On 4/11/2015 6:49 AM, Greg Guarino wrote:
OK. Now I've got the plunge router. But can someone clue me in on upcut,
downcut and compression?
I don't think I need the full primer; I get the basic concept of each. I
assume I'll be cutting my through mortises from the side that will show.
Thus I'll need the "up" side to be a clean cut. I read that that downcut
is better for that, it doesn't have as much tendency to split the wood
at the edge. But I'll be cutting through 1.5". It it "bad" to be pushing
the chips down in that situation? Or perhaps there's plenty of chip room
because of the oval hole? (Of course I won't attempt to go through the
whole depth at once). And is there any need for a compression bit here?
One last thing. I haven't even settled on the type of wood yet, but it
may end up being Oak. Can I assume that only Carbide is of any use? Can
I further assume that only Carbide is of any use for *any* router task?
Ignorant minds want to know.
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Way back when, I used to make mouth blocks for Steven Knight. HE built
wooden hand palnes and I manufactured that part for him by the
thousands. They amounted to a piece if "Ipe" wood 3/8" thick, 2" widem
3.5" long and had 2 through 3/8" wide slots about 2" long and a 45
degree bevel on one end.
I Holding these pieces I plunged these down on to the router table and
on to the router bit and slid the piece along the fence. I would do
about 400 slots in one job.
Any way I burned through several carbide straight bits with each
session. Then, one day a machinist neighbor brought me a 3/8" 4 flute
HSS end mill bit. I never replaced a that bit and it cut probably 1200
slots with no indication of dulling. These things are designed to mill
steel, Milling wood is childs play for these type bits.
Having said that there are regular plunge slot cutting bits that have a
point on the end. These type bits will do a much better job of plunge
cutting if all your slots will be through slots.
If you plunge deep holes you want as large of a bit as possible to
prevent deflection. You also want up cut as a deep hole will clog and
cause burning and smoking if you use a regular straight bit and or down cut.
If it were me I would get a HSS 4 flute end mill bit. Less expensive
than a regular carbide router bit.
Keep in mind these often come in shank sizes like drill bits. You are
going to need to buy a size that fits your collect. I used a 3/8"
adapter in my 1/2" collect.
Here is a double ended end mill bit. Also keep in mind length...
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?P...MPXNO=28077443