Infinity Router Bit Life Expectancy

[theblacksheep]

I'm going to be building a couple of bunk bed/desk combinations for my kids out of some kiln dried douglas fir 2x4's and 2x6's. I plan to joint and plane them so they're all the same size and using lap joints. Since the edges will now all be square and sharp I'm going to use a 3/8" roundover bit to ease the edges. I've been using Infinity router bits and saw blades for a while now with great success and they seem to last longer than any I've ever used, even longer than Whiteside bits. I have approximately

950 linear feet of edges to round over and I'm wondering how many feet I might expect to get out of one 3/8" roundover bit. The wood is relatively soft but there will be the occasional knot to deal with. I spoke with the owner of Infinity and asked him about this but he didn't really know how many feet I should expect before the bit was too dull to use. He did recommend using a diamond hone every so often to sharpen the bit but that will only work for so long before the bit is just shot. His recommendation was to buy two of the same bit...Of course! ;~} He seems like a good guy so I don't think he was just trying to sell me more than I need and I think he's right when he says that 950' is a lot to expect out of one bit. Any guesses, (educated or otherwise) as to how long a high quality bit will last in KD Doug Fir? I could just buy 2 bits but at almost $30 a piece I'm kinda cheap. Thanks.

Bruce

[Duane Bozarth]

...

I'd expect far more than that from a cheap bit w/ something as soft as fir...

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Just a guess that one bit would do it. Worst case scenario is if it gets dull, order a second and have it in two days.

[Charles Spitzer]

get it resharpened? i pay about $5-7/bit for that here.

regards, charlie cave creek, az

[pat]

You can expect wear lines on the cutter in a few hundred feet. In MDF, ply, teak, and other more abrasive materials it could be worse. Notwithstanding, sanding is typical after a simple roundover to remove the mill marks, splinters etc. If this was going to be inspected by the commander in chief of Routerdom, and was expected to be perfect, I'd: Buy a Chinese 10$ bit, let it cook itself on the first 90% of the cut and let the Infinity take the last 10%, The White bit can easily stand this modest bite for 1000'. More on cutters:

[Leon]

Sniiiiiip

Any guesses, (educated or

Treated properly the bit should out last you. Most reputable quality manufacturers give a lifetime warranty on their bits. I think the question you should be asking is how long it will stay sharp.

[Morris Dovey]

| I'm going to be building a couple of bunk bed/desk | combinations for my kids out of some kiln dried | douglas fir 2x4's and 2x6's.

| Any guesses, (educated or | otherwise) as to how long a high quality bit will last | in KD Doug Fir? I could just buy 2 bits but at almost | $30 a piece I'm kinda cheap.

You should get 200 - 400' of good quality cutting from a good carbide bit in fir. Why don't you buy two (you'll probably need at least two) and use the life of the first to determine how many more than two (if any) you might need.

My current project is routing Extira - which turns out to be pretty hard on router bits, since a carbide edge only seems to last between

100 and 105 feet. At the other extreme, I have a Whiteside carbide bit that went nearly 700 feet in soft pine.

When the feed becomes difficult or you see smoke (-: whichever happens first :-), change bits and note how far you cut with the dulled bit.

-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA

[Robatoy]

That's what I do with solid surface countertop edges. Hog off the bulk with a nasty set-up and climb-cut the last whisper with something fresh. I reach for a fresh edge after about 300 feet, and that makes me think that 1000' on fir is probably conservative.

[Duane Bozarth]

That the question.

[Duane Bozarth]

Only problem I foresee potentially w/ fir and a dull bit to do the hogging is its propensity to split and run--leaving you w/ an edge you can't clean up. I'd rather take my chances w/ the good one to begin w/ and go in one pass, I think.

[Leon]

Ohhhhh. I was answering the title. I was not about to read the entire thread after reading the title.

[Robatoy]

Upon further reflection I agree. If I were to be working with fir, I'd be using good bits. You can't be too sharp when dealing with softer woods. I almost always climb-cut. It's a habit I developed doing thousands of feet of oak-edged laminate countertops. That oak loves to lift and tear, even with sharp bits.