Router Bits...

[Redlineaudio 10+ year member]

About 6 months ago I was recommended to Whiteside bits. I will never buy anything else. They were fairly pricey, but still cut like the day I bought them.

A guy I know swears by them. and they are local to us.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

I got the Festool 574277 payed 650 for it. havnt got to use it yet //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/frown.gif.a3531fa0534503350665a1e957861287.gif still sitting at the X-girlfriends house (her dad builds cabinets and im letting him use it)

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/inlove.gif.6846f78f06b405429ef3a00129788a2a.gif

Anything Festool is great. I've got a jigsaw and circular saw, some of the best stuff out there, IMHO...I really want one of their routers for freehand work.

 

[mbrooky 10+ year member]

I built a box with seven 8" cutouts with one of those...to my amazement the router didn't burst into flames before I was done

whats the trick to keep it from smoking/burning the wood? i have no probs w/ roundover cuts but if i use a 1/4" straight bit it smokes/burns....

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

whats the trick to keep it from smoking/burning the wood? i have no probs w/ roundover cuts but if i use a 1/4" straight bit it smokes/burns....

Take smaller cuts. You're either forcing the router, or taking off too much material in your passes. I usually do three passes in 3/4" MDF.

 

[duece212 5,000+ posts]

whats the trick to keep it from smoking/burning the wood? i have no probs w/ roundover cuts but if i use a 1/4" straight bit it smokes/burns....

Take smaller cuts. You're either forcing the router, or taking off too much material in your passes. I usually do three passes in 3/4" MDF.

This

No way you are going to make it in one pass, especially with a trim router...take a few shallow passes so it doesn't kill the thing.

 

[mbrooky 10+ year member]

This
No way you are going to make it in one pass, especially with a trim router...take a few shallow passes so it doesn't kill the thing.

Ah, gotcha...yeah i was trying it in one pass...lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/banghead.gif.8606515f668c74f6de0281deb475b6fd.gif i'll raise it up and try shallower cuts next time...i'm new to using routers so thanks to both of you for the advice.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

 

[DonH 5,000+ posts]

Ah, gotcha...yeah i was trying it in one pass...lol //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/banghead.gif.8606515f668c74f6de0281deb475b6fd.gif i'll raise it up and try shallower cuts next time...i'm new to using routers so thanks to both of you for the advice.//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

WTF! Not even I would do that!

 

[ughhibye 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/inlove.gif.6846f78f06b405429ef3a00129788a2a.gif
Anything Festool is great. I've got a jigsaw and circular saw, some of the best stuff out there, IMHO...I really want one of their routers for freehand work.

I love my Plunge circular saw its great

 

[LOW ET 10+ year member]

so what bits should we be using to cut out speaker holes? i was always told to use carbide 1/4" up spiral bits.

 

[DonH 5,000+ posts]

so what bits should we be using to cut out speaker holes? i was always told to use carbide 1/4" up spiral bits.

what your using! haha just make more than one pass thats all they are saying. dont go for it in one pass!

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

what your using! haha just make more than one pass thats all they are saying. dont go for it in one pass!

This.

Also, don't force your router. Let it do most of the work. 1/4" double flute straight bit is fine, along with a spiral up cut bit. Most come in carbide these days, so I shouldn't have to say this, but carbide > HSS.

 

[LOW ET 10+ year member]

are you guys using the same bits regardless if you're cutting mdf or birch?

 

[wasted ink 10+ year member]

are you guys using the same bits regardless if you're cutting mdf or birch?

Yes. Carbide is extremely strong material.. It has no problem cutting aluminum, so wood is just fine. Go slow, and take SMALL cuts.