SIP 01478 1/2" router

[PLJ]

Hello everyone

I decided i was going to do some routing on my guitar, and cant justify professional routers, even 2nd hand, so bought a used ( almost unused ) SIP 01478 1/2" router.

It came with 12 unused 8mm cutters, 4 smaller cutters, ... my digi verniers decided to go missing in my home just when i needed them so they could either be 6mm or 1/4" ..i dont know yet.

Along with the cutters, there were 3 collets. 1/2" / 12.7mm + small one that fitted the 4 small bits, and one inbetween. The 8mm cutters were way too baggy in this collet for it to be an 8mm, and as isn't a 12.7/1/2" collet, i havent a clue.

So, since the 8mm collet seems to be missing, i'm looking for one. Now, i checked the web and this SIP router is still being sold new, and according to the sales blurb, it came with 6mm 8mm and 12.7mm collets, but i certainly dont have the 8mm. I havent found any spare part sellers that sell an 8mm collet, despite SIP ( or i should say sellers of SIP routers ) stating they come supplied

Does anyone know where i can buy one?

Many thanks
Pete

[big-all]

heeelllooo and welcome plj
a random link shows 6.35 9.525 and 12.7mm

"1/4", 3/8", 1/2" COLLETS"

[PLJ]

Hi and thanks for that.

Does that mean there's such a thing as 3/8th cutters ? I know 8mm is somewhere inbetween 3/8th and 5/16th , i guess the odd collet in my box is 3/8th, then its no good, since the 8mm cutters are too baggy a fit

This is what i saw on SIPs website

http://www.sipuk.co.uk/sip-router-1500w ... 01478.html. Click the ' additional info ' when the page opens

They say it comes with 1/4" 3/8" 1/2" / 6mm / 8mm / 12mm. Thats incorrect, because 1/4" is 6.35mm and 3/8th is 9.52mm and 1/2" is 12.7mm

Unless they meant it comes with 6 collets but i doubt it

So i'm at a loss here

Is there such a thing as universal 8mm collet ? I'm hoping to use the 8mm cutters, really. Or perhaps i could find a sleeve for the 9.52 collet ?

Something like this maybe ?

http://www.axminster.co.uk/axcaliber-ro ... on-sleeves

[Timllfixit]

Have a look on the Trend website. I think they do 8mm collets.

[PLJ]

Couldn't find a universal 8mm collet on Trend, only 12.7 down to 8mm sleeve, which is out of stock.

Just out of curiosity, i might phone those folk in the SIP link i posted and ask them to explain about their collets

[big-all]

in general a router will be set up for imperial or metric as people will have imperial or metric cutters
having said that routers will often have 1/4 and half inch and a 8mm collet or reduction sleeve so no way off working it out

[PLJ]

I see, yes. Makes sense.

Still find it odd that a power tool selling website advertises 6mm as 1/4" and 8mm as 3/8th" I'll find out what they're on about tomorrow

Funny, i have now found another collet that came with the router, and it's even smaller than the other small one. It must be 6mm, and those i thought were 1/4" must be exactly that because the 4 cutters I got with the router which i guessed were 1/4", will not fit in this smallest collet i just found, which makes that collet 6mm. Another redundant collet then along with the 12.7, since i only have 1/4" and 8mm cutters here.

Its turning out to be a tricky business, this router malarkey

[big-all]

in general forget about mixing and matching go for 1/4 and 1/2 only you do not need any more than 2 sizes in general one will cover 90% off your needs
you really ideally need a small medium and large router
the machine is the cheapest part off the setup
the cutters jigs and "tables " are the expensive bits

[Timllfixit]

Some inexpensive kitchen fitters (bit)sets come with an 8mm shaft. Often they have a collet included.

[PLJ]

I'll check that out, thanks

[Job and Knock]

Does that mean there's such a thing as 3/8th cutters ? I know 8mm is somewhere inbetween 3/8th and 5/16th , i guess the odd collet in my box is 3/8th, then its no good, since the 8mm cutters are too baggy a fit

If you think about it for a minute, a router cutter spins at more than 20,000 rpm (twenty thousand revs a minute) so you really want a collet which very closely matches the diameter of the cutter - and by close I mean +/- 0.1mm or less (unless you particularly fancy the idea of a router which sheds cutters all the time). That's why 6mm collets won't accommodate 1/4in (6.35mm) and vice versa, etc.

The "standard" British cutter shanks these days are 1/4in (6.35mm) and 1/2in (12.7mm) with a limited range of 8mm shank cutters being available (these are in part a throwback to Elu routers of the 1970s and the available range is quite limited). At one time, about 40 years or more ago, you could get quite a reasonable range in 3/8in shank cutters, but no longer (sorry, but I really am old enough to know this first hand). Most companies who sold them have either phased them out or are in the process of so doing. Continental Europe uses purely metric shanks with 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 12mm being variously available, depending on the individual country. Of these you may occasionally see 6mm sets in the UK (really designed for light hobby use only), but other than those the choice is generally limited to a limited range of straight cutters in 8mm shank. 10 and 12mm are not available off the shelf. As a general rule the larger diameter the cutter shank, the stronger it will be and the less chance you'll have of cutter breakages

Is there such a thing as universal 8mm collet ? I'm hoping to use the 8mm cutters, really. Or perhaps i could find a sleeve for the 9.52 collet ?

From the above response I think you'll be able to answer that yourself.

[PLJ]

Well there wasn't an 8mm collet for the SIP , anywhere. I tried

So i had to order a sleeve, which i did , from tool peeps Axminster.

If i was a pro, i wouldnt be using a sleeve, but the work i'm doing is fairly light, and so i'm not too bothered. This isn't a tool i'm going to be using every day. In fact if i use it more than 3 times before the end of the year, i will be amazed, but ya never know !

[big-all]

sleeves are fine hitachi use them as many others
i could send you several and a few cutters as i never use them

[PLJ]

Thats a fabulous offer , all. I'm wondering whether they'd be wasted on me

[big-all]

i think they are all twin flute probably all the same
they are the ones you tend to get with the router as in a single cutter with each applicable

have you got yourself some ptfe lub spay
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p63929
and a router matt
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p85326
£10 for free next working day delivery