Musclechuck™ Quick-Change Router Chuck, Type 1

No more busted knuckles and hunting the wrench! All routers should come with the ease of bit change this gives.

I've been woodworking for 38 years. Started using this chuck at the router table about 20 years ago. Love it! I can change the bit without lifting the router out of the table. The first one lasted those 20 years. Finally the set screw stripped out and I had to get another one. Hopefully this one will last me until I can no longer woodwork as I am 57 and doubt I will be able to do this passion into my 70's as the body is just wearing out. This is easy to install and though I favor 1/2" shafts, I have used some 1/4" shaft bits with an adapter, in this chuck, and they worked just fine. For me this chuck has been well worth the money. I use it in a 3-1/4 horse power Porter Cable plunge router. You have to get the chuck that is made for your brand of router.

I really wanted to like this thing; changing router bits is not the most onerous thing you do in the shop but it's not fun. Because this thing is not symmetrical I wondered how it could spin at high speed without wobbling. Well, at least in my case, it couldn't. The "adjustment" procedure is straight forward albeit fiddly, and I did it 15 times before reaching the end of my patience. You start out hoping that a few adjustments will get it right, then you pray, then you cuss like a sailor. I will say that I have never appreciated my good old standard collet like I do now. I know that many buyers have found this to work out for them, but my skeptical self believes that many of them just accept (or don't notice) a little wobble in exchange for the convenience. I'm an Incra type woodworker so a "little wobble" is totally unacceptable, to me anyway. I also believe it is dangerous for a router bit to be wobbling at all while spinning at 18k or even faster. Good luck to you if you give this a try; if you return within 30 days Amazon will cover the return shipping.

It's a little pricy, but well made and worth the money. It makes changing bits on a router table easy. It is well balanced and as not caused any vibration in my router table.

I have them on all HD routers

Always the first accessory I purchase when I get a new router.

Contrary to compatibility index does not fit Bosch 1617EVS.

I got tired of using two offset wrenches to change out bits in my router table, so I took a chance on the Musclechuck. It works well. I don't notice any runout (my dial caliper showed maybe a couple thousands, but the router chuck had that much without the Musclechuck). It seems well-balanced--there's no discernable vibration--and bits cut smooth with no chatter. Bit changing is a breeze, especially compared to fighting the wrenches. The router doesn't have to be cranked all the way up to access the collet nut. I bought a Bondhus 4mm ball-tip long-shank screwdriver and a Bondhus 4mm ball-tip wrench for changes. The screwdriver works for speed and the wrench works to crank the Musclechuck down. Both work great and were inexpensive. I think, all-in-all, it's a very good setup. I also bought the adapter for 1/4" bits. It works equally well.