"Doug" wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm making a bunch of mortises in oak and burnt out a straight bit in
the process. Picked up a Freud 1/4" spiral bit that's supposed to
clear material more easily and be good for such applications??
However, I am finding that I'm getting a lot of burn, easily. I slowed
down the router speed and took very small passes, and this improved the
situation somewhat, but I still have to proceed slowly. Is this to be
expected with these bits? Am I doing something wrong?


You want the bit to move at a pace that will keep it from heating up the
wood and burning it. This often requires shallow passes but not necessarily
a slower spin speed with a bit that small. Secondly a 1/4" bit will heat up
much more quickly than a larger bit. You might also consider using a single
flute carbide bit . You should be making relative shallow mortises with a
bit that small.