HSS Up cut Spiral Router Bits (from ebay!)

[johnnyb]

I don't generally make m and ts deeper than 30mm. usually 25. with the amazing accuracy of the fmt they are really strong.i generally then run a 1/4 three wing around to make the grooves for 6mm panels. or I often make tops using framed 18mm mdf panels in that case the panel is held with biscuits.

 

[Stevekane]

My application is for bread board ends on a table, softwood but around 45mm thick and 160x 300mm, so fairly heavy, Im making it up as I go along but my loose plan is to create loose tennons from some oak I have which will be around 50 or 60mm deep and perhaps 60mm wide. Yesterday was spent getting to grips with an old Stanley 59 dowel jig,,58 1/2 inch x 2inch dowel holes, weather permitting glue up today and spiral up cut a day or two later,
I will of course let you know how the spiral bit goes,,,
Steve.

 

[Stevekane]

Quick update, got the spiral upcut bit out and straight away could see that its not designed for plunging, I thought it was, however to give it an easy time I was planning to drill out most of the mortice first anyway and this then became a nessesity. Its a 1/2ins bit and I used the Stanly dowel jig to remove most of the material with a 7/16 drill. In practice the HSS bit performed faultlessly, run at my lowest speed of 9000rpm it plunged effortlessly to 50mm, a quick hoover out and then a few side to side clean up passes produced 20 50x60mm tennons and the bit still looks brand new. Intrestingly the bit was only barely warm at any time. Given that the bit was a very cheap chinese one that when I bought it last year was around £3 it seems like a real bargain.
Steve.