Slotcutters on Bamboo Ply - HELP!

[fritter63]

I'm building a small side table out of bamboo plywood and I'm running into a bit of snag.

It's a copy of a Stickley piece, and so it's frame and panel construction. To inset the panels into the frame members, I got a slot cutting bit (freud stackable with 3 different bearings) for the router since I figured it would be easy with the OF 1400. However, tonight I did a test cut and things did not go well. Basically, it's burning like crazy. Did I say burning? More like catching on fire. Some of the bamboo bits that fell out actually burned right through my floor mat!

It does this at both lowest and highest speed settings, and I've only routed about 4" in length so far. The bit starts smoking on first contact. I even tried reducing the depth of cut to 1/4" and still no go.

I can't help but wonder if all the spacers on the shaft are causing it to slip and not cut at speed. Don't really like the design of this Freud system.

Any ideas? This is kind of a show stopper for using bamboo ply for frame and panel!

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[PaulMarcel]

It's hard to see the cutter on the router, but I downloaded the pic and increased the fill light.  It looks like the cutter is on upside-down... as in the tooth won't be attacking into the wood but dragged through it.  Am I seeing things?  Again, it isn't really clear without monkeying with the photo.

 

[fritter63]

It's hard to see the cutter on the router, but I downloaded the pic and increased the fill light.  It looks like the cutter is on upside-down... as in the tooth won't be attacking into the wood but dragged through it.  Am I seeing things?  Again, it isn't really clear without monkeying with the photo.

OMG.  [embarassed]

Be right back.

 

[Dan C]

I did the same thing as Paul, and it does look like its upside-down....  I made that mistake once myself.

 

[fritter63]

Paul,

I owe you a large beer....

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[fritter63]

Think I damaged it at all?

lucky the tips didn't come off!

 

[PaulMarcel]

haha! Excellent... I know the bamboo can be a bit gritty, but not like that!  I'd think the tips would be fine if you didn't run it too long.  You'll find out when you run it the correct way!

 

[mattfc]

[big grin] ah this thread is great.. I did the same thing with a CMT set, since you put the cutters onto the arbour yourself its an easy mistake to make.. in my case trying to grind my way through some walnut... Glad I am not the only one!

 

[fritter63]

I can still smell burned bamboo in my nostrils this morning.....

 

[rmwarren]

Had to laugh (snicker...?), because it never fails that I get into more trouble with my routers than any other tool. Something is always going WHACK! or FZIPF!.  [doh]

RMW

 

[RONWEN]

That could be an easy mistake if not paying close attention...  [crying]

 

[fritter63]

That could be an easy mistake if not paying close attention...  [crying]

Of if your eyes aint what they used to be!  [sad]

 

[jmbfestool]

I did the same thing.  Looking at your cutter it looks similar to my cutters,  I did the same thing apart from I stuck 3 cutters on but one of them was the wrong way round the other two where the correct way.  If you just glance at the cutters its easily to put them on the wrong way.   Well I started rebating and I was getting a 5mm burn line along the groove at first I was like Dam it!! one of the cutters must be worn or broken but soon noticed I placed one cutter the wrong way round! I cleaned the burn of and cutter works perfectly fine.  [embarassed]

JMB

 

[fritter63]

I think I'll use a red marker to color the cutters and make them idiot proof....