About template cutting bit and general router advice

[ranma]

Hi, two days ago I bought my first router and I'm happy to say that the results with it were great. I did one side of my cab and I'm very pleased with the result.

Now I need to copy this side to the other one and for it I should buy a template cutting bit, so I'd like to ask:

1. I saw some of them of 1/4" and other ones of 1/2" wide (diameter), what's the difference?, what should I buy?

2. What's the right speed to use when doing this kind of work? (I know it's a little late after doing a whole side, but better now than never  )

thanks

[jban4us]

I just did the same thing yesterday. I just traced the one side onto the other sheet, cut outside the line with a jigsaw, and then used a pattern bit to make them exactly the same. The pattern bit I used was 1/4'' shank, 1'' cutting edge, 1/2'' cutting diameter. I think the larger cutting diameter lets you cut more away at a time, but when doing corners you'll get a larger curved part.

This was my first time using a router (really my first woodworking project ever) and I am very pleased with the results. It wasn't hard to do and looks way better than if I had tried to use a circular saw to get straight cuts. I am actually wishing I would have waited until I got the router to make the other cuts. It would have taken me longer but they would have been perfect. My router is single speed, I think 25000 rpm.

Routers are awesome; I doubt I'll ever make anything again without one.

[Franco B]

I'm no router expert but Ill tell you what I know:

1) The 1/4" and 1/2" sizes are the diameter of the shank of the cutter. Some routers only take a 1/4" where as some only take 1/2". Some come with interchangeable collets so you can use either. If your router only accepts one obviously you are limited to that size. If you have a choice of the two I would go for the 1/2" as there is more contact area for the  collet/arbour to grip on. Naturally a larger shanked cutter will have a larger cutting diameter and as jban4us said this will allow you to make larger cuts more easily.

You need to use a bit with a smaller radius than the smallest radius on your profile but I wouldn't imagine you would have a small enough radius on your cab profile for this to be a problem. It normally applies to smaller, more intricate work, but you may find you need to use a smaller radius cutter on another routing process on your cabinet.

2) It depends on the material, material thickness, depth/width of cut, cutter diameter etc but just go with what feels right. If you have already routered one side I guess you will have a rough idea. If you are seeing dark/burnt patches  on the cut edge it is because the cutting bit is dwelling too much on one spot and is creating too much heat. You need to increase the feed rate to remove the material faster which will allow the heat to be dispersed in the wood shavings. Just make sure you are not taking too much material off at once as this will also cause the bit to dwell if your router isn't designed to take that size of cut.

Routers are awesome; I doubt I'll ever make anything again without one.

Same here

[sstorkel]

1. I saw some of them of 1/4" and other ones of 1/2" wide (diameter), what's the difference?, what should I buy?

The general wisdom is that if you router will accept bits with a 1/2" shank, you should buy them. The larger shank reduces vibration, which leads to smoother cuts. In addition, you're less likely to break a 1/2" shank than you are a 1/4" shank. Which isn't to say that 1/4" shank bits are necessarily bad. I have some high-quality 1/4" shank bits that work very well.

2. What's the right speed to use when doing this kind of work? (I know it's a little late after doing a whole side, but better now than never  )

If your router is variable speed, it should have come with a manual that gives recommended speeds in relation to the diameter of the bit. In general, small diameter bits can spin faster than large diameter bits. If you've got a 3" panel-raising bit installed, you'll run it at the lowest speed possible. If you've got a 1/8" diameter straight cutting bit, you can run it at very high speed. If you find that you're burning the wood, you're either spinning the bit too quickly or not moving the router across the wood fast enough.

[ranma]

Thanks for your help!, only problem I had is that I couldn't find any template bit in my country...   

So I had to order one from the US and I'm waiting now, fortunately someone was just traveling there and comes back on sunday...

 jban4us, we seem to be in the same boat, same feeling about routers...