I had to buy the 8mm makita collet from overseas on eBay ($18) as I couldn’t find a source here in the US. I could have bought one from Elaire but they were more expensive ($32).
Bought the ER11 extension from US vendor on eBay ($14) and a 13 piece collet set from US vendor on amazon ($21).
So for $53 I can now use any bit from 0.5mm to 7mm in the ER11 or an 8mm bit using the makita collet in the original chuck. The collets all have a 1/2mm range so any US size 1/16" to 1/4" will fit as well. Probably a 5/16" would work with the 8mm too.
Runout is still less than 0.001in using my cheapie dial indicator. Tool depth is about the same using 1/8" bits in the ER11 as it was using 1/4" bits in the original chuck.
I cut the ER11 extension down to fit the depth of the stock chuck using my lathe, but it could be done in a drill press with a hacksaw like the original description from inventables.
Sweet! Doesn’t think make you wonder why the heck all these company’s don’t just use the ER system? The routers would be even more useful than they already are.
@Ryan: Yeah, I don’t know why everybody wants to design their own clamping system, just use the ER system and let people decide what size collets they want to use in it.
@Hubert: Definitely worth the money and you get more for your money by not shipping twice. I am curious how good the runout is on the Elaire 8mm vs the OEM.
I really love this router as the spindle for the MPCNC. I misaligned a piece of acrylic this weekend I was cutting on the CNC and the 1/4" bit I was using ended up getting too close to one edge and went right through the edge of the head of the lath screw I was using for a hold down. It make quite a racket cutting steel, but went right through without slowing down in the slightest!
So to kind of piggy back off of this idea I couldn’t find my Dewalt 660 1/8" collet anywhere and instead of purchasing one for $12 or whatever the price is online I went to my local hardware store (I got mine at Menards) and bought the RotoZip® Replacement Collet and Nut Kit for $9. It came with three collets: 1/8", 5/32", 1/4" and the 1/8" one fit right in. So there is an alternative for you guys to be aware of.
I came here looking for answers on how to mount smaller tools in my Makita trim router on my MPCNC. I wanted to get something done now, not wait for a part to be shipped. I figured out a temporary solution until I get a proper collet system.
I was able to hold my 2mm tool in a 2mm Dremel collet, and hold that collet in the 1/4 makita collet.
Obviously this isn’t a proper setup, but I was able to cut an hours worth of wood no problem.
The little dremel collets have a cylindrical outer surface that is 1/4 inch in diameter and the slits are partly cut into this part allowing the outer collet to squeeze the endmill through the inner collet.
Obviously I don’t suggest this for long-term but hey, I was able to get the job done.
Picture for clarity:[attachment file=“Makita Dremel Collet.png”]
I’d be at least somewhat wary interchanging metric and imperial parts, especially placing a slightly smaller shank in a collet.
I once tried a 6.0mm collet shank adapter on 6.35mm (1/4 inch) collet (ordered from a Chinese supplier who had gotten it wrong ); the 0.35mm difference mattered a lot:
Despite tightening hard, the bit span in the adaptor moments after the job was underway, cutting ceased, but the belts dragged the router on, tilting it around 15 degrees, the up cut bit was immediately wrenched from the adapter, closely followed by the adapter falling out of the spinning collet to drop and roll across the board I was cutting… (all of this occurred without much reaction from me - within a second or two). It wasn’t dangerous that time, but certainly not desirable and I didn’t try it again I bought another adapter from a much more reliable supplier (shout out to Adam’s Bits in Australia) and checked with calipers that it was indeed the 6.35mm it claimed to be.
I bought another adapter from a much more reliable supplier (shout out to Adam’s Bits in Australia) and checked with calipers that it was indeed the 6.35mm it claimed to be.