Hi,
Thanks for the information Doug and what a huge disappointment for you.
Cheap router bits are usually OK for a home workshop where they are little used; your pictures though are something else; did you go full depth in one pass and at the correct feed speed with correct router speed? Your router appears to have the power required judging by the ragged cut and burning. I'm certainly not criticizing in any way; because I sympathize with you.
It's a good job you've tried it on softwood looking at the results; hardwood would aggravate the problem. The design of the bit though means there is a lot of cutting edge in contact with the wood the cutter having to work extra hard and having to remove lots of chips but if the cutter was sharp with decent rake angles it should perform better than this.
Obviously it's a tipped cutter but are the tips TC or HSS; TC (Tungsten Carbide) is very hard wearing at least decent grade is; HSS (High Speed Steel) should also perform better than shown; for years I ground my own cutters (knives) from HSS blanks for my Whitehill moulding blocks ensuring there was plenty of rake allowing the tip to cut rather than rub;
https://www.whitehill-tools.com/catalogue.php?&cid=2
My blocks were the old fashioned highly dangerous type that were prone to throwing a knife; the block was powered by a 3 phase 3 hp motor at 6,000 rpm; I have three routers rated at 3hp and these take a good bite mostly going to full depth in one pass.
Is there an alternative method you could use Doug not requiring the use of this cutter? What are you making because I'm interested and nosy?
I like Trend router cutters; not cheap but worth the extra outlay; I also have big 1/2" straight cutters I bought for £1 each at an auto jumble that have cut a lot of moulding for me. your cutter though is a rogue and must be putting you off routing?
I needed over 300' of softwood moulding and ran my own through a home made guide the cutter was Roman Ogee set at full depth of cut; the timber was bought as planed all round at 18mm thick and both edges required moulding so this meant 600' of routing to be done. By setting up the router as shown below and having run test pieces the moulding was run without problem with the same bit that didn't need re-sharpening it being a TC bit.
Just an idea for you Doug if you've got lots of moulding to run.
Good luck.
Kind regards, Colin.
A screwfix cheap 3hp router setup to run over 600' feet of Roman Ogee moulding; the router controlled from the wall socket; setting up the router like this took a bit of time but it considerably speeded up the actual routing; long lengths of timber were fed through with ease and accuracy ensuring miter joints when cut went together snugly. Piles of MDF can be seen on the bench top these for another project and to be routed.
No dust extraction hence a lot of mess; safety kit was worn throughout; ear defenders and dust mask.
Showing the router mounted and the two side guides forming a "tunnel". The push stick is always close to hand. I needed to route 50mm and 75mm wide lengths of timber for framing and this worked so well I was disappointed not having a lot more to do; the timber was so long I had to take it outside in order to turn it around. I'm a big fan of making home made guides and jigs. Hope its of interest Doug.
