Router Forums

Register Now!

It appears that you aren't a registered member, click below to instantly register and become a member of the RouterForums.com Community!

Register Now!

** Registration removes majority of the website advertisements **


Go Back   Router Forums > Routers > Table-mounted Routing

Rate This Thread - How do you tell a router's speed???.

New Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-02-2008, 03:38 PM   #1
allthunbs
Registered User
Dedicated Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 39
allthunbs is on a distinguished road

Default How do you tell a router's speed???

Ok, this one's for all you experts with perfect pitch and who know all of the tricks ;-)

I've just received a router bit speed chart from Kempston. I have one of their panel sets. I also have a pair of Hitachi M12V routers. The speeds noted on the chart are 8,000, 12,000, 16,000 and 20,000. My router has a variable speed setting from 8,000 to 20,000 rpm. My speed dial has five numbers on it from one to five. When I cycle the router through the various settings, it dutifully slows and speeds but there is nothing to indicate what speed we're running at. Further, the sound difference between 1 and 2 compared to between 3 and 4 is impossible to tell.

I have to assume that the slowest (lowest tone) setting is 8,000 rpm but the optimum operating speed for some bits is 12,000 rpm. Any suggestions on how to reduce guess work?
allthunbs is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Alt Sponsor Post
Advertising


Alt Sponsored Links



__________________
This advertising will not be shown in this way to registered members.
Register your free account today and become a member on Router Forums
   
Old 07-02-2008, 03:57 PM   #2
bobj3
Forum Contributer
Supreme Forum King
 
bobj3's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Littleton,Colorado U.S.A.
Posts: 7,080
bobj3 is a jewel in the roughbobj3 is a jewel in the roughbobj3 is a jewel in the rough

Default

Hi

Most of the routers have a chart ( sticker ) on the motor,,,that SUGGEST the speed but a good rule of thumb always use the number #1 setting to start with the router as a voice and it will tell you to bump the speed up or down...heat will cook the bit by running it high speed when you don't need to...

Speed kills most things, like router bits...speed = heat...


Router Speeds!
http://www.routerworkshop.com/routerbits.html


==========

Last edited by bobj3; 07-02-2008 at 03:59 PM.
bobj3 is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 04:05 PM   #3
rmaxa
Registered User
Forum King
 
rmaxa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 535
rmaxa is on a distinguished road

Default

allthunbs, Mathematically it would indicate that each number would increment the speed by 3000 rpm approximately. This would mean that setting 2 should be about 11,000 rpm.
__________________
Rolf

"I love it when a plan comes together"
Hannibal Smith
rmaxa is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 04:18 PM   #4
Router is still my name
Registered User
Forum King
 
Router is still my name's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 533
Router is still my name is on a distinguished road

Default

Router bit speed chart rules are not written in stone. They are a safe basic starting point
that's why routers don't have exact gradual ruller scale for speed. Most important is your feed rate that will contribute considerably to the end result.
Also how sharp your router bit is, What profile, the bit design as far as anti kickback and balance.
__________________
router č ancora il mio nome
Router is still my name is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 06:47 PM   #5
allthunbs
Registered User
Dedicated Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 39
allthunbs is on a distinguished road

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Router is still my name
Router bit speed chart rules are not written in stone. They are a safe basic starting point
that's why routers don't have exact gradual ruller scale for speed. Most important is your feed rate that will contribute considerably to the end result.
Also how sharp your router bit is, What profile, the bit design as far as anti kickback and balance.
Ok, let's take a look at feed rate. I have two categories of bits, super cheap and super expensive. For the most part and for the day to day stuff, I use the super cheap. They are sharp enough but their grinds are not consistent and chatter worse than a magpie. Their only advantage are they are guaranteed for life against breakage and chipping.

These bits I push quite hard. As long as the router speed remains constant I keep pushing. If you play a piano, I would say the tone drops by a third, i.e. from C to A. (Hitachi M12V running full tilt.)

The expensive bits are very sharp and the feed rate is entirely different. I feed a bit slower and take a bit less material. I protect these carefully and are only used on prime woods.

Ok, how close am I?
allthunbs is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 07:46 PM   #6
Router is still my name
Registered User
Forum King
 
Router is still my name's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 533
Router is still my name is on a distinguished road

Default

All things being equal/ new perfect as in router bit “Freud or whiteside “then correct speed( excluding bit size) setting is determined by feed rate and feed rate is determined by the type of material and or type of wood.
Example, if you take 4 , ˝ straight router bits ( which going by the book) would require a slightly lower than highest setting and run these at steady speed each through Mahogany, walnut, oak and dreaded mdf , You would get completely different results.
Hence, type of material + feed rate = proper speed setting taking into consideration the bit size.
Everyone knows that you can’t swing a 3 inch router bit at max speed.
__________________
router č ancora il mio nome
Router is still my name is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 08:08 PM   #7
allthunbs
Registered User
Dedicated Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 39
allthunbs is on a distinguished road

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Router is still my name
All things being equal/ new perfect as in router bit “Freud or whiteside “then correct speed( excluding bit size) setting is determined by feed rate and feed rate is determined by the type of material and or type of wood.
Example, if you take 4 , ˝ straight router bits ( which going by the book) would require a slightly lower than highest setting and run these at steady speed each through Mahogany, walnut, oak and dreaded mdf , You would get completely different results.
Hence, type of material + feed rate = proper speed setting taking into consideration the bit size.
Everyone knows that you can’t swing a 3 inch router bit at max speed.
Ok, let's take this from another direction. I'm cutting a ˝" rabbit. As I begin the cut, the chips fly out the end of the rabbit and all of a sudden it stops. I finish the cut and look at the results and I have chips jammed tightly in the groove. Is this normal, correct?

Any time I've watched the Rosenthals, this is what I think I saw. My memory is a bit rusty.

Conversely, it is not a good idea to start the cut and back out to clear the chips.

Last edited by allthunbs; 07-02-2008 at 08:14 PM.
allthunbs is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-02-2008, 10:43 PM   #8
Mike
Senior Moderator
Supreme Forum King
 
Mike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Detroit, Michigan USA
Posts: 3,083
Mike has disabled reputation

Send a message via AIM to Mike Send a message via Yahoo to Mike Send a message via Skype™ to Mike
Default

Watching the Rosendahls work has motivated many of us to begin routing. Bit types determine what happens to the chips. Straight bits will leave a dado groove packed with chips. Up cut spiral bits pull the chips out of the cut towards the router; this is true if hand held or table mounted. Down cut spiral bits push the chips into the cut or away from the router. A rabbit cut is on an edge so chips usually are not an issue.
__________________
Mike
Mike is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-03-2008, 08:04 AM   #9
Julie
Registered User
Forum Geek
 
Julie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 217
Julie is on a distinguished road

Default

I have found hooking up a vacuum system in just the right spot can help tremendously by removing the chips before they get a chance to build up.

~Julie~
Julie is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
Old 07-05-2008, 12:03 AM   #10
traveler
Registered User
New Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 6
traveler is on a distinguished road

Default

Hobby shops that sell radio control airplane equipment also sell tachometers. These are for holding near the prop while it's spinning. It is an optical tach. You could probably make one work on a router bit as well.
traveler is offline   Top - Reply with Quote
New Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Variable Speed vs. Fixed Speed Phillip K General Routing 24 07-12-2008 10:29 PM
New Craftsman Routers foleylink General Routing 2 11-10-2007 11:48 PM
rule of thumb for variable speed? rprice54 General Routing 3 01-11-2006 05:50 PM
Router speed controls RustyW Starting Off 1 12-29-2005 06:42 AM
variable speed routing Dean VV Table-mounted Routing 3 03-23-2005 10:12 AM


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.2.0
Copyright 2007 RouterForums.com

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107