Routering Hardwood Fastspeed Or Slowspeed

I m sure some of you are sick of this by now but i m still a n00b on some of this.

Routering hardwood fastspeed or slowspeed.

You are more susceptible to the behaviors we ve discussed in the too slow category when routing dense hardwood. Hardwood seeds have a covering shell or fruit while softwood does not. I know not advisable to do more than 50 stepover which is fine but just flying by the seat of my pants i seem get nervous with anything over 10 in min. Basically i m looking for some solid feedrate suggestions for both hogging mdf and hardwoods.

Starts making chattery noises yet i see people running. Bits 1 to 2 inches should be run somewhere around 18 000 rpm while 2 to 2 inch bits operate around 16 000 rpm and bits 3 inches or bigger at 12 000 rpm or below source. You may observe a choppy or uneven surface on the face of your cut. The feed rate is as fast and smooth as you can safely and comfortably make it.

A tool spinning at too high an rpm may burn wood while a tool spinning too slowly can leave you with a ragged rough cut. Another factor influencing all this has to do with manufacturing process for the material. In the case of materials like mdf and plywood their manufacture can result in abrasive grit being embedded in the layers and that grit matters more than the wood in feeds and speeds. I don t know what the official rule is for when to slow the router down but i would guess it to be on bits that are more than 1 5 in diameter.

Plan the depth of cut to allow you to make a smooth moderately fast pass. Choosing a speed can depend on the type of wood you are routing but also on the type and size of the bit you are using. Bits 1 inch or less can be run at the max speed of 24 000 rpm. Smaller bits should spin faster for more information on large bits check out woodworker s journal april 2000 page 66.

I don t own any bits that require me to run anything slower than the fastest speed. Woodworking question are there better guidelines for determining router speeds than those provided by the manufacturer in the owner s manual. A 1 2 cove bit running at 25 000 rpm tore chunks and left skip marks on this profile. Many modern woodworking routers allow you to adjust the rpm speed of the motor to match your needs.

For example a large diameter panel raising bit requires the slowest speed your router can deliver usually 10 000 rpm or less. You only need to slow down for larger bits. Routing at a too fast speed causes tear out and burn marks on the workpiece and dulls bits faster. Weather you want to race on asphalt dirt or both you will find them highly customizable to fit a wide range of budgets and performance.

The depth of cut is limited to 1 8 per pass. Regardless most hardwoods will require a higher routing speed for a soft finish. Answers from the experts. Sticking to these guidelines will help ensure smooth cuts.