Came across this while trying to figure out a solution to making that CNC Plotter Pen work with the Ridgid router.
Could be a nice piece of kit for rapid bit changes
http://www.musclechuck.com/musclechuck-assembly-instructions/
We have one of our Grizzly shapers set up with a Type 1 musclechuck. They’re fantastic.
I met John at a tradeshow where he had a booth set up and bought one on the spot; it’s never left the shaper since.
They’re a bit pricey for the hobbyist and the time saved probably wouldn’t be worth it to most, but if you have a need to bang through bit changes in a hurry, there’s no better solution of which I’m aware.
good to know. $30 isn’t too bad to get a 1/2" collet and an adapter. The stock Ridgid collet is pretty utilitarian, and doesn’t fit the CNC pen I am trying to use, so I’m considering throwing more money at it 
Oh, $30 isn’t bad at all. I think the spindle adapter we got for the shaper was around $140. Being a shaper it doesn’t have a traditional chuck so you need the whole mess.
I couldn’t find that $30 price - can you share a link? The Musclechuck site is a bit of a maze.
1 Like
http://www.musclechuck.com/product/musclechuck-assembly-collets/
I agree, the site is a little hard to navigate.
Also FWIW, I spoke with someone else who used them and said that they can create a significant runout as they are unbalanced at high speeds (20k rpm). So, just something to consider, but if they are unbalanced, they would also put pressure on the bearings of the router.
30 is just for the collet. The chuck plus one collet is 106.
1 Like
That makes more sense. I missed that. And too rich for me.
2 Likes
Besides the price you can’t use 1/2 bits anymore.
It still fits 1/2" bits. You just don’t put s reducing collet in.
1 Like