Anybody tried one of thesse router bits?

[JeffH]

Per some of last Sunday's chat with a couple of NCWWers, I ran across this today. I'm trying to get a smooth, even surface while rotating a cylindrical shape over a router table (sort of like lathing). This looks interesting, potentially saving a whole bunch of sanding to get machining marks out. I've tried straight bits and upspiral bits (OK but rough) and tray/dish cutters (better, but still not ideal). Any thoughts/experiences with this? Thanks!

(Edit: I'm thinking about a smaller diameter version -- maybe an inch.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlUNS_4Bezk

 

[KenOfCary]

Haven't ever seen that before. Looks like it might do what you're trying to do.

 

[Barry W]

Jeff,
Thanks for starting this thread. I have looked at this bit on both the Infinity site and the video and wondered if it will actually perform as represented. Please let us know how well it cuts.

Thanks
-Barry

 

[JeffH]

Ah, just noticed that the 4-cutter version is only for the 2" diameter model. Pricey, but no reason why the large diameter should be a major problem, other than being careful about speed.

 

[joec]

I bought it recently to use for making a fairly deep tenon on table rails I was making. It is a beast! I could have made the tenon some other way, but the video I watched on making the table, used this bit (or one similar) and I bought it.

 

[tri4sale]

tempted to buy one for smoothing my spoil board on CNC and for seeing how the CNC works at planing a board. 2" cutter would really cut down the time it takes me to surface my spoil board.

 

[JeffH]

OK, I'll give it a try (as soon as I can cobble together the 80 bucks -- ouch).

 

[joec]

Be sure to turn down the speed of your router. It sounds like a jet taking off.

 

[danmart77]

That is quite a bit. I see lots of applications for that. Unlike the video, I tend to take lighter cuts to avoid tear out in the back. I'm not in a production setting so the "one pass" mode is not required. I like the ability to skin a tenon to slip right in the mortise. I'm still doing mine with a block plane but as I get lazier, the bit looks better.

Infinity make very nice bits as I rule so I wouldn't hesitate to buy it if that was what I needed. I don't think Whiteside makes a bit like this but that would be the only bit maker I would choose over Infinity.

Good Luck

 

[jazzflute]

Looks decent, but I can't get past the fact that they call it a 'dado' bit.

The next time I need to make a 2" wide dado, I'll be sure to get one of these.

For example, if I need to make a really, really strong drawer, I could use it to create the groove for the two pieces of 3/4" ply (surrounding and glued to a 1/2" thick piece of MDF, you know, for added strength) that I would make the drawer bottoms out of.

Granted, my 3" high drawers might have a somewhat reduced capacity, but I'm confident that they would not fail due to overloading, no matter how heavy a magazine or sheet of paper I might choose to put in them.

K

 

[Mark Johnson]

Kevin,
You must think in terms of gold bars. Surely you have at least a couple of dozen that you need stored in such a drawer.

 

[JohnW]

Looks like the right tool for your specific job. Also looks to be a good match for CNC work, surface planing. But I personally would not make my tenons with this.

Using a dado set in a table saw works for me. Less chance of tear out, yields sharp shoulders, and I like the not so perfectly tenons. The slightly rough ridge marks, I feel, helps glue to stick or grab the tenon better. Also, adjusting blade height is easier on my TS. I don't have a fancy micro height adjustment gizmo on my router table. Want one....just don't want to pay the asking price.

 

[junquecol]

Jeff, Bill Hylton's book "Router Magic" shows a jig that basically is a box with ends, and two sides and a bottom.. The router rides along open top with a set of stops attached to base to keep it from cutting into box sides. Cylinder is attached with hanger bolts thru ends of box. Original shows a hand crank, but I would use a drill to turn cylinder. For cutter, use a bowl cutting bit from MLSC, as it has rounded corners. MLCS. MLCS offers free shipping always

 

[JeffH]

Thought I'd report back on this. I did get the 2" bit, and am pretty happy about its performance -- expensive but worth it, at least for my needs.

I turned three projects with it -- bubinga, birdseye maple, and knotty pine. On all three, there was still a little sanding to be done to remove machining marks, but I'd say only about 10 to 20 percent of what I've had to deal with in the past. The bubinga went through with no hiccups. The birdseye took a little lower speed and shallower passes, but ended up with a substantially more even surface than I had gotten from the same original board using a standard straight bit. The knotty pine was a challenge, though -- had to work extremely slowly, both in terms of router speed and depth of each pass. I'd get substantial tearout on anything more than 1/32" at a time due to the knots and internal cracks in the wood. (Wasn't my idea to use this wood for such a project, but that's another -- and longer -- story.)

All in all, I'd recommend this bit, although I wouldn't think of it in any sort of "single pass" category. I'd guess that on a flat surface a once-over with a smoothing plane would produce a very nice surface in just a few minutes.

 

[Woodmolds]

tempted to buy one for smoothing my spoil board on CNC and for seeing how the CNC works at planing a board. 2" cutter would really cut down the time it takes me to surface my spoil board.

If you have an MDF spoilboard a 2" cutter will create a lot of dust.

Tony

 

[tri4sale]

If you have an MDF spoilboard a 2" cutter will create a lot of dust.

Tony

Yes, a MDF spoilboard, and doesn't matter the size of cutter, it creates a lot of dust! Have to make sure my DC is empty before I smooth it. Use a 1" right now, so the 2" would cut down time to smooth spoilboard a lot.

 

[Woodmolds]

Yes, a MDF spoilboard, and doesn't matter the size of cutter, it creates a lot of dust! Have to make sure my DC is empty before I smooth it. Use a 1" right now, so the 2" would cut down time to smooth spoilboard a lot.

Yea, I used a 3" one time. It was like the dust collector wasn't even on. Went back to a 3/4", at least I could run the feed all the way up.

Tony

 

[tri4sale]

Yea, I used a 3" one time. It was like the dust collector wasn't even on. Went back to a 3/4", at least I could run the feed all the way up.

Tony

hmm, thats a good point, didn't think about if my dust collector could keep up with the larger bit.

 

[SubGuy]

Amana makes some nice ones with carbide inserts like a spiral cutterhead. I almost bought some myself.

 

[macr0w]

I wonder how this bit would do for rounding out my drums shells?

I am tempted to order the 3/4 bit and give it a whirl.