Mistake on flush trim - learn by watching me make it

[ChadTower]

Should be fairly obvious what happened here... new bathroom counter.  Or at least it was.  Yes, that's the front piece everyone looks at.  Brand new bit.

 




So, really, what caused this?  That's what I'm trying to figure out.  I've used routers before but this was the first time on the Porter Cable I bought last year.  I was having trouble getting the depth properly adjusted the whole time.  The depth adjustment knob is really tight.  Since this is such a shallow cut, I had to have the base set way at the limit of the depth adjustment track.  Also the depth gauge wheel spins independently of the knob and I can't find a way to fix that making it really hard to find the perfect 1/16" or so cut depth.  If you add those to the fact that the wheel was a good 1/16" away from the cutting surface... sigh.  End result is a do-over on my part.

Question:  Is it common for a good router like this to have a depth gauge that spins independently of the depth adjustment knob?  I just don't see how that makes any sense.

Question 2:  Is there a better bit I could have been using?  Holbren has a good rep normally.



EDIT:  just had a realization... I should have had the bit deeper rather than nickel and diming the cut depth.  Depend on the bearing being flush with the blade so as not to mar the template surface.  Out of practice, I guess.  Dammit.

[Chadwick]

At first glance it looks either your bearing is undersized (bad, will cause a rabbit like you see in the pic), or you were just pushing too hard.  If the diameter of your bearing is not exactly the same as the diameter of your cutting edge, you'll get little rabbits like that every time.

[ChadTower]

If the diameter of your bearing is not exactly the same as the diameter of your cutting edge, you'll get little rabbits like that every time.

That isn't what caused this directly but it is what I was afraid of... and ended up making the other mistake you mention, most likely.