When the router bit manufacturers refers to a spiral-cut router bit as up-cut or down-cut, are they consistently speaking with reference to the router base? Or are they assuming a router-table orientation as opposed to a hand-held router?
The ambiguity being, of course, that a router bit that cuts away from the router is down-cut when the router is being hand-held, and up-cut if the router is mounted under a router table.
Tom
It's in the handheld position. Think of when you're looking at the router and reading the brand name. The letters in DeWalt, Porter Cable, etc can be read in the handheld position. That's the position relevant to up and down cutting bits.
It seems to me that they are speaking with reference to the base, otherwise there would be no reason to have 2 different types of spiral-cut router bits, and up and a down.
But, being a person with a cattle ranch and only occasionally a wood butcher, what the heck do I know about anything other than the gynecology of cows?
Jim
The "consistency", and what you need to keep in mind for which to use in a particular situation -- including direction of feed, handheld or table use, and whether you want to minimize tear out on the bottom or top -- is in the fact that:
_An up-cut bit pulls the work toward the router, a down-cut bit pushes the work away from the router_.
There are some general rules that are convenient (up-cut in table/down-cut in handheld), but these are not hard and fast depending on the task ... mostly to do with tear out and direction of travel.
Keeping the first above in mind and you can generally figure out from the task, and how the task will be accomplished (handheld/router table), which one to use.
Regardless of the orientation of the router, hand held or table mounted, Up cut is pulling the debris up/out of the hole it cut. down cut pushes the debris down/into the hole it cut.
Upcut is cutting toward the router Downcut is away from the router.
Upcut mostly for deep mortise cuts. Downcut mostly for shallow cuts to prevent splintering.
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required