Introduction and Stuck Milwaukee 5625 Router Collet

[Michael Colip]

IMG_1859.jpgHi All, first post.

I'm starting up my shop now for the second time. I originally got into WW in about 2003. In 2016 we sold everything and moved down to FL to fish. Well, we recently moved back to the mid west and I got the WW bug again. Didn't help that the property I bought has a beautiful 40x30 insulated shop and 12 acres of Walnut trees.

Wow have the prices of tools gone up. I have repurchased almost everything again. The last piece I need is a bandsaw.

So, I'm just finishing up putting together the Jessem router table and lift. I have installed the Milwaukee 5625 router into the lift. My problem is that I can't install a 1/2 bit into the collet as it is not open enough. The collet nut completely unscrews without opening the collet. The collet nut comes completely off the router shaft while the collet is still stuck in the router.

This is a brand new router, just out of the box and never used.

Any ideas on how to get the collet loose?

Thanks so much,
Mike