Slot Cutter Assistance - Harbor Freight - RPM Speed Ratings

[cmoses]

I am new to routers, got a Ryobi router and table from Home Depot recently with a straight pattern router bit to route out my control panel.  It worked amazingly well and I am very pleased.  I am almost done mocking up my control panel and will be putting T-Molding on it and need to get a slot cutter bit.

I have looked locally but can only find a 1/16" slot cutter at a local Harbor Freight.  It says maximum 16,000 RPM.  Well my Ryobi is a 25,000 RPM router.  When I look online for slot cutter bit they do not have a RPM rating. 

How important is this?

[Haterot]

I am by no means a woodworking expert but the 16K RPM max may be due to a smaller shank. I got a 1/16th with a 1/2 shank from MLCS Woodworking and they don't mention anything about a max RPM.

[Chadwick]

I would be less concerned with the shank breaking (high speed steel), and more concerned with the carbide tips breaking.  There is not a whole lot of brazing on a 1/16" carbide tip.  Harbor Freight's router bits are not even close to top quality, and I'd be very careful spinning one at 25k rpm.

If that's all you can find and you don't have the patience/funds to order a good quality cutter online, then by all means go for it... just don't forget your safety glasses.

If you want a very good quality slot cutter, the first one listed on this link is excellent.
http://www.toolstoday.com/p-5168-slotting-cutter-assemblies-3-wing-14-shank.aspx

[cmoses]

I am in no hurry and do not mind paying for one online.  My point was when I look at ones on line I never see RPM ratings for them.  So I just wasn't sure if they didn't have them or they didn't post them.  I found a 1/16" slot cutter with a 1/4" shank on MLCS, but they do not mention RPM's at all.

As far as smaller shank, I don't think that is a issue as the two Ryobi bits I have, straight and pattern both work fine. 

[Chadwick]

They'll work fine in any router from 12-24k rpm range.  Ideally they should be around 18-20k for a 3-wing

[Franco B]

The shaft diameter will have no impact in this application. A larger diameter shaft means you can apply more torque (if the router can handle it), but this doesn't apply as the slotting cutter uses very little power to remove material due to the cutting length and (generally) increased cutting edges.

It shouldn't have to be said but as with all routing and power tools, make sure you are wearing goggles etc . You don't want one of those carbide tips flying toward your eyes, especially if you are exceeding the SWL ( Safe Working Load) of the cutter.

EDIT: Spelilng 

RE-EDIT: I see you already mentioned the H&S with the goggles Chadwick, doesn't hurt to drill it in though (no pun interned!). BTW, are the shafts really made from HSS? I just ran a file over my router bits and they are definitely not HSS, I can't imagine why they would be either.

[Chadwick]

You're probably correct now that I think about it.  There is no good reason for then to be HSS.

[ChadTower]

It shouldn't have to be said but as with all routing and power tools, make sure you are wearing goggles etc . You don't want one of those carbide tips flying toward your eyes, especially if you are exceeding the SWL ( Safe Working Load) of the cutter.

Would plastic goggles really make a difference on a smoking hot carbide tip at 25,000 RPM at close range?  Intuition tells me a casual woodworker's goggles wouldn't even slow the piece down.  Dust, wood fragments, sure, but the tip straight off the bit... 

[Chadwick]

No, they wouldn't stop it.  Mitigate the damage perhaps, but they would not stop a direct hit.


That would be the biggest reason NOT to buy a cheap slot cutter.  There is so little braze holding that carbide on,  why take a chance when for $5-10 more you can get an industrial quality slot cutter from a reputable manufacturer.

[Franco B]

No, they wouldn't stop it.  Mitigate the damage perhaps, but they would not stop a direct hit.

/\ What he said.

I have some industrial enclosed goggles which I wear. Even if they didn't completely stop the bit they are a damn site better than not wearing them. Anything is better than no protection.

[Virge]

I can state the 1/16 slot cutters from MLCS Woodworking are top notch.  I cut my entire cp t-molding groove with the 3 wing disk spinning backwards.  Yes, I am a moron but the bit held up and the grove turned out ok.