Like he said. Carbide is brittle. Better safe than sorry, particularly with a large diameter bit.
R- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Chipped bit question__Pat Warner?
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
No, it will not come apart. If a small chip would make a cutter come apart, I can't imagine how many holes I'd have in me by now. Don't chuck it, have it reground. You can either use it as a rougher, leaving a small amount for a finish pass with another bit or you can take the bearing off and use it like that.
- posted
17 years ago
I dropped my large diameter pattern bit (Oops!!!). I noticed a tiny (very very small) chip in the carbide on one of the flutes. The second flute would probably clean-up after the damaged flute, but is there a hidden danger in using a bit that is damaged? Can the carbide come apart under stress and throw shrapnel now?
I will probably just replace the bit because it is bugging me, but should I save it or throw it away?
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
| I dropped my large diameter pattern bit (Oops!!!). I noticed a | tiny (very very small) chip in the carbide on one of the flutes. | The second flute would probably clean-up after the damaged flute, | but is there a hidden danger in using a bit that is damaged? Can | the carbide come apart under stress and throw shrapnel now? | | I will probably just replace the bit because it is bugging me, but | should I save it or throw it away?
The bit is going to be (at least somewhat) unbalanced, which probably wouldn't do much to improve the condition of your router bearings if the bit were otherwise safe.
You could have the bit sharpened - ground down until the divot was gone - but then it wouldn't match up with its own bearing.
Adding in the potential for hidden fracturing, I'd be inclined to scrap the bit.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
formatting link
- Vote on answer
- posted
17 years ago
Carbide: Tough and hard as hell, but , alas, easy to chip.
I'd say half my cutters are chipped (Viewing with 10x lens) from abuse and wear. If you want to minimize, careful storage and handling are important. Also I keep many old rugs around the router stations, even changing bits where there is one present Safety issues: No, major breaks yes, but not dings & chips. The chip will leave a high-line on the work; that may or may not be the bigger issue.
formatting link
(Routers)
*********************************