maintaining router bits - which diamond card etc?

[miles_hot]

Having severely punished my router cutting all that ply I assume I should do some maintenance on the router bit using a DMT diamond card or similar - what do you recommend as there are many grades etc?

Many thanks

Miles

 

[cutting solutions]

You guys never cease to amaze me.
A router is a precision tool and you want to sharpen it with a diamond card. How are you going to ensure that both wings (assuming its a two wing cutter) have the same cut circle?

Nearest saw doc to you is probably John Porter in Meare Nr Glastonbury.
Do yourself a favour and spend a couple of quid to get it done properly....it will be beneficial in the end too.

 

[miles_hot]

You guys never cease to amaze me.
A router is a precision tool and you want to sharpen it with a diamond card. How are you going to ensure that both wings (assuming its a two wing cutter) have the same cut circle?

Nearest saw doc to you is probably John Porter in Meare Nr Glastonbury.
Do yourself a favour and spend a couple of quid to get it done properly....it will be beneficial in the end too.

I had assumed that the "best method" was to gently hone the blade on a frequent basis and then send it off to be fully sharpened / fettled less frequently. Given that I've cut two sheets of ply up into smaller components over the last couple of weeks I figured it was time to hone / maintain the blade a little.

From what you're suggesting there's little or nothing that I can do to assist the router other than send the bit away - does that mean I should either:
1) ignore the idea of honing or
2) assume that the blade is fine with that level of application and doesn't need doing for some time or
3) send the blade off every couple of sheets of ply?

Understand this isn't a rhetorical or piss taking question - I genuinely don't know and want to do the right thing

Miles

 

[cutting solutions]

The problem with gently honing is you MAY be causing more problems for the saw doc to cure at a later stage (gringing off more carbide to get the cutter back to peak condition)

IMHO
Ignore honing
you should be able to get a feel for the performance of the cutter when used on other materials or the ply....ply as we all know kills any tool......when the cutter isnt giving the finish required or is slowing/straining the motor change it for a fresh one and send the blunt one away for sharpening....it may only need a "quick" sharpen to get a good edge back.