Replies

1. 
   MrChairman | Jul 10, 2003 01:32pm | #1

   Ken, I would NEVER try to run a raised panel bit in a router.  Router should be mounted in a rounter table for this task.

1. 
   kenewald | Jul 10, 2003 01:42pm | #2

   What about the speed?  A great big bit going that fast just scares me. 

   Kevlar clothing?

1. 
   MrChairman | Jul 10, 2003 01:51pm | #3

   I wouldn't use over 15,000 rpm and again I stress that this is with the router mounted on a table.  Depending on the depth of cut you normally will make several passes starting shallow and progressively deeper until you get the result  you desire.  Hope this helps. 

2. 
   Kell | Jul 10, 2003 03:20pm | #4

   Ken,

   I just built an entertainment center for a customer with two raised panel doors and the panels had curved tops.  Bought a panel raising bit at Woodcraft and ran them on my router table.  I had the speed of the bit down to the second slowest speed on the VS router (Ryobi RE600) probably about 7000.  I made sure to have good hold downs on the panel and made several passes.  They turned out beautifully.

   I admit, you have to get over the amount of air moving when that big baby starts spinning.  Once I started cutting, my total concentration chased away any impure thoughts.

   Kell

3. 
   bill_1010 | Jul 10, 2003 06:08pm | #5

   Included with your router should be a speed chart showing the speeds you should set your router according to the diamter of your bit set.

   If youre router isnt variable speed, get one.  20k+ rpm is no speed to use a 2+inch cutter.

   Youll get better cuts if you do each profile in increments rather then one wood hogging pass.

   Shapers are a bit better suited since you can reverse the rotation to figure in grain patterns but a table mounted 2-3 hp router will work.

4. 
   Midnight | Jul 11, 2003 02:40am | #6

   Ken...

   Freud list the following  as a guide for cutter size against router speed...

   5/64" to 1-9/64"....24,000rpm

   1-3/16" to 1-11/16"...20,000rpm

   1-47/64" to 1-31/32"...18,000rpm

   2-1/64" to 2-23/32"....16,000rpm

   2-3/4" to 3-1/2"....12,000rpm

   cutters for raised panel construction MUST ONLY be used in a router table set up with the work firmly controled with toggles or feather boards. With cutters in this size range, it's best to take it in gentle passes, cutting across the grain before going along the grain.

   My 3-1/2 HP Freud coped well with the large panel raising bit, but personally I wouldn't like to try a larger diamater cutter.

   As for the safety issues, the best you can do without specialist gear is check the cutter visably for damage before trying it at your routers slowest speed, checking for vibration. If in any doubt at all... don't use it...

5. 
   bjpearce | Jul 11, 2003 04:18am | #7

   Ken.

   You can run large bits in your router, as long as it has the power, and you be sure to slow it down, and have it mounted in a table.

   I sat down and figured out the speed of the outside edge of the bit from what I remembered in school, and came up with some pretty interesting figures.....

   BTW I could only do the calculations in Metric, so you'll have to bear with me...

   A 20mm wide bit spinning at 24,000 RPM is traveling at 90.4 Kph.

   A 82mm wide bit spinning at 10,000 RPM is traveling at 154.4 Kph.

   A 82mm wide bit spinning at 24,000 RPM is traveling at 370.6 Kph!!

   Which is why your router needs to be slowed down.

   Ben.

   Ps. I could be wrong, so invite anyone else to check my figures.

1. 
   ian | Jul 11, 2003 07:36am | #8

   Ben's

   in MPH your results areare:20mm (about 25/32) wide bit spinning at 24,000 RPM is traveling at 90.4 Kph   = 56.2 MPH82mm (about 3-15/64) wide bit spinning at 10,000 RPM is traveling at 154.4 Kph  = 96 MPH82mm (about 3-15/64) wide bit spinning at 24,000 RPM is traveling at 370.6 Kph  = 230.5 MPH

   here are results for the largest bits recommended by Freud for each speed:

   bit size         RPM          MPH1-9/64        24,000        81.41-11/16      20,000       100.41-31/32      18,000       105.42-23/32      16,000       129.43-1/2          12,000       124.93-1/2          24,000       249.9     for comparision, Mach 1 is about 760 MPH !

1. 
   kenewald | Jul 11, 2003 07:35pm | #10

   Never pictured my router breaking the sound barrier!

   Talk about a healthy respect for how fast that board will go flying if it gets loose.  Yikes.

1. 
   Biscardi | Jul 13, 2003 04:07am | #11

   Check your catalouges and you will see that they have commercially avilable speed controllers for routers. You can wear them on the belt; this gives a way to stand back from things and shut everything down if you need to.

   Frank

1. 
   kenewald | Jul 13, 2003 05:11pm | #12

   First, let me say that I'm a bit naive and completely frightened of electricity.

   I looked at a router speed reducer and I've got to say I'm a bit leary.  Just seems like the only way it could work is to starve the router of electricity.   Wouldn't that lower the life of the motor?

2. 
   Biscardi | Jul 13, 2003 08:56pm | #13

   I am not certain how it works. If I was in a production shop I'd worry more about it. However, I rarely use mongo bits, so when I do I figure it won't hurt to do it for a while.

   Then again ,that ain't science.

   Frank

3. 
   Midnight | Jul 16, 2003 01:11am | #14

   Ken...

   it may be better and safer to shop for another router..

   look for a model with built in speed control and a soft start.. there's a lot of choice available out there.. more so on your side of the pond...

6. 
   RANGERP75R | Jul 11, 2003 07:39am | #9

   Ken

      You can run panel raisers in a router as others suggest. Rules of thumb. Have a 3 HP or plus router and have it table mounted. Have a variable speed router as when you go over 1 1/4" bits they have to be slowed down or you're over red-line and in the danger zone. If you look in most owners manuals, there is usually chart to relate to for soft-woods, hard-woods and larger bits. There are in my Milwaukee 3 1/2 HP, Bosch 1617EVS and DW 621. Didn't notice in PC, but I bet it's there.

      If you use panel raisers and large bits often, best to invest in a shaper. But the occassional job executed properly and safely will give good results. That has been my limited experience wih panel raisers.

   Regards...

   sarge..jt