Can someone tell me what bit I should be using for my router to cut out wood shapes from 3/4" hard maple? I am tacking a template on the top of the 3/4" maple and then following the edge of the template with the router bit....on a router table. The bit I have been using is causing the wood to really jump and it's just not working.
Thank you!
II
Try an upcut spiral flush trim bit. "Upcut" means it will tend to pull the work toward the router, in this case down against the table. A flush trim bit has a bearing at the end of the bit, exactly what you need when the template is on top of the work. Be sure to set the cutting height so only the bearing is touching the template.
Also, you should try not to take off more than about 1/16 of an inch this way. A rough cut on a band saw, or with a jig saw, should be made to remove most of the material before going to the router table.
| Can someone tell me what bit I should be using for my router to cut | out wood shapes from 3/4" hard maple? I am tacking a template on | the top of the 3/4" maple and then following the edge of the | template with the router bit....on a router table. The bit I have | been using is causing the wood to really jump and it's just not | working.
The "jumping" may indicate that the bit isn't adequately sharp.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
What the others have said (especially cutting 1/16" or less to the template) also make sure the RPMS are set as high as a appropiate for the bit you're using. To low will casue grabbing of the work
I am not sure how you are referencing off of the template on the router table. Are you using a guide bushing and straight bit?
I would not do it this way. I would trace the template onto the maple then using a bandsaw or a jig saw (or by hand) cut out the shape staying a 1/16" off the line. Then attach the template using carpet tape and then use a Flush Trim bit to finish off the shape.
You would probably better off cutting the rough shape close to the template and then use the template and a flush cutting bit to fine tune the cut.
Other possibilities:
1) Router is not powerful enough 2) Trying to take off too much material in a single pass 3) Router is cheap one with plastic motor housing - not rigid enoughOr a combination of these.
Maple is very hard stuff, so you've got to take it slow, and don't try to take too much wood off in a single pass - the 1/16" suggested by another poster is about right.
--Steve
| Morris Dovey wrote: || || The "jumping" may indicate that the bit isn't adequately sharp. | | Other possibilities: | | 1) Router is not powerful enough | 2) Trying to take off too much material in a single pass | 3) Router is cheap one with plastic motor housing - not rigid | enough | | Or a combination of these. | | Maple is very hard stuff, so you've got to take it slow, and don't | try to take too much wood off in a single pass - the 1/16" | suggested by another poster is about right.
I fairly routinely make 1/2" deep passes feeding at 1-1/2"/sec (90"/min) with a two-flute up-spiral bit spinning at 18,000 RPM. On occasion, I've made profiling cuts a full inch deep with a straight bit. If the bits are sharp, hard maple cuts beautifully.
The sharper the bit, the easier it is to control the router - at any depth of cut. If the router is underpowered, it forces a slower feed by removing stock in front of the bit more slowly and could lead to overheating (and dulling) the bit. This hasn't ever been a problem for me (my least powerful router is a PC690); and I doubt it's the OP's problem because he'd have been able to hear his router bogging down.
Cheap router? Maybe - but I'd consider the bit sharpness to be the most probable culprit.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
How much woodworking experience do you have?
Are you roughing out the shape before using the template, or are you trying to use the template like a cookie cutter on rolled out dough?
I have very little woodworking experience guys (about 3 years) and ALL of it is with fishing lures. I have cut out a couple thousands lures on a band saw and rounded off the edges of each lure with a router. I am using a variable speed Craftsman Router that I bought from Sears for about 150 dollars.
The last time I tried to cut the lures out with the router I was trying to cut straight into the wood stock without removing any extra wood. The bit cut but it was far from smooth, large chunks of wood were flying, not a smooth cut at all, it was spooky! Here is a picture of the bit I was trying to use...is this the right bit?
II
Don't feed the wood into the bit so heavily. Ideally, you'd use a heavier bit to cut away most of the waste and then use a finer bit like the one you have to trim the wood to final size.
Sounds like good advice
So is this the bit I should be using then?
Thank you.
either not fast enough rpm's or too much excess stock. Probably latter. Feed it slow. Expect burn marks in maple even under ideal circumstances. Also, a sanded surface will dull a cutter almost immediately because of embedded abrasive particles.
Always try to orient the bit so as to cut at a favorable bias to the grain, especially in hard woods like maple. That means if the bit is digging at an acute angle, it is almost sure to chip and scar the pieceYou want to shave it off, not peel chips off. Like petting a cat. MEOW!
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