I just bought a 1/4" spiral upcutting bit from Grizzly's clearance site.
I was using it on a router table to lengthen the slot on a 1/2" thick
featherboard. I had the bit set so it was just barely above the top of the
wood. Since it is supposed to have a 5/8" cut, that should be okay, and it
looked okay. I had the featherboard against a fence, intending to cut one
side and then flip it over to do the full slot.
However, it was just barely cutting, so I was about to take it out and put
in a straight bit, when it grabbed the featherboard, bounced it around for a
second and then spit it out at a high speed, cutting a slot clean through it
as it went.
No harm was done, except to the trashed featherboard, but it was a little
unnerving.
Any ideas what I did wrong? I would guess that the cut wasn't 5/8" as
claimed, but it looks to be that long. Or is this simply why it was on
clearance? I bought the bit to cut groves as part of tongue and grove
joints because I thought it would clear chips better than the straight bit,
but am a bit leery of that now
A related question; I had have always heard that you should set a bit so it
is not quite in all the way. On a straight bit like this, I had trouble
doing that. Any tricks? Thanks.
Interestingly, my spell checker objects to "router". You would think that
it would be in there for a network router at least.
Suspect you lost some control as you lost the center and did a little
climb cutting. Climb cutting on the router table, knowing or
unwittingly will be met with surprise.
I would not mess with the sprial cutter without more than average
experience. They (fully) engage the work like no other cutter, they
want to pick up the work or pull the cutter from the collet. Just too
much risk without substantial experience.
http://www.patwarner.com (Routers)
***********************************************
> I just bought a 1/4" spiral upcutting bit from Grizzly's clearance site.
>
> I was using it on a router table to lengthen the slot on a 1/2" thick
> featherboard. I had the bit set so it was just barely above the top of the
> wood. Since it is supposed to have a 5/8" cut, that should be okay, and it
> looked okay. I had the featherboard against a fence, intending to cut one
> side and then flip it over to do the full slot.
>
> However, it was just barely cutting, so I was about to take it out and put
> in a straight bit, when it grabbed the featherboard, bounced it around for a
> second and then spit it out at a high speed, cutting a slot clean through it
> as it went.
>
> No harm was done, except to the trashed featherboard, but it was a little
> unnerving.
>
> Any ideas what I did wrong? I would guess that the cut wasn't 5/8" as
> claimed, but it looks to be that long. Or is this simply why it was on
> clearance? I bought the bit to cut groves as part of tongue and grove
> joints because I thought it would clear chips better than the straight bit,
> but am a bit leery of that now
>
> A related question; I had have always heard that you should set a bit so it
> is not quite in all the way. On a straight bit like this, I had trouble
> doing that. Any tricks? Thanks.
>
> Interestingly, my spell checker objects to "router". You would think that
> it would be in there for a network router at least.
First, never trust your spellchecker. It missed "grooves". I'm thinking you
might have asked too much of the bit by having it "just over the top" of your
workpiece, rather than about half-depth. It grabbed the workpiece 'tween the
fence and the bit. I think... Glad you're okay. Tom
> I had the featherboard against a
fence, intending to cut one
>side and then flip it over to do the full slot.
>Subject: Routing mishap with upcut spiral bit; what did I do wrong?
>From: "Toller" [email protected]
>Date: 12/08/2003 1:22 PM US Mountain Standard Time
>Message-id: <[email protected]>
>
>I just bought a 1/4" spiral upcutting bit from Grizzly's clearance site.
>
>I was using it on a router table to lengthen the slot on a 1/2" thick
>featherboard. I had the bit set so it was just barely above the top of the
>wood. Since it is supposed to have a 5/8" cut, that should be okay, and it
>looked okay. I had the featherboard against a fence, intending to cut one
>side and then flip it over to do the full slot.
>
>However, it was just barely cutting, so I was about to take it out and put
>in a straight bit, when it grabbed the featherboard, bounced it around for a
>second and then spit it out at a high speed, cutting a slot clean through it
>as it went.
>
>No harm was done, except to the trashed featherboard, but it was a little
>unnerving.
>
>Any ideas what I did wrong? I would guess that the cut wasn't 5/8" as
>claimed, but it looks to be that long. Or is this simply why it was on
>clearance? I bought the bit to cut groves as part of tongue and grove
>joints because I thought it would clear chips better than the straight bit,
>but am a bit leery of that now
>
>A related question; I had have always heard that you should set a bit so it
>is not quite in all the way. On a straight bit like this, I had trouble
>doing that. Any tricks? Thanks.
>
>Interestingly, my spell checker objects to "router". You would think that
>it would be in there for a network router at least.
>
>
Someday, it'll all be over....