All of a sudden I'm getting tearout from router.

[ziplock9000]

I use a Bosch 1400 POF ACE ace router with a new, ultra cheap OGEE bit to finish the edges of small plaques that I make from very soft redwood. (I got them free, so why not)

It started off great, but after just 8 plaques I notice a lot of tearout at the top of the piece, which got worse very quickly after about 12.

While it's a very cheap bit, I didn't expect cutting just 2 or 3 meters of very soft wood would make it get drastically worse.

I checked the positioning of the bit, and the blade does cover the part where the tearout occurs.

(Ignore the burn marks, I was experimenting. no matter how many times I went back and forth extra tearouts (or whatever they are are everywhere))

I used another similar bit in a very cheap Chinese router before this and it's not went dull or done this after many dozens of plaques.

I've not done anything different.. so it has to be the bit right?

 

[dzj]

Clean the crud off the bit, remove bearing and a few swipes over a small diamond card
sharpener should solve your problem.
You might try various router speeds and feed rate.

 

[johnnyb]

I was amazed at the difference in quality of freud carbide v cheapo. I was doing a job where hitting nails was inevitable. The freud bit hit them and whilst slightly blunted never chipped. The cheapo chipped loads. Dodgy bearings also make a difference to finish.

 

[Ollie78]

It is probably blunt by now but it can also be the wood, sometimes you just get a real fluffy bit. As said above try sharpening it.
I agree that Johnnyb that a decent bit is a world away from random chinesium. I normally get CMT ones from Scott and Sargeant, usually some kind of offer on. Good price to performance.

 

[ziplock9000]

I was amazed at the difference in quality of freud carbide v cheapo. I was doing a job where hitting nails was inevitable. The freud bit hit them and whilst slightly blunted never chipped. The cheapo chipped loads. Dodgy bearings also make a difference to finish.

I've not hit any nails though and it's only been about 2-3m of softwood.

 

[ziplock9000]

It is probably blunt by now but it can also be the wood, sometimes you just get a real fluffy bit. As said above try sharpening it.
I agree that Johnnyb that a decent bit is a world away from random chinesium. I normally get CMT ones from Scott and Sargeant, usually some kind of offer on. Good price to performance.

I know more expensive bits last longer, but I never expected cheap ones to dull after just 2-3m cutting softwood. I'm amazed tbh.
I just had a look at those bits from Scott and Sargeant. Nice prices, thanks.

 

[Ross Buchanan]

There's carbide and carbide. With the cheapo carbide sometimes it is possible to find the balance between lowered speed/feed rate and it still cuts alright but doesn't dull. Other times the heat build-up is too quick and you get melted resin accumulating, leading to more heat, more resin.
Trend green are ok. Freud better, CMT top notch.
Those boxes of twelve cutters for 30quid- too good to be true. The boxes are useful, mind, to keep the decent cutters in.

 

[Blister]

The black on the cut indicated burning = blunt cutter

 

[johnnyb]

I also reckon the routers potential is held back(finish wise) by even mid quality bits. I tried a whiteside bit and it was superb. Much smoother than other brands. What the difference is im not sure(balance? The bearing?)

 

[Peri]

Looks blunt.

Did you do the entire cut in one pass? With a low quality bit I'd take at at least 2, maybe 3 with the last pass a 'finish' one that didn't remove a lot of material.


I get my bits from any of these.

https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Router_Cutters_1.html

https://routercutter.co.uk/routerbits

https://www.scosarg.com/tooling/router-bits-cutters

 

[AESamuel]

I've not hit any nails though and it's only been about 2-3m of softwood.

Cheap bits sometimes come blunt.

 

[spanner48]

I know more expensive bits last longer, but I never expected cheap ones to dull after just 2-3m cutting softwood. I'm amazed tbh.
I just had a look at those bits from Scott and Sargeant. Nice prices, thanks.

That's probably because it's made of Chinesium – a new alloy developed under the guidance of Shi Jinpig. It consists of 50% Iron Filings; 50% Cornflour.

 

[Blister]

CMT are about as good as it gets re router bits.

 

[ziplock9000]

Looks blunt.

Did you do the entire cut in one pass? With a low quality bit I'd take at at least 2, maybe 3 with the last pass a 'finish' one that didn't remove a lot of material.


I get my bits from any of these.

https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Router_Cutters_1.html

https://routercutter.co.uk/routerbits

https://www.scosarg.com/tooling/router-bits-cutters

Sometimes I do it in one pass yes, only because in my head it's ok as it's extremely soft softwood. (You can very slightly compress it even with a finger)

I have another cheap (but not quite as cheap) bit that has been fine for 5x as many cuts.

So yeah, it's the bit then.. Next time £15-£20 per bit I think.

Thanks.

 

[toolsntat]

Sometimes I do it in one pass yes, only because in my head it's ok as it's extremely soft softwood. (You can very slightly compress it even with a finger)

I have another cheap (but not quite as cheap) bit that has been fine for 5x as many cuts.

So yeah, it's the bit then.. Next time £15-£20 per bit I think.

Thanks.

In my professional experience of using routers on most natural materials you ought to try a HSS cutter instead of carbide.
They generally have always outperformed the carbide ones but as with any cutters you need a positive feed action without stopping and allowing the cutter to spin against the material or feeding too slowly.
Cheers
Andy

 

[recipio]

You are getting tearout while cutting on the crossgrain. I note the cut on the longrain is fine. Even the best cutter is liable to do this especially on soft woods. Don't give up on the cutter - it's worth investing in a diamond sharpener and a good clean. A little WD40 on the bearing will also help. Sometimes you just have to ' backrout ' grain like this - take shallow cuts to avoid burning.
Cutter speed is also important . that's why trim routers tend to spin at 35,000 rpm so check the Bosch.

 

[ziplock9000]

You are getting tearout while cutting on the crossgrain. I note the cut on the longrain is fine. Even the best cutter is liable to do this especially on soft woods. Don't give up on the cutter - it's worth investing in a diamond sharpener and a good clean. A little WD40 on the bearing will also help. Sometimes you just have to ' backrout ' grain like this - take shallow cuts to avoid burning.
Cutter speed is also important . that's why trim routers tend to spin at 35,000 rpm so check the Bosch.

The problem is this was almost perfect for the first few plaques I made but got progressively worse very quickly after just a few softwood plaques.
It's only a very cheap '15 bits for £20' jobby that came with the Bosch, so I don't think it's worth sharpening? I think I'll just buy a more expensive bit and look after that with a diamond sharpener as needed.

Nice tips. I'll increase the speed and check the bearing.

 

[HOJ]

It's only a very cheap '15 bits for £20' jobby

I would be inclined to bin the lot.

I treat router bits and cutter blades as consumables, I can't afford for them not to work as intended, they are pretty much the most important part of the process, it is a false economy, it would cost me far more to remake something than to just buy good quality bit in the first place, I price for them into the job.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

A cheap bit's blunted quickly. If your wood is soft enough to dent that easily any cutter that's not 100% will tear it, especially on the end grain. If you're making plaques, table tops etc. you can run the mould around before finishing the flat surface, them having lowered the surface a fraction run the mould around without altering the router setting, this'll clean up the cut. This works only with cutters with no undercut.
https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalo...xLpunrEy8fi2FNC0vAtPdrToJQL_U5UwkcdjbJuaszVLY
is my go to.