Metal bits for a router?

[DaOld Man]

Does anyone make bits to fit a "regular" router that are made to cut metal?
Looks like all the ones at Lowes are for wood, unless Im missing something.

[penjuin]

what sort of metal? copper? aluminium? steel?

[mountain]

Routers are designed for wood, they spin between 10,000 - 30,000 RPM, way too fast to cut metal effectively. Metals like aluminum, from my experience, require 800-2,000 RPM cutting speeds. Even then you need to use cutting lube to keep the heat down.

[Samstag]

Routers are designed for wood, they spin between 10,000 - 30,000 RPM, way too fast to cut metal effectively. Metals like aluminum, from my experience, require 800-2,000 RPM cutting speeds. Even then you need to use cutting lube to keep the heat down.

What he said.  Using a wood router on metal would be very dangerous even if it worked.  Also, the type of metal is pretty important too.  Some alloys will surface-harded as you cut them if you don't use the right speeds and cut depth and ruin your tools fast.

I used to do some hobbyist machining but I've probably forgotten more than I remember.  If you describe what you're trying to do I can probably point you in the direction of tools that can do the job.

[Woodshop Flunky]

Does anyone make bits to fit a "regular" router that are made to cut metal?

What kind of "regular" router are you talking about.  I use a milling machine or lathe to cut metal with carbide or high speed steel.  I would NEVER chuck an mill cutter in a woodworking router unless I had already said goodbye to all my loved ones.

[SavannahLion]

I'm reading a very good build log where the guy does exactly that. I thought he mentions the dangers but going back to the page, to my dismay, he does not. All he mentions is the implied damage to the metal should the bit bite the piece.

My point is..... I didn't realize the dangers involved because I only have minimal wood working skills (which is sad given who my father was). And nearly no working skills with metals though I have a desire to. Given such a build log and from experiments using a Dremel as a router I actually wouldn't have thought twice about it.

Maybe it would be a good idea to have a metalworking section alongside the woodworking one?

[Woodshop Flunky]

I have seen guys cut AL with a carbide woodworking router bit like you would get from Lowes or Home Depot.  What they have done is very simple, very light cuts (like putting a 45 bevel on a metal strip).  That is not the scariest thing in the world if you are able to secure the piece (duh!  ).  I have a router table, and would not be too concerned about doing LIGHT cuts like that in soft material.  I've actually cut through steel screws with both my router and table saw (by accident) with no problem other than probably shortening the life of my cutting tool.

I would never try any kind of production work like this, but a simple one-off job might be doable.

What kind of cutting were you wanting to do?

[mpm32]

They make them and people use them all the time.

http://www.toolstoday.com/c-429-aluminum-cutting-router-bits.aspx

[mountain]

They make them and people use them all the time.

http://www.toolstoday.com/c-429-aluminum-cutting-router-bits.aspx

Those are for mills, not hand held routers.

[mpm32]

Ah, I stand corrected.  I have seen many people mill al with a hand held router.

perhaps it's best not attempted.

[DaOld Man]

I was thinking sheet metal, maybe aluminum. No more than 1/4" thick.
I agree with you guys, I think the speed of the "regular " router (Bosch, B&D, plunge, etc) is probably way too fast.
But I figured someone tried it somewhere along the way.
Cutting out designs in sheet metal would be a lot easier with a hand held router than a milling machine (tons of green cheaper too.)
Jig saw is not very accurate either, especially for curves.

[DaOld Man]

Check this out:

http://www.onsrud.com/xdoc/New-Metal-Cutting-Router-Bits-and-Drill-Bits

[Woodshop Flunky]

This isn't the most economical solution, but you might consider a CNC shop that can do waterjet cutting.  You would end up with a really nice end product.

I love it when I see people mixing metal into a primarily wooden project.

[penjuin]

Check out the cnczone forums, there might be someone near you who is willing to cut it out of steel for the price of a few beers (like arcade machines, most DIYers love showing off their CNC ). Cutting metal can be dangerous to your tools and yourself if you aren't experienced, especially with something like steel.

[shmokes]

If it's just decorative, Wilsonart has a very large selection of metal laminates that are applied and worked just like regular laminates, i.e., with jigsaws and routers, etc.  I used a brushed aluminum laminate on my control panels and it looks like they're made of metal when actually they are 3/4" plywood.