Router Forums banner

UHMWPE Edge forming problems.

777 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  mveach99
Hello, our company is trying to use UHMWPE for type of wall guard. we are making a full bullnose on one end of 1" square rod.

Now the problem that we ran into is no matter how many time we run it through the table mounted router there is chatter marks along the edge of the material.
I was hoping if we can somehow find an answer here where we can get a smooth finish.
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
Are you climb cutting or conventional cutting? How many flutes/blades on your cutter? Is the piece stable or is it bouncing off the cutterhead? Are you trying to take it all off at once? Etc., etc....?

Photos always help.
What are you using to hold it down as it routes?
Welcome to the forum, @joe.min

As you can see from the informed responses, there are a number of reasons for the chatter.

Most obvious is, keeping pressure against the cutter as you pass through.

What size cutter are you using? Is it bearing guided or against a fence?

If you are just cutting the square end of the work piece, you would need a jig to hold it.

See attached sled from August Home Publishing as a guide.

Attachments

See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Welcome to the forum Joe.
First of all Thank you all for the welcome and the interest in my problem.
attached is my current setup and the result of the chatter that I was talking about. I don't know if you could see it with the lighting if need I can try to provide a better picture.
so steps that I have tried to eliminate the chatters were
1. run it at high speed and feed very slowly (tried to get all at one time)
2. run it at 12000rpm and feed very slowly (tried to get all at one time)
3. run it at 12000rpm and feed very slowly and divide the cut to 3 times.
4. same as above but higher speed.
5. with the results that I have from above tried to run it multiple times on a high speed and low speed.
6. the reason we went with the full bullnose was when we try half bullnose with the bearing there was less chatter but a lip that we had to either route it down or sand down.

again Thank you all in advance.

Attachments

See less See more
3
That looks like chatter, like the material is bouncing off the cutterhead. If you run it back through does it disappear, or is it possible to run back through again?
So, the first time we run it the chatter is much wider. that result is when we run it 5 times. but the 4th and 5th time didn't even change a thing. we have the material down pretty tight but maybe since the material is too slippery?
Have you tried a climb cut? Be careful if you do but you might try a small section just to find out.
ok, I just tried the climb cut with the table... now I am missing an eye....
well all jokes aside, I wouldn't be able to hold the material since it is so slippery and I do not have enough room for me to build a big table where I can make some kind of a guide...
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Safety issues aside, did it improve the cut?
I couldn't even finish one cut I was trying to test it with the small piece and it shot through the table. maybe since the material is more like a teflon than wood the "catch" that you would get by climb cutting seems greater to the material
  • Helpful
Reactions: 1
Welcome to the forum, @joe.min

As you can see from the informed responses, there are a number of reasons for the chatter.

Most obvious is, keeping pressure against the cutter as you pass through.

What size cutter are you using? Is it bearing guided or against a fence?

If you are just cutting the square end of the work piece, you would need a jig to hold it.

See attached sled from August Home Publishing as a guide.
Well it is a 10 ft rod, I do have a guard that butts up against the fence and I do have another guide that holds down to the table. shown in picture. but still chatters...
  • Like
Reactions: 1
Thanks Joe.

In you first post you said you were cutting the end of the rod, but it appears you are cutting one edge of the rod. This is what had me confused....I may have given you a wrong answer....
Thanks Joe.

In you first post you said you were cutting the end of the rod, but it appears you are cutting one edge of the rod. This is what had me confused....I may have given you a wrong answer....
Yes My mistake.
Well it is a 10 ft rod, I do have a guard that butts up against the fence and I do have another guide that holds down to the table. shown in picture. but still chatters...
Try feather boards like the ones you have holding it down on the side instead of the solid rail.
  • Like
Reactions: 1
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top