Plug cutters, cypress, smoke and shards

[Jim Murphy]

I'm needing to cut plugs for the Adirondacks, and currently have two plug cutters. One is from a BORG, maker long forgotten, and it doesn't cut, it chews the cypress. I purchased this BORG cutter to plug screwholes in the oak flooring, and after cutting about four, decided that for a workshop along the edges of the room, letting the holes fill with sawdust was a lot easier. That is to say, it's barely used. Not only does it chew rather than cut or slice, it grabs the stock and slams it to the right unless the stock is clamped to the drillpress fence. That is, I can't hold it back from the snatch. And having to set a clamp every time I drill a plug just ain't gonna happen.

Today, at the HF to purchase solar lights (as the winter solstice approaches) to assuage the wife (and having forgotten the coupon and paying full price), I purchased a set of 4 cutters. These begin to cut smoothly, except they rapidly begin to roll off smoke like a 1974 Chevy Vega (or an AMF era Harley) and get as hot as the proverbial female fox in a forest fire.

FWIW, both cutters exhibit the same behavior in cherry and gum, so I don't have a bad batch of Ivey cypress.

So...if you are a proficient, professional plugger:

Do the high-end (like Veritas, etc) cutters chew up soft wood like the BORG cutter, or smoke like Steve Coles of old, or just darn-it, get the job done. Do you have a recommended brand/style/type/model of plug cutter that cuts clean and fast?

[Bryan S]

Jim I had a similar experience with a plug cutter from the blue borg cant remember the brand but chewed the cypress and looked more like a chunk that an animal bit off than a plug.

Got a snappy from woodcraft and was like night and day difference. No experience with the veritis or other brands but I'm guessing they will be as good or better

[Travis Porter]

I have found cypress difficult to cut plugs compared to any other wood including pine.

I run the drill press the same speed I do for regular drilling. I think around 1400 RPM.

Be sure to secure the drill press table and to secure the piece of wood. Any movement and the plugs break. It is a pain, and it is slow, but it has worked for me.

If all else fails, come on over. I cut a bunch about a 3 weeks ago for a set of adirondacks I built for a church auction so I am current in making them.

FWIW, I probably had to cut 3 times as many as needed to get enough.

[flatheadfisher]

I bought a set of the Veritas plug cutters and haven't had any problems. They eat through SYP but so would a butter knife. I recently used them in hard maple and they worked well. I cut 8 plugs with no changes. They include directions on how to sharpen them but I haven't needed to yet.

[Shamrock]

I have not dealt much with cypress, but for the Rocking Chair I just finished I used some plug cutters from Lowe's. What I found in the Sapele I was using(hard-hard wood) was that I had to turn the drill press speed down to like 900rpm or so and they cut just fine with minimal burning and no breaking. Also-I think you'll always have to "firmly" secure a piece your cutting plugs out of as every plug cutter I've ever used really does want to grab the wood and try and "take it for a spin" with a resulting OUCH moment from the operator. Don't ask me how I know-I thought for sure I could just hold it down with my hand


clamps-clamps-why do I never have enough clamps