Max depth of first pass with OF1400 and 1/2" shank 3/4" straight bit

[ear3]

Needed to cut some half lap joints in some 2x4s -- I would do it with the table saw but am waiting for a new dado insert plate to replace my bent one (and I don't feel like making my own right now), so I'm just going to do it with the OF1400.

Question: what is the deepest you would go on the first pass with the 1400 through a 2x4, outfitted with a 1/2" shank 3/4 straight bit? 
I was probably just going to do it in two passes, so 3/8" a pass.  But has anyone tried doing it in a single pass, given the softness of the wood and the power of the 1400?

 

[tiralie]

3/8" is safer than trying to hog out the whole depth unless there was a reason you need to do it in one pass.
Tim

 

[SittingElf]

Hmmm.....

Edward, I bet I know what you're half-lapping!! [big grin]

I didn't have a 3/4 straight bit, or I would have done what you're doing. Hogging out the half-laps with a Kapex was torturous! [eek]

Cheers,
Frank

 

[ear3]

How could you guess?  Gonna stick with the 2 x 3/8" passes, as Tim suggests.  I did a test of doing it in one pass, but I had to move the router so slowly that it didn't really save any time, and with all the knots in the 2x4"s, it's not that smart/safe.

Hmmm.....

Edward, I bet I know what you're half-lapping!! [big grin]

I didn't have a 3/4 straight bit, or I would have done what you're doing. Hogging out the half-laps with a Kapex was torturous! [eek]

Cheers,
Frank

 

[Mr Heavy]

ummmm... how did you bend your dado insert? It may have some bearing on the shape of the advice but the short answer is if the machine sounds like it doesn't like it, you're in too deep

~digging down I'd try it in three passes... and see how it behaves.
I'll probably be ridiculed for being too cautious, but it all depend on
(missing list of variables)...

Bandsaw?

 

[ear3]

Not through use -- freak mishap in the shop when I was moving some stuff in and out of the overhead loft space.

ummmm... how did you bend your dado insert? It may have some bearing on the shape of the advice but the short answer is if the machine sounds like it doesn't like it, you're in too deep

~digging down I'd try it in three passes... and see how it behaves.
I'll probably be ridiculed for being too cautious, but it all depend on
(missing list of variables)...

Bandsaw?

 

[Laminator]

I recently mortised some wall panels. I bought the 1400 specifically for this task and was surprised at having to make 3 passes to get a 9/16 deep mortise in particle board.  The mortise was an inch and five eights wide by 9/16 deep and I used a 3/4 (several) bit with 1/2 shank.   
  I tried to make it in 2 passes but the router let me know it did not approve.

May have better luck in soft wood.