# Disgusted with Ryobi router and table



## user459 (Jan 11, 2015)

I have a Ryobi router and router table I bought for an immediate, one time use and I probably should have thrown it out after that one use. Now I'm trying to use it to do some fairly precise work and it just does not fill the bill. It's hard to raise and lower, difficult to change bits, and worst of all, the bit position changes when I lock down the height adjustment. I'm disgusted with it. I've had to redo several pieces it ruined.

I've read reviews of other routers and router/shapers with the same problem. Is this a common factor with other routers, too? Is there one out there that doesn't wander when the height adjustment is locked down?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

It's not just Ryobi, I had a bosch router the base wouldn't clamp to the router completely. It also might be your height adjustment is alright and the bit may be slipping out of the collet. This is a common problems with many routers. Try measuring the distance the bit extends out of the collet and see if it stays the same.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Yeah plenty. Read the curren thtreads on routers, router tables and lifts. My set up is great but cost some money (Bosch router (200.00), homemade table and cabinet, *80 bucks in material), and a Jessm Mast lift (300.00).

Prior to the Jessm I had a craig insert and the Bosch allows above table top adjustment. Once adjusted it was fine but not very convnient.

You can make you own lift ( a member here sells plans for one).

Until then Google "Simple router tables" and make one for about about 20 bucks.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Steve Neul said:


> It's not just Ryobi, I had a bosch router the base wouldn't clamp to the router completely. It also might be your height adjustment is alright and the bit may be slipping out of the collet. This is a common problems with many routers. Try measuring the distance the bit extends out of the collet and see if it stays the same.


Really, did you ever find out why? I have not had a problem with mine. In fact, it is actually rather tight (in its old base)


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## fareastern (Sep 19, 2014)

I have found these problems with several brands of router.The cutter coming out of the collet is something that usually occurs because it was too far into the collet to begin with and when the nut was tightened the end of the shank bottomed out before the collet jaws had got a secure grip.If you ever have it happen,just ease the cutter a tiny bit further out and tighten it.Most people seem to slide a length of pipe over the spanner and heave.....

Is the difficulty in raising and lowering because the mechanism is sticking?I have used silicone spray to ease those and it works well.Just take great care not to get it everywhere as it won't help glue or finishes to stay attached.


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## red (Sep 30, 2008)

I've only owned DeWalt routers and never have had an issue with router bits slipping from the collet. Maybe DeWalt has a better designed collet? I don't know. 

Red


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

user459 said:


> I have a Ryobi router and router table I bought for an immediate, one time use and I probably should have thrown it out after that one use. Now I'm trying to use it to do some fairly precise work and it just does not fill the bill. It's hard to raise and lower, difficult to change bits, and worst of all, the bit position changes when I lock down the height adjustment. I'm disgusted with it. I've had to redo several pieces it ruined.
> 
> I've read reviews of other routers and router/shapers with the same problem. Is this a common factor with other routers, too? Is there one out there that doesn't wander when the height adjustment is locked down?






As far as the bit moving when you lock down the height adjustment that is common among many routers Ive used, some worse than others. I always eyeball the bit with the router on the material (or material on the table beside the bit) to adjust the height. None of the measurement systems on any router are convenient to use accurately. By eyeballing the height you can account for the movement when you lock it in.

You should always make test cuts in scrap to ensure the cut youre after anyways. It can take a few minutes to get the height you want but in my opinion its far easier and faster to eyeball it than try and go by the routers measurement scale.


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## mengtian (Nov 8, 2012)

Scratch my earlier post. I misunderstood. I thought the bit or router was moving. It was a slight change AS it was locked down. And yeah...that happened with my Bosch as well. I think it is the nature of the beast. That is why I went with a good router lift.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

mengtian said:


> Really, did you ever find out why? I have not had a problem with mine. In fact, it is actually rather tight (in its old base)


My guess it the router body was undersized. I bought a new base for it and it did the same thing. It got so expensive ruining the work I was doing, I got rid of it.


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## user459 (Jan 11, 2015)

I don't think I expressed myself too well. Though it is the locking of the height mechanism that causes the problem, it is not the height of the bit that is affected. When I flip the lever to lock the height in place, the bit moves farther from the fence than it was set up to be. The whole router body rocks out of where it was set. PITA!


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## Chamfer (Sep 6, 2014)

user459 said:


> I don't think I expressed myself too well. Though it is the locking of the height mechanism that causes the problem, it is not the height of the bit that is affected. When I flip the lever to lock the height in place, the bit moves farther from the fence than it was set up to be. The whole router body rocks out of where it was set. PITA!




Its best you set the fence after youve locked in the height adjustment. Any router out there is going to move going from unlocked to locked.

The only easier faster way to set up a router in a table is with a good router lift. This eliminates the need to lock and unlock a base to make changes.


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## epicfail48 (Mar 27, 2014)

Same thing happened with my old craftsman router whenever I locked the base down, I thing its just a common issue with most router bases. Might want to look into building your own router lift. Shop notes has pretty good plans in one of their back issues


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