At least a 1/4" bit, and yes that will probably require a router. Your tool was originally designed and does a good job on cutting sheet rock.
Jack, Usually smoking means excess friction which means more rubbing than cutting. There are a number of bits for the cutout tools. Do you have the right one. Also, smoking comes from too slow of cutting - again more friction. It has to do with the speed of the tool and desirgn of the bit. I have at least 3 different kinds of bits for my rotozip and have not had that much trouble with smoking. MBR
| I have the above tool except in the 2-speed version. It has enough | power but the general purpose spiral bit that came with it is | useless on even soft, thin 1/4" wood. It smoked up even on first | use on either speed. I see one other person reported this problem | on this cutting bit. So what bit should I use for cutting wood up | to 1" thick?
I had a similar experience with a HF cut-out tool (except that the bit didn't survive the first attempt to cut 1/4" plywood.)
I replaced the bit with a 1/8" 3-flute solid carbide end mill and have been happy (and still using the same tool and end-mill) ever since.
I'm pretty sure that you're going to need a somewhat more robust tool if you're planning on cutting more than 1/4" or so deep. It's probably time to start looking at routers.
-- Morris Dovey DeSoto Solar DeSoto, Iowa USA
Tools of that type (Rotozip and clones) were designed for cutting drywall. At that, they do reasonably well. Expecting a 1/8" bit of that type to cut wood much thicker than 1/8 to maybe 1/4 inch is asking a little much. It will but not well. Might want to try some of the Rotozip bits. Maybe they are more aggressive. Curved cuts in wood are best done with a jigsaw.
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