How to use the collet wrench - Craftsman Tools & Hardware - Others

lock the collet by turning the on-off switch to off, push the button under the on-off switch to lock the collet then use the supplied wrench to loosen the collet.

All routers use a right-handed thread. With the bit facing up, you will turn the nut counter-clockwise. And here's a little tip. If this router requires you to use two wrenches (one to hold the shaft still and the other to turn the collet nut) then put the wrench on the shaft at the 6 o'clock postion and put the wrench on the collet nut at the 7 o'clock postion - then squeeze the two wrenches together. This works incredibly better than having the two wrenches at some distance apart. Please vote if you found this helpful. Good luck, Al K

it is possible that you stripped lock mechanism on the collet, for the beginning, never, ever, use wrench to tighten the collet! just hand tied, if it slips, tight it bit more, but with hands only.

i never used wrench on the collet and never have any trouble with any of my dremels.

to close, just hold firmly in one hand pressing locket button, tighten up with other hand, to undo, reverse procedure.

if you find bit is too lose, then you have collet inserts, find that one which hold bit firmly and use it on this particular bit. standard collet is 1/8" (3.175mm), but in the set there are collets from 0.0394'' (1mm) to 0.177" (4.5mm). do not use wrench...

just inspect now if thread is not stripped, on spindle and on collar, if locket still hold, if these are damaged, you need to change damaged part. and follow the advice :-)

if you find this advice useful, pleasae do not hesitate leave your remark and vote4 for me, thanx!

DW660 is suppose to be a tool free bit insertion and removal. However a wrench may be necessary. If you have loosened the the collet nut either with the collet grip or a wrench and the bit does not come out. Remove the collet nut completely from the tool. Remove the the collet with the bit in it. With a couple of plyers, one use to hold the broken bit the other to twist the collet. Sometimes when the bit is overtighten the collet locks on to the bit so to speak and the collet wont expand back out thus releasing the bit by doing the above it will expand back out and release the bit. Reinstall the collet and collet nut.

I hope this helps, thanks for using FIXYA. Good luck and have a great weekend. Jeff

On my older Sears router there is a lever on the base near the collet nut that you slide to engage the motor shaft to lock the motor shaft for bit changes. On newer models you may have a button or different mechanism to lock the shaft. After the shaft is locked you can use a small wrench to loosen the collet nut, usually by turning it counter-clockwise (viewed from the base). Once the nut is loose the bit should slide out (sometimes the bit is stuck in the collet and the nut may need to come all the way off to get them apart). Just replace the bit with a new bit with the same shaft diameter, tighten the nut, and you are set. If the new bit has a different shaft diameter than the old bit you may need to change the collet also (in general, different collets are used with different bit shaft diameters).

I would suggest going to Dewaltservicenet.com and typing in your model number for an owners manual for this tool. If you still need more help let me know and I will try.

remove all the star head screws, unscrew the top plastic collet holding the plastic outer casing on. take a pair of vise grip locking pliers open the plastic casing just enough to expose the inner shaft inside the casing lock the vice grips onto the metal shaft between the bearing casing and the collet that is stuck enough to hold but not to dent it up. now that the vice grips are locked onto the main shaft get an adjustable wrench and size it to the collet screw size and turn it should come off rather easily or at least mine did just did it as i wrote this then screw the casing back together and happy dremeling hope this helps

Changing Bits: 1. Unplug the tool. 2. Turn the knobs on either side of the tool to loosen the base. 3. Remove the base. 4. Press the spindle guide to lock down the shaft. 5. Use a wrench to loosen the collet. 6. Remove the bit and collet. You may have to tap on the collet to loosen; careful not to tap on the cutting edges of the bit. 7. Insert the new bit and collet. 8. Use a wrench to tighten the collet into place. 9. Replace the base.

Look for a button that will lock the collet in place. This will allow you to adjust the collet with a single wrench, without having to wrestle with several wrenches.