Changing bits

I am using the Dewalt 660 router and have found it a pain changing buts. It seems like changing bits in the middle of a run may shift the location. What do you all do for changing the bits? I know there are some collets that can do this, have you all trtried something like that? Does changing the bit in the standard collet cause any hassles?

That’s why I installed end stops.

I guess that makes sense. Are you using them as end stops or for homing?

I have so many questions on this I barely know where to begin.

So Barry, when you get to a tool change pause, and you bump the x/y when changing, how do you get it back to where it should be? I have x/y min and z max end stops. When my machine pauses for a tool change, Repetier’s controller will not move anything and the LCD button will start/continue the program, so I can’t control it from there.

Also, how would I continue the program after the tool change if I didn’t have an LCD?

@Tom, this should help.
https://www.v1engineering.com/forum/topic/how-i-use-end-stops-on-the-mpcnc/

As for tool changes in the code, I don’t do it. I set up each step as separate gcode. I’ve not found any way to resume once the tool change code has fired.

how do you get repetier to start again after you do the tool change?

I load the second tool gcode. Say I’m carving out a dragon. The first gcode will be with say a 1/8th endmill to rough it out. Then when that finishes, I swap out the endmill to a 1/16th ball to finish. I don’t think repetier has the capability to use the tool change gcodes. That’s why I need end stop switches. There’s no easy way to do that without them.

Im not using endstops and what I was wanting to do was actually run one tool, and then have the carriage come to one place, wait indefintely and then start again when a button is pressed on the controller. It looked like that was one of the options that Old Guy Coding was doing in the video, but im unsure as to which would be best. I can add endstops, no problem, but it seems like more hardware than necessary.