going to take more turns to do the adjustment. More than likely the manufacturer offered a cheap option for the designers to jump at and here it is.  Unless someone has some tap and dies and wants to recut new threads with a new bolt/ handle it's going to be some rigging. Even cutting new treads are going to be experimental on size and thread count. Locknuts, split washers, 'jamb nuts', Loctite. RJF

[OCtoolguy]

If I'm not wrong here, I think the confusion is coming in from the fact that some folks are using it for only drilling holes and really don't need or care about the "lock" feature. I took a good look at mine and I see that there is a brass piston down inside of the hole where that knob attaches. When you screw the handle in it pushes that brass piston against the shaft and allows it to lock at a particular depth for routing. If you are only using it to drill holes with, you have no use for that feature. I took the brass piston out and stored it in a place that it won't get lost. I can just turn the knob in until it bottoms out in the threads and remains tight. I hope that I have cleared it up. I know that I understand what I'm saying. LOL!

 

[kmmcrafts]

11 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

If I'm not wrong here, I think the confusion is coming in from the fact that some folks are using it for only drilling holes and really don't need or care about the "lock" feature. I took a good look at mine and I see that there is a brass piston down inside of the hole where that knob attaches. When you screw the handle in it pushes that brass piston against the shaft and allows it to lock at a particular depth for routing. If you are only using it to drill holes with, you have no use for that feature. I took the brass piston out and stored it in a place that it won't get lost. I can just turn the knob in until it bottoms out in the threads and remains tight. I hope that I have cleared it up. I know that I understand what I'm saying. LOL!

 

Never thought to look in the hole, it appears there are several ways to fix the problem. I just went through my junk drawer and found this washer. I also found a nut to fit on it but I like the washer better as it keeps the knob closer to where it was.  The space of the washer prevents it from locking the plunger part and allows me to tighten the knob down so it won’t spin freely. If I ever want to use the locking feature I just take the knob off and remove the washer. 

[Rockytime]

Actually the device is made for drilling. It's just that Dremel does not know it. 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

5 hours ago, octoolguy said:

If I'm not wrong here, I think the confusion is coming in from the fact that some folks are using it for only drilling holes and really don't need or care about the "lock" feature. I took a good look at mine and I see that there is a brass piston down inside of the hole where that knob attaches. When you screw the handle in it pushes that brass piston against the shaft and allows it to lock at a particular depth for routing. If you are only using it to drill holes with, you have no use for that feature. I took the brass piston out and stored it in a place that it won't get lost. I can just turn the knob in until it bottoms out in the threads and remains tight. I hope that I have cleared it up. I know that I understand what I'm saying. LOL!

 

No confusion here. Proper hole drilling tool. One hand to operate. No fear of drill moving and breaking small tiny bits. Maybe it is just me. 

 

http://woodgears.ca/reader/walters/delta_11-990.jpg

[Rob]

Sometimes the drill column gets in the way JT making it hard to reach holes in the centre hence peoples desire to use a dremel router to overcome that limitation but still drill a perpendicular hole.

Rob

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

47 minutes ago, Rob said:

Sometimes the drill column gets in the way JT making it hard to reach holes in the centre hence peoples desire to use a dremel router to overcome that limitation but still drill a perpendicular hole.

Rob

Got it. In all my 35 years of doing scroll work and all size projects I never ran into that problem but again that is just me. I understand the use and understand why they do it and more power to them and hope you all the best of success for it use. Here is wishing you many more drilled holes with your Dremel Plunge Router / Drilling jig.   

I do have something similar to this.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Wolfcraft-Portable-Multi-Angle-Drill-Guide-with-Drill-Chuck-4525404/303283380?MERCH=REC-_-PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-100349264-_-303283380-_-N

Edited April 29, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Rockytime]

Yes John, there are lots of good ways to drill. I have a table top and floor drill. I happen to like the Dremel as it does not take up bench space. My table top drill is in the basement clock shop.  Seyco also makes a little drilling unit at quite the price. You mentioned awhile ago, I think, that Stewmac.com sells a router stand for the Dremel. It is very simple and made of brass and steel. Beautiful little device. And only $63! Do I need it? No, but I sure want one and one day I may just break down and buy it. It would look great on the bench. In addition, I appreciate the information you often supply.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

6 hours ago, Rockytime said:

Yes John, there are lots of good ways to drill. I have a table top and floor drill. I happen to like the Dremel as it does not take up bench space. My table top drill is in the basement clock shop.  Seyco also makes a little drilling unit at quite the price. You mentioned awhile ago, I think, that Stewmac.com sells a router stand for the Dremel. It is very simple and made of brass and steel. Beautiful little device. And only $63! Do I need it? No, but I sure want one and one day I may just break down and buy it. It would look great on the bench. In addition, I appreciate the information you often supply.

Yey I get it. Many ways to do all things. If you like it that is all that counts. Have fun. 

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Precision_Router_Base.html

Edited April 30, 2019 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[OCtoolguy]

12 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Yey I get it. Many ways to do all things. If you like it that is all that counts. Have fun. 

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Precision_Router_Base.html

Wow! JT, that is nice. Pricey but very nice and well made. I can see that combined with a rechargeable Dremel as a sweet tool. To me, I'd spend the money for that combo over the Seyco because you'd also have the Dremel for other tasks. Now I wish I had waited a bit longer.

[Rockytime]

It's a done deal. I just ordered it. $72.17. Do I need it? No. I don't drink, smoke, have a Corvette, have an affair or anything. My mid life crisis was uneventful so I feel I owe myself the jig.    I'll post when it arrives.

[kmmcrafts]

14 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

Yey I get it. Many ways to do all things. If you like it that is all that counts. Have fun. 

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Precision_Router_Base.html

I'm not spending that kind of money on a tool that I plan to mis-use.. It's a router base made for routing... not made to use as a drill press  

 

EDIT To Add

 After looking closer at it and also watching the video.. it appears this is a fixed router base.. not a plunge router base.. They do have a plunge router base as well..

https://www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Types_of_Tools/Routers_and_Bits/Routers/StewMac_Plunge_Router_Base.html

At $152 I can buy several Dremel router bases.. LOL

 

Edited April 30, 2019 by kmmcrafts

[OCtoolguy]

10 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

I'm not spending that kind of money on a tool that I plan to mis-use.. It's a router base made for routing... not made to use as a drill press  

I think you are wrong on this Kevin. That is for sure a router base but it's no different than the one you and I bought. It's just made a whole lot better and probably operates smoother. If I had known of it before, I might have done things differently. Now, I can certainly see the benefit of the cordless Dremel tool and will be thinking about one of them in the future. The only problem I see if having to remove it from the base for charging. Too bad it doesn't have a removable battery. Or does it? I haven't studied them at all and maybe the newer ones have that feature. 

Edit: Wow. I just did a look up on the cordless Dremel and they DO come with a removable battery. So, that problem is solved. A tool and 2 batteries would be the answer. But, now it's getting pretty pricey again. I guess I'll just live with what I have.

Edited April 30, 2019 by octoolguy

[kmmcrafts]

2 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

I think you are wrong on this Kevin. That is for sure a router base but it's no different than the one you and I bought. It's just made a whole lot better and probably operates smoother. If I had known of it before, I might have done things differently. Now, I can certainly see the benefit of the cordless Dremel tool and will be thinking about one of them in the future. The only problem I see if having to remove it from the base for charging. Too bad it doesn't have a removable battery. Or does it? I haven't studied them at all and maybe the newer ones have that feature. 

 

Watch the video Ray on the link JT posted. it shows them raising and lowering it with the thumb wheels on the uprights.. The one I linked to is the plunge router base they sell at $152.. 

[OCtoolguy]

1 minute ago, kmmcrafts said:

Watch the video Ray on the link JT posted. it shows them raising and lowering it with the thumb wheels on the uprights.. The one I linked to is the plunge router base they sell at $152.. 

OOOPS! I didn't see that. I retract my statement.