New router bits types

[rac8006 (Ronald Clifford)]

I’m looking to get additional router bits. But I don 't under stand the differences between spiral or straight 2 flute or those bits that look like a rasp. Do each type have a special material they work with best. I’m using wood or Masonite or maybe plastic.

[gdon_2003 (Guy Donham)]

Straight 2 flute bits work well but a lot of cnc users don’t use the. The spiral bits are down or up cut bits. The spirals evacuate or pack in chips. Up cut bits help evacuate chips but tend to leave a fuzzy edge on top of project. Down cut bits tend to leave a smooth surface and move fuzz to bottom. However the spoilboard tends to negate fuzzy bottom because wood fibers are supported.

Plastic cutting uses single flute bits that run at fast surface speeds to keep heat down so chips dont fuse together on tool or material surface. Many use the single flute bits on aluminium for similar reasons.

So any bit can be used for any material but certain bits perform better on certain material.

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

We have a bit on tooling at:

Carbide 3D Tooling Guide

As noted, router bits can be used, w/in limits:

• they need to be able to center-cut/plunge
• they need to have a cutting flute shape which allows chip evacuation and won’t clog
• they need to be used w/ suitable toolpaths — if they have a geometry which isn’t supported by Carbide Create you’ll have to get creative:

Using unsupported tooling in Carbide Create: Roundover / Cove / Radius bits

These are usually used in routers for decorative effects in wood: but they are potentially useful for joinery: They are also useful for rounding off parts to allow rotary motion as for a hinged lid. Unfortunately, Carbide Create does not support this endmill geometry — but using the new support for previewing a V endmill when used in a No Offset Contour toolpath, it should be possible to preview them w/ confidence by stacking a series of V endmill cuts.

[rac8006 (Ronald Clifford)]

Thanks. What about these type of bits?

[robgrz (Rob Grzesek (Carbide 3D))]

Those look like they’re made for cutting composites, or just grinding. Don’t buy those for wood, plastic, or metal use.

[rac8006 (Ronald Clifford)]

Thank you. That was what I was looking for.

[Zman (MICHAEL ZEMANEK)]

Rob,
I have a bunch of these. Unfortunately cash was a problem when I purchased them.

What I have found is they work on soft wood, hard wood takes more time as I lowered the depth of cut to a very conservative depth. They are horrible on plastic. I got them for learning my machine, as well as cost. I have not had a problem with fuzzy edges, edges are true and clean all the way down.

What I am getting at is, they have their place in the education on our machines for the price you pay. Yes I have a drawer full of broken bits as I have learned. Quality is the best route in the long run.