Thread: Starting Ramp for Router Table

Thanks for posting this Chris. One comment. He is taking off far to much material when flush trimming the push sticks. 1mm is the most you should take off, in some cases he seems to be hogging off 5 or 6mm. That isn't good for bit life, material finish or safety.
Cheers
Bevan

That is one very cunning dust extraction port.....even if he is a bit heavy-handed with material removal.

Originally Posted by Enfield Guy

1mm is the most you should take off, in some cases he seems to be hogging off 5 or 6mm. That isn't good for bit life, material finish or safety.
Cheers
Bevan

I didn't watch the video, but I strongly disagree on the principle. The only time you need to take such a light cut is in endgrain or if you're cutting against the grain, to prevent breakout.

When cutting with/along the grain, there is zero safety risk to taking several mm in a pass (as long as you're holding on properly), especially with a 1/2" router, zero effect on finish, and it's actually GOOD for bit life, as large chips help carry away excess heat

I don't have data to back myself up, however. I take exception to the idea that hogging off 5 or 6mm when flush trimming is GOOD for bit life. The proposition that large chips help carry away excess heat MAY well be true, however i would think that the greater workload would generate MORE heat.

Since adjusting my processes to remove 1 - 1.5mm I have improved the life of bits between sharpening by 2 and 3 fold. The item I speak of is round and about 350 in diameter so mostly end grain. Vic Ash is the material I am using. Others milage may vary.

I usually take a small bite with flush trimming bits ,have always done so I guess habit forming from way back when my first router was a 1/4" Black & Decker I was mindful then of possibly putting lateral stress on the router bearings .Now with some profusion of routers as well a couple of spindle moulders I do the same.

Strokes for folks I guess. I've spent my entire woodworking life in an industrial environment and firmly believe that machines are designed to be pushed; not abused, but made to work. I play it by ear, literally; if you're pushing too hard you'll hear it slow down

Thank you Chris for finding the video. Now I know what I can use the old DVD containers for, apart from storing angle grinder discs.

Alan...

Originally Posted by elanjacobs

Strokes for folks I guess. I've spent my entire woodworking life in an industrial environment and firmly believe that machines are designed to be pushed; not abused, but made to work. I play it by ear, literally; if you're pushing too hard you'll hear it slow down

Yeah, strokes for folks.

Interesting video, when I built my table the research said I should use a starting pin, when “playing “around with the idea I came up with the same finding as the video so never put one on.

What I find particularly interesting in the video is the lack of climb cutting and backer boards when cutting across the grain, perhaps European timbers do not chip out or tear off large sections as some of our Aussie timbers do.

I'll do a lot of crazy things with a router, but climb cutting on a router table is too crazy for me; too easy for it to get thrown out and then it's just your fingers...