I had a close call recently that could have really ruined my day, and thought I'd pass it along. I bought a few Bosch Colt palm routers recently and set each one up for a specific purpose. On the near fateful day, I was using one of the routers with a cutter that was about one inch in length, but set to only cut at a depth of about 1/16 inch, so quite a lot of the cutter was sitting up above the baseplate, exposed in the open area where the collet wrench is used to tighten the collet nut. The cutter shaft was inserted all the way into the collet so that the carbide teeth of the cutter were positioned about 1/16 inch below the collet nut. I turned the router on, and, with both hands on the router, made a short test cut, then repositioned my right hand on the router to move the router away from the cut so I could inspect the cut. As I repositioned my right hand on the router, the two middle fingers of that hand found their way into the opening at the base of the router, which coincided with a very sudden sharp pain at my finger tips. I immediately grabbed the upper portion of the router with my left had and dropped my right hand down to my side, afraid to look to see how much of my finders I had just lost. But, when I raised my hand up to have a look and to apply direct pressure to what was left, I was amazed to see that everything was still intact. My finger tips had only hit the spinning collet nut. However, the close call left me a bit shaken, especially after I examined and noted how narrowly I had missed sticking my fingers into the spinning cutter, which was nearly fully exposed through the opening that I had stuck my fingers into. The collet nut that I had hit looked so small in comparison to the exposed cutter.
So now, all of my Colt routers have a pieced of 1/4 inch hardware cloth (heavy wire screen) securely placed over all of the openings. Due to the ergonomic design of the router (or maybe just the way I tend to hold the router), my fingers are constantly up against that protective screen, so I'm very glad the screen is there. Because my Colt routers are set up for dedicated tasks, I don't need to have access the collet nut very often, so the screen is not an issue in terms of access to the nut.
Many folks on this forum have indicated that they use the Colt router, so I thought I'd pass on my experience in the hope that it might help to prevent a very nasty injury to someone else. I'm a very safety conscious person, but I just didn't see my close call coming, even though, when I watch the Colt demo video on the Bosch web site, that guys fingers are constantly in very close proximity of the spinning cutter. Short cutters that are fully extended below the base plate wouldn't present the same danger, but there's a lot of set-up situations where cutters can be exposed in the window area of the router, just waitin' to take a bite out of a misplaced finger... or two.
G-man
warning regarding Bosch palm router
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skidesmond
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Too close for comfort! I've had a few of my close calls over the years w/ a router and a table saw. Come to think of it a planer too. The table saw incident required a trip to the emergency room... "ALWAYS USE A PUSH STICK".
Anyway all I could think of in that instant was that I was going to look like a high school shop teacher
But all fingers and thumbs are still intact.
Anyway all I could think of in that instant was that I was going to look like a high school shop teacher
But all fingers and thumbs are still intact.
Warning #2. i have this exact router and once decided, for reasons of my own, to try and use the bevel bit (purchased from skibuildrs). it turns out that the moment of the spinning bit is too much for that little collet and it slowly works it way out. Luckily I noticed before it fell out totally. I'm not sure what woudl have happened, but i assume it woudl fall, hit the floor, then ricochet off at some crazy angle, presumably straight into my crotch.
i suppose you coudl really try cranking it down, but to be safe i never use oversize bits with the Bosch laminate trimmer. Best case: the bearing lsoes contact and you gouge your board. Worst case, you catch a flying bit in the balls.
i suppose you coudl really try cranking it down, but to be safe i never use oversize bits with the Bosch laminate trimmer. Best case: the bearing lsoes contact and you gouge your board. Worst case, you catch a flying bit in the balls.
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skidesmond
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Warning #3. (might as well admit a dumb mistake) Always make sure the bit is fully seated into the collet and then tighten very tight.
I was using a slot cutting bit and wanted to make the slot slightly deeper in the wood than the router (fixed) base would allow so I left the bit a little but longer than so I could get the depth I wanted.
When I switched on the router the force and momentum of the spinning bit bent the shaft of the bit to nealry 90 degrees in a split second. Took a gouge out of the router base. I immediatly shut off the router, turn the lights off inthe shop and watched some TV.
I saved the bit for long time to remind my self never to do that again... but I can't find it now.
I was using a slot cutting bit and wanted to make the slot slightly deeper in the wood than the router (fixed) base would allow so I left the bit a little but longer than so I could get the depth I wanted.
When I switched on the router the force and momentum of the spinning bit bent the shaft of the bit to nealry 90 degrees in a split second. Took a gouge out of the router base. I immediatly shut off the router, turn the lights off inthe shop and watched some TV.
I saved the bit for long time to remind my self never to do that again... but I can't find it now.
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skidesmond
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. I have other close call stories that have a humorous side but will save for some other time.-
skidesmond
- Posts: 2337
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:26 pm
- Location: Western Mass, USA
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Why is that? Must be corollary to Murphy's Law - Reckless or random flying objects will always hit you in the nuts. I never thought about it but maybe I should start wearing a cup in the shop.OnDeck wrote:Warning #2. i have this exact router and once decided, for reasons of my own, to try and use the bevel bit (purchased from skibuildrs). it turns out that the moment of the spinning bit is too much for that little collet and it slowly works it way out. Luckily I noticed before it fell out totally. I'm not sure what woudl have happened, but i assume it woudl fall, hit the floor, then ricochet off at some crazy angle, presumably straight into my crotch.
i suppose you coudl really try cranking it down, but to be safe i never use oversize bits with the Bosch laminate trimmer. Best case: the bearing lsoes contact and you gouge your board. Worst case, you catch a flying bit in the balls.
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telepariah
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- Joined: Wed Oct 01, 2008 8:22 am
- Location: Sapporo, Japan
Holy crap this is scary! When I think about what can go wrong in ski building it's usually around big pieces of metal ripping apart and flying round the shop.
I wouldn't worry only about a flying router bit hitting in the balls. If it hits you just below there what about your femoral arteries? Maybe get a shop apron made from the lead fabric used in radiology labs? Heavy, but I think it would provide some pretty solid protection.
Be careful.
I wouldn't worry only about a flying router bit hitting in the balls. If it hits you just below there what about your femoral arteries? Maybe get a shop apron made from the lead fabric used in radiology labs? Heavy, but I think it would provide some pretty solid protection.
Be careful.