OF1400 cutting capacity?

[ForumMFG]

Hello all.

I have a question regarding the OF1400 cutting capacity.  Today I was routing 3" x 3" hard maple.  I was using a edge trimming bit w/ bearing at the top.  It has a 1" cutting Dia. with 1 1/2" cutting length.  When I was doing my routing, all of a sudden the router tripped the breaker and split the wood about a 1/4" deep x 7" long x 1 1/2" wide.  Is this bit I'm using to large for the OF1400.  Is this a task for the 2200?

FYI, I was taking a 1/2" x  1 1/2" material off by 20" long each routing.

-Dave

 

[JJ Wavra]

If I am reading you right the bit depth was 1.5" and .5" in width I would say that that is way too much material to remove especially in maple.  I would not try this and I am quite cavalier about bit depths .  I would suggest using the depth turret and taking multiple passes.  I once tried to joint a piece of maple on my router table before I got a jointer and that was something like a 32nd" by about 1.75" and it totally frayed the wood and shot it across the shop.  Maple is a very hard wood and small increments at a time are important even if it takes longer.

JJ

 

[ForumMFG]

The Bit was 1" dia. x 1 1/2" long and I was taking a 1/2" x 1 1/2" material off at a time.

I couldn't use the turret for the type of bit I was using and application.  It was a pattern bit so it had a bering at the top.  It was the only bit I had that I could use for the job. 

 

[Brice Burrell]

I agree with JJ, that's too much material to remove in one pass. I'd try something like that in two or three passes depending on how hard the wood is.

 

[Rick Christopherson]

Wow, that is a big bit and an equally big bite. If you must remove 1/2" material due to the size of your template, then I suggest taking nibbling cuts to trim this down in stages. It is a slower process, but is necessary for doing what you are describing.

I don't specifically cover this procedure word-for-word in the manual, but the underlying concepts are presented in both the OF1400 manual (page 14) and OF2200 manual (page 17), where I discuss taking a nibble of a cut using a pivoting motion to control the router position. These two manuals are available at http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/ or from the Festool USA website.

 

[JeromeM]

Wow, that is a big bit and an equally big bite. If you must remove 1/2" material due to the size of your template, then I suggest taking nibbling cuts to trim this down in stages. It is a slower process, but is necessary for doing what you are describing.

I don't specifically cover this procedure word-for-word in the manual, but the underlying concepts are presented in both the OF1400 manual (page 14) and OF2200 manual (page 17), where I discuss taking a nibble of a cut using a pivoting motion to control the router position. These two manuals are available at http://www.waterfront-woods.com/festool/ or from the Festool USA website.

It is clear that the amount being cut was way too much in almost any wood other than balsa  and it is a complement to the power of the OF1400 that it could do this at all. Another point is that unless the shank was 1/2" there would be a good chance of breaking the bit itself and even 1/2" shank bits can self-destruct if pushed too hard.

Rick's manuals are really good, give excelent advice and tips. I am waiting for the MFK 700 to be released (any time soon Rick?) as I am sure there will be things I haven't found out yet in it.