Makita trim router

[Aiph5u (Aiph5u (not affiliated with Onefinity))]

Hey Pony, hey all,

@Pony

Remember it has a ER collet. If you have never used one, read up (or YouTube it) on how to correctly install one as there is nothing in the manual!

yes, one good video is this one:

@Aiph5u

if it’s your first ER collet, then you’ll have to know:

@Aiph5u

ER Collet Essentials. Do You Know? – Haas Automation Tip of the Day - Youtube

ER collets have a mark which has a purpose explained in the video.

Other holes can be are from balancing the collet nut.

See also:

@Aiph5u

ER collets are not mounted the way a trim router collet is mounted. Most people put the collet into the axle of the spindle and then they put the collet nut over it. That is definetely wrong! An ER collet has a groove that goes all the way around near the top of the collet. The corresponding collet nut of an ER collet has an excentric extractor ring or offset lip inside. It is absolutely mandatory to fully engage (clip in) the collet inside the nut before you tighten it onto the holder, as shown at this moment of the video “ER Collets | 5 Things to Know for Beginners”. See also this picture from my spindle manual:

– Source: Mechatron HFS Spindle User’s Manual

[KevTN (Kevin)]

I just ordered one of these to replace my Makita (to help sell my old CNC). Do you still like it? I hope to play with it a little this weekend.

[Pony]

Love it! Never have a problem, never gets hit
Pony

[KevTN (Kevin)]

I goofed. I got the OpenBuilds one. I tried to get the MakersMade but they were back ordered.

Thanks for the fast reply.

[Pony]

You will have to let everyone know how that one is
Pony

[KevTN (Kevin)]

I was able to play with the Open Builds RoutER11 CNC Kit. It has the ER 11-A collet. Comes with 1/4, 1/8, 3mm and 6mm collets. I did order some more nuts and a collet set to hopefully make changes quicker.

I put through three ‘projects’: First cutting some Black Walnut with a 1/4 EM at 110ipm, 0.3 per pass with 0.5 ramp in down to 0.7. Minimal chatter, bit and router did great. I was expecting it at the end to be hot like it was with the Makita (that I would never run that speed with) but it was minimally warm.

The next project was a simple surfacing of an engrain Ash cutting board. It had been in the clamps since last sunday. Alot of the tape was stuck to it, cut at 0.3 at 120 40 step over and it did not even know it was working.

Last project was a juice groove for said cutting board. (Making for wife). I used a 1/2 diameter bowl and tray but that I thought was dull. No problems at all clean cut. I ran it at 80ipm 0.5 plunge.

All of the above was done at 17000 RPM. I could have pushed it hard but decided not to just to get my feet ‘wet’.

Over all impressions: Quieter than the Makita not by alot but lower town vs the high pitch. I feel better about let the machine go a faster. I am very happy with this purchase as a bridge to a spindle. I ordered on a friday and it was at my house Monday.