Cutter Router

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Trend Routers And Router Cutters

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Routing encompasses a wide range of skills, not just in handling the router itself, but in using it to its best advantage in conjunction with various, guides, jigs and other 'routing devices', as well as the extensive range of router cutters now available. Routing is also about innovation in both the methods and applications to which the router is applied and in the aesthetic and technical design that it is used to create.

The Router Most woodworkers turning to routing have some idea and experience of working with power tools. Most householders will have occasionally used a jigsaw or electric drill and will know that power tools come in a range of power ratings and capacities - the more power you have, the faster and harder you can go about the job - well that's the theory anyway! However, as if you are buying a new car, computer or washing machine, you will still want to know just what to buy to suit you and your pocket. Accordingly, the questions facing the newcomer to routing are most likely to be: How much power do I need?, What collet size do I need?, Do I need Variable Speed?, Do I need to buy lots of accessories?, Do I need to buy lots of cutters?

Self Assessment! How much power? - This depends on the type of work that you intend to use the router for. If you are cutting dolls house mouldings or trimming veneers or laminates, there is little point in buying a heavy Duty Router. It will be too heavy and clumsy for the purpose. Conversely, if you are making doors and window frames, you would not be able to remove enough material efficiently without overloading the motor. This would what is routing? The electric router is now accepted, by both amateur and professional woodworkers, as an essential tool for the workshop. cause the cutting speed to drop, resulting in a poor finish and possible premature burn-out of the motor and bearings.

Collet Capacity For many applications the strength of a cutter often depends on the diameter of the cutter shank. The thicker the cutter shank, the more wood you can remove and the deeper you can cut on any one pass, with less risk of the cutter flexing excessively or breaking. Light duty routers are generally supplied with 6.5mm (1/4") collets although some models can be fitted with an optional 8mm collet. The introduction of 8mm shanks has allowed many of the larger diameter cutters to be used in light duty routers, although particular care must be taken when using them and any manufacturers recommendations concerning cutting speed and depth of cut must be closely observed. Most medium and heavy duty routers can be fitted with alternative diameter collets of 6.35mm (1/4"), 9.5mm (3/8"), 12.7mm (1/2") and 8mm diameter, although most are supplied with only 1/4 inch or both 1/4 and 1/2 inch collets. Alternative size collets are available for most makes and models of router. Do remember that small diameter cutter shanks will flex more, with a greater risk of breakage under the increased load from a heavy Duty Router. Speed & Variable Speed Router spindle speeds are generally given as no-load speeds, that is the speed that the motor spindle is rotating at before the cutter enters the wood. This is generally between 18,000 and 30,000 RPM depending on the power of the router. Light duty routers will have a higher no-load speed to help compensate for their lower power. Most routing operations using cutters up to 25mm diameter, should be carried out at the maximum router speed to achieve optimum cutting efficiency.

Operations involving the use of cutters over 50mm diameter should be carried out at speeds of between 12,000 and 16,000 rpm. Variable speed routers with full wave, load compensated electronics, tend to run smoother and possibly quieter than single speed machines, resulting in reduced bearing wear and eliminating the initial jolt on start-up. They also accommodate the use of large diameter cutters at their recommended safe speed. Aluminium and plastics require routing at lower speeds to reduce overheating or melting, preventing problems such as weld-back, whereby molten waste material re-forms within the cut, or the fusion of waste particles to the cutter. Which Accessories? The few guides and accessories supplied with the router allow you to carry out various basic cutting operations such as edge trimming, moulding, and template work. However, to increase the versatility of your router it is worth considering adding further accessories to your routing workshop. The range of accessories that can be bought, includes router tables, circle and ellipse cutting jigs and decorative carving, lettering and turning attachments. Proprietary jigs and templates are also available for cutting stair-housings, joining laminated worktops and cutting dovetail joints. Alternatively many jigs and templates can be made in the workshop to suit your specific requirements, and jig making accessories, such as levers, knobs, threaded inserts and router mounting plates, are readily available. For the newcomer, the array of routing accessories is often confusing, but one of the first considerations should be an inverted router table to allow the router to be used as a stationary, rather than a hand held machine. A rigid, easily adjustable inverted router table will provide far greater accuracy, ease of use and increased safety for carrying out a wide range of routing operations.

Which Cutters?

For the beginner, it is certainly not worth buying a large selection of cutters until you know exactly which types you will use most frequently or until you are faced with a specific task. Various size straight cutters are always worth having as they serve many more applications than just cutting grooves and rebates. Used with angle guides and stepped fences, they can be used for cutting mitres, edge planing and trimming. An economic solution for the beginner is buy a basic set of cutters such as the Trend starter set. Although not all the cutters will be used as frequently as others, this will provide valuable experience of the basic range, and in selecting the most suitable cutters for specific applications in the future.

About the Author

Paul Disley is a woodworking expert at
Trend Router

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Can a CNC router cut through stainless steel?

I need to cut some shapes out of 0.8mm thickness stainless steel using a CNC router and I basically need to know if it is possible. Importantly, the cutting tip size must be no larger than 1.5mm. It would be OK to cut through the stainless steel on more than one pass. I'm just thinking that the cuttting blade would go blunt almost immediately. Would a diamond tipped cutter blade do the trick. If it is possible what would be the best cutter blade to use?

Stainless is really tough to machine. If you were using a CNC mill, you could get carbide or cobalt end mills to do this, but I don't think that commonly available router bits will work for this as they are designed for materials that are easier to cut. Diamond bits won't help too much here. My other concern is the robustness of the machine. I don't think a router will be rigid enough. An alternative is to find a place with a plasma cutter and have them cut it.

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