Need a Jacobs Keyless Router Chuck

I want a Jacobs 33841 Power Collet Keyless Router Chuck (For DeWALT 625 Router). Every search ends up at Amazon and it is flagged as not stocked or discontinued. Is the chuck not available anymore? I bought a router lifter from Woodpecker at a recent woodworking show. I got the style that will accept just about any router known to man. The draw back is the collet doesn't reach the table top. Besides needing an offset wrench to change bits the router bits will not extend fully above the table top. I know one of the draw backs of the Jacobs router chuck was it extended so far that it needed an extender for the router base. I figure that it would be perfect for the router lift as it would bring the collet to the top of the router table and be easier to change bits also.

Dave Smith

Coming up a little short in Longview, WA.

A whole lot of folks said "not nice" things about this chuck...it may actually not be available. Typical compaints were hard on the fingers to use and big loss of depth. There is/was another system that seemed to have less complaints...if I can find it, I'll edit this post with the information. That version uses about a 1/4 turn of an allen wrench to grip the bit and you don't take as big a hit on depth loss as you do with the Jacobs.

I had a Jacobs power collet for my DW625 and I loved it (notice past tence). One day while using it the collet got bent so I started calling around to try to find out how to get it fixed or replaced. I found out the Jacobs stopped making the power collets and no longer supported them. I was very dissapointed because I loved it and now I have the same problem as you. I have a plungelift from woodpeckers (love it) and wish I had a little more height above my router table. The only thing I found that was similar was a collet extender from MLCS. I am still waiting for something better to come along. I sure wish Jacobs would make the power collets again. Maybe some one else will know of a similar product, but I sure wasn't able to find one.

The Jacobs quick change chuck would be the perfect thing for the router lift. I haven't looked at any other quick change chucks and i doubt that they will add the height I need. So I guess I will look at a collet extension.

Dave Smith

Bummed out in Longview, WA.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Smith

So I guess I will look at a collet extension.

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Be aware that these potentially will add and/or magnify any run-out between the machine and the cutter. They may or may not be machined as "accurately" as your better bits! Be sure you measure this before you are totally accepting of its use in your table.

BTW, the device I was trying to remember above is called the Eliminator, but is only available for Porter Cable routers. The phone number for information is 703.644.5647. It sells for $54.95. I bought a set of bent wrenches from Woodpeckers for about half that and they work just great.

I had one on my DW625. I got it from Grainger's and last I knew, they still had them though they've been discontinued by Jacobs. It was very of handy on the WoodRat and on the Legaacy. Unfortunately, it let go of a router bit and ruined a piece of mahogany. On the plus side, the bit didn't take off and end up in my knee or in the opposite wall.

I decided I should use the original collet for the job I was doing but couldn't get the PowerCollet off my router. The nut unscrewed just fine and was entirely disengaged from the router. I ended up hanging the router upside down by the collar on the collet and beating on a 1/2" brass rod shoved down its throat until the router fell off. I did that close to the floor with a cushion to catch the router.

The PowerCollet was rendered unusable in my attempts to get it off but frankly I don't care any more. While it was certainly convenient, I think there was some added run out not that I ever measured it.

When I was trying to get the stupid thing off, I asked here and someone posted a link to a website run by a guy who sort of works for Jacobs and did a lot of research on the PowerCollets. I ended up talking to him for about 30 minutes. He said one of the big drawbacks to the PowerCollet is that it shifts sideloads farther away from the bearings which has the effect of increasing those loads and causing the bearing to wear faster. Apparently this was worse on the DeWalt DW625 than some other routers but all experienced the same problem.

I'm almost tempted to get a PC router with the Eliminator chuck at least for the Legacy if not for the Rat, too.