Router Collet

Only one out of the pair worked, perfectly I might add, but the other one was slightly smaller, enough for the bit to not fitI'll keep it, but thought this was important for future buyers to know

This simple design makes extracting the bit so much easier. No more screwdriver or possible cut hands when removing sharp bit.

My three Bosch palm routers are my preferred tools for edge forming, trimming, and many other woodworking tasks. They are powerful, lightweight, easy to handle, and quick and accurate to set up. Over time, collets wear out, so I ordered these as replacements.Router collets are tapered to match the female taper in the router spindle and have slots to allow the collet to compress and firmly grip the bit shank when the collet nut is tightened. Self-releasing collets have a ring on the top which engages with a matching recess in the collet nut so that the nut will pull the collet free of the spindle taper to release the bit.The Tobaiwind collets look like the standard Bosch collet and use the same wrench size. Visually, the collet wall seems to be slightly thicker than the Bosch, and the opening at the end of the nut is also slightly larger (.315" vs .269" for the Bosch) but that shouldn’t cause any problems. When installed, a ¼” shank bit fits snugly and the nut can be firmly tightened.With a self-releasing collet, the nut is loosened and after about 1 – 1 ¼ turns, the nut again gets snug as the built-in ring engages to pull the collet out of the spindle taper and free the bit. This is very noticeable with the Bosch collets, but the Tobaiwind collets come free along with the bit with no secondary resistance. I thought they would possibly seat better after use, so I made test cuts with a dovetail bit and the results were the same. I suspect that the taper of the Tobaiwind collets differs from the Bosch and does not fully engage the spindle taper. Otherwise, you would feel the secondary resistance as the collet ring engages the nut and the collet is pulled free of the spindle. .Since the Tobaiwind collets do not self-release like the standard Bosch, I am concerned that the grip could be compromised or there may be additional wear to the spindle during use. It is also less convenient to change a bit, as the entire collet assembly comes free along with the bit when the nut is loosened. For these reasons, I will continue to use the Bosch collets and do not recommend these as replacements.