Question thumbnail router bit removal

Create a Post
imaluma

imaluma

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Posts
1,691
Loc
I left my heart in san francisco/ st louis
Soooo...


This position I have, building a little frame shop from scratch with a handful of used equipment from a little shop that went under.... There is a thumbnail router and I need to change the bit, but it has been at least a decade since I have done that. I am looking at it, and can't think for the life of me how to do it. I forgot :icon19:

So directly above the bit is a large nut, which appears to be threaded onto a shaft that disappears into the motor casing above. If I grasp the nut the entire thing turns, naturally. But how am I supposed to stabilize the whole thing so I can turn the nut? I don't want to go yanking and turning things without checking first.

Oh, by the way, any idea where to get a manual for this would be helpful, too.

Thanks!
 
Routers usually have a button that is depressed to lock the spindle. Find the button and depress it while turning the lock nut and it will drop into place. About a half turn will cause it to lock.
 
There are two wrenches that originally came with the machine. They are very flat. There is a large opening on one end, and a smaller opening on the other. The large end goes around the collet nut, and the smaller end goes on the collet itself, to keep it from moving spinning, when you remove the nut. Call 800-631-5414 (ext. 3243) and leave me your phone number. I can call you, and help you get the wrenches, as well as send you a manual.
 
The same Porter Cable router motor is used in a Thumbnailer and Fletcher Cornerlock. The depth adjustment procedure for the bit is similar but machine specific. The Fletcher comes with a special gauge that gets you close but still takes a bit of fine tuning. There's also a slight difference in the shape of the bit between the two machines.
 
Seems to me that when I looked at one of those, that it was the same Porter Cable motor that we used in the cabinet shop called alaminate trimmer. The shaft had a flat side on it which you placed a special thin wrench onto and then you were able to turn the nut. Your bit may be frozen into the shaft, if so lightly tap it with the wrench to remove it. If you don't see the flat side on the shaft, take a look at the head of the router on the side, you might also find an opening, into which you insert the special wrench for the unit (you might be able to sub a thin flat blade screwdriver if the wrench is no longer with the unit ) , which locks the motor so you can loosen that big nut as described above
 
The shaft definitely does not have a flat side, but I will have to look more closely at it when I get in today. Hopefully there will be something I can see to lock it and make this easy. I am afraid it might be frozen in there. It had been stored for some time.
 
If you have a Nielsen Bainbridge Thumbnailer, you might call their customer service for assistance. Whenever I get stuck, I call. Gritsko always used to help me, but hopefully they have someone else to answer our questions.

Susan
 
If the router motor is a Porter Cable : You have a collet nut(nut closest to tip of router bit) and a chuck nut (closest to the motor) holding the router bit in place. Using two wrenches, place one wrench on the collet nut and the other wrench on the chuck nut. "Pull" the two wrenched apart to loosen the collet nut. Loosen this nut as far as you can without it coming off the chuck. You should be able to remove the bit. If not grasp the bit below the cutting edge with a pair of pliers to pull it out. You might have to tap the bit into the collet to unfreeze it.
Let me know if this helps.
 
This is beyond frustrating.
Yes, after I looked more closely I see the shaft does have flat sides for an open ended wrench to fit on, but now the standard wrenches are to wide from where the threads for the nut are, and where the motor housing is, so they cannot slide on completely. I need the cheap flat wrench that probably came with it, or like comes with "assembly required" furniture.

I thought I could get a manual or tools or parts online, but when I search all I come up with when I search "thumbnail" and "router" together is a bunch of computer carp. :fire:
 
Replacing Router Bit

Like so many framing tools - you need specialized equipment to do the simplest things. In this case you have to use the special wrench provided by the Fletcher. They will send you the wrench for free, but of course you have to wait for it. Once you get the magic wrench, the job is easy.
My Esterly mat cutter will only use Esterly blades, which cost $40.00 per 100. Everything associated with it is proprietary and very expensive.
 
This is my third reply, but they do not seem to be getting posted. If you call 800-631-5414 I can help you out with a manual and any other info you need with regard to the Thumbnail. It is a piece of equipment owned by Nielsen & Bainbridge. (ext. 3243).
 
Unless they changed the newer models, the Fletcher and Thumbnailer used the same PorterCable routers. Other than the thin wrenches for loosening the collet, there shouldn't be any specialty tooling necessary.

You might try United Mfrs, Larson Juhl, or other thumbnailer distributors for a copy of an older manual. LJ Technical group has been very helpful in the past.
 
imaluma said:
it is not a Fletcher, it is a Thumbnail. And it is oooold. Does anyone know where I can get tools or manual for this? I keep coming up with exactly what I am NOT looking for when I do google searches.
Click to expand...
Imaluma
I have an older thumbnailer and I think that I have the manual. Will look in the morning and let you know.
 
imaluma said:
it is not a Fletcher, it is a Thumbnail. And it is oooold. Does anyone know where I can get tools or manual for this? I keep coming up with exactly what I am NOT looking for when I do google searches.
Click to expand...


Look under "Tools" in your yellow page book. You are looking for a store that sells tools to the trade /specialty contractor store (not a home center) That type of store should have the wrench you need. We have several of those stores in our area. Take the tool with you to the store.

When I get time this weekend, if you haven't found it by then, I'll take a look through my boxes of stuff, I might have an extra one.
 
http://www.thegrumble.com/member.php?u=1906Imaluma:
Do you know the model number of the router motor? That would help you in finding the manual for it.

I had one of the original thumbnailers made. If I remember correctly, you should be able to get to the collet nuts with either a crescent wrench or a regular box wrench. If you want, you could remove the router motor from the base to can access to the collet and bit.


If you want, send me a pm with photos of the thumbnailer and I'll try to help you out.
 
Imaluma
I have the Nielsen Brainbridge Thumbnailer and the manual. Let me know if you need a copy and I will get it to you.
 
From Patty Kay a rep for the above machine.

http://www.thegrumble.com/showthread.php?p=459735#post459735


Here is the content of the above thread:

I am starting a new thread as my replies to this original thread did not get posted, for some reason. I am the tech rep for Nielsen & Bainbridge equipment. We manufacture the Thumbnail Machine. It is a Porter Cable motor #3102, and you do need those flat wrenches, in order to remove the collet nut. If you call 800-631-5414 ext. 3243 I will help you out with a manual, and how to obatain the wrenches.
 
Frozen nuts...

Imaluma

No advice beyond what others have said in terms of the wrench and manual- but if this thing has been sitting in proximity to any moisture for as long as you say it has been sitting the bit might also be frozen in the collet. I would suggest you also squirt it with a little Liquid Wrench or in it's abscence maybe WD40. It might loosen things up just the amount you need. ( I know a guy who squirts WD 40 on his arthritic knee but I cannot vouch for that application...)

Good luck. I am confident you will prevail.

Aloha

Levie
 
Create a Post
Back
Top