Best end mill for MDF profiling?

[killersoundz]

Ive only machined particle board and mdf on my router so far and quickly discovered the mdf is really bogging my router down. Once the router heats up I'm only able to run at 30ipm .25 deep cut with a new carbide 1/4 upspiral bit. It's a DeWalt dw618 router. The thing ain't happy any faster than this it starts sounding very stressed and sparking inside a lot, dimming the lights even as it pulls more current. On pocketing I can run much faster after the first pass, and particle board was much better too. I'm assuming it would do better on plywood too but the mdf just seems to gum up the kerf instead of clearing out efficiently. I thought the 1/4 upspiral bit is the best here but I don't know is there anything better? I do plan on getting a more powerful spindle in the future but I expected a little more out of this..



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[Jim Dawson]

That router should be able to sail through the MDF with only 0.25 DOC with a 1/4 carbide bit. The gumming up might be because the router is running too slow. Sounds like the router is not working correctly. I can run a 1 inch bit 0.375 deep with my Porter Cable 7518. It's a little more power than yours, but not that much.

[KH0UJ]

I think the issue on your bogging down while cutting is your feedrate speed, go full speed with a lighter pass, more speed means it will have a momentum to flush clear the pulverized MDF, for sure you cannot go full speed with a deeper depth cut, so adjust your depth and go lighter pass on it but with speed. Only you can determine it`s optimum work path because of too many variables, machine hardware capability, rigidity, accuracy.

[ger21]

You didn't say what your rpm is, but it's likely that a slow feedrate and high rpm is causing the bit to get dull very quickly.
It also sounds like your router has seen better days. It may need new brushes.

[greenene]

Ive only machined particle board and mdf on my router so far and quickly discovered the mdf is really bogging my router down. Once the router heats up I'm only able to run at 30ipm .25 deep cut with a new carbide 1/4 upspiral bit. It's a DeWalt dw618 router. The thing ain't happy any faster than this it starts sounding very stressed and sparking inside a lot, dimming the lights even as it pulls more current. On pocketing I can run much faster after the first pass, and particle board was much better too. I'm assuming it would do better on plywood too but the mdf just seems to gum up the kerf instead of clearing out efficiently. I thought the 1/4 upspiral bit is the best here but I don't know is there anything better? I do plan on getting a more powerful spindle in the future but I expected a little more out of this..

I am cutting 3/8 mdf with my hitachi at 12000 rpm, feed 99, bit 1/8" single flute and a couple of depth of cuts.
The tool lasts forever; it's cold to the touch, and the machine hardly feels the strain.

[killersoundz]

Ok guys, a couple developments. The router died today, bearings seized up. I thought that would explain why it wasn't doing so well. So I went and bought a new Dewalt DW618. The one I had was serial number 7000 something. The new one is serial number 830,000 something ha.

Guess what?

It's not really any better.

Infact this brand new 1/4" upspiral bit I bought yesterday ending up breaking, IN THE COLLET! It didn't snap off at any exposed part it was in the collet almost right up to where the flutes start and it broke higher than that. How does that make any sense? I've got some issues here clearly. Even the brand new router, with a brand new bit, the thing didn't sound happy at anything over 40ipm. I guess I will have to make shallower passes.




I have the router all the way up, They say they turn at what 20,000 something rpm? Thats interesting you say the high rpm and low feed rate would cause the bit to dull that could make sense. I might just have to stop getting scared and turning the feed rate down quickly and see what it does. It just really sounds like the router is about to stall if I don't slow it down

[Jim Dawson]

Are you getting full voltage to the router? Almost sounds like you are getting a voltage drop on the line. If you have a voltmeter, check the voltage at the plug when cutting. Are you using a long extension cord to power the router? If so, it should be #12 wire.

The cutter breaking where it did would indicate a crappy collet maybe. It is possible that you bottomed out the bit in the spindle, maybe moving the bit out a 1/16 inch or so would be helpful.

[ger21]

Looks like the bit spun in the collet. That's Probably why it broke.
Make sure the bit is very tight, and not bottomed out in the collet.

At 40ipm, you should have the speed as low as it goes on that router. At full speed, you'd need to be going at least 200ipm.

[greenene]

[QUOTE=killersoundz;2137446]Ok guys, a couple developments. The router died today, bearings seized up. I thought that would explain why it wasn't doing so well. So I went and bought a new Dewalt DW618. The one I had was serial number 7000 something. The new one is serial number 830,000 something ha.

Guess what?

It's not really any better.

Infact this brand new 1/4" upspiral bit I bought yesterday ending up breaking, IN THE COLLET! It didn't snap off at any exposed part it was in the collet almost right up to where the flutes start and it broke higher than that. How does that make any sense? I've got some issues here clearly. Even the brand new router, with a brand new bit, the thing didn't sound happy at anything over 40ipm. I guess I will have to make shallower passes.




Try first with shallow passes. In my early days, I had a dewalt( fixed speed), and found that my feed at 66ipm and the router at 18000 dulled my end mills from heat.
Are you going too deep in the first pass? The rule of thumb is no more than half the diameter of the bit. I'd also change the router to a variable speed. For me the hitachi was a life safer. I no longer break or dull bits.

[killersoundz]

Are you getting full voltage to the router? Almost sounds like you are getting a voltage drop on the line. If you have a voltmeter, check the voltage at the plug when cutting. Are you using a long extension cord to power the router? If so, it should be #12 wire.

The cutter breaking where it did would indicate a crappy collet maybe. It is possible that you bottomed out the bit in the spindle, maybe moving the bit out a 1/16 inch or so would be helpful.

Ok now we're talkin....I'm no stranger to voltage drops I know for a fact the outlets in my garage have a terrible voltage drop to the point they won't even start an air compressor. The machine isn't out there though but yes I do have an extension cord, it's probably 16 gauge. I will have to upgrade it and find the best outlet, I'm actually surprised I haven't popped a breaker I believe I'm running my computer, cnc motor powersupplies/drives and the router on the same 15 or 20 amp circuit. Theoretically the drives/power supplies themselves can pull 15 amps if they need to and it's a 12 amp router, plus a computer... oh and lights too

[killersoundz]

Looks like the bit spun in the collet. That's Probably why it broke.
Make sure the bit is very tight, and not bottomed out in the collet.

At 40ipm, you should have the speed as low as it goes on that router. At full speed, you'd need to be going at least 200ipm.

Thanks for informing me about the rpm situation I really hadn't thought about it at all before but now I read up about it and chip loading and it makes sense.

[killersoundz]

Just wanted to say thanks guys. Got a new bit, used a better extension cord and turned the rpms down on the router and it's blasting through MDF now. You can tell it's making chips instead of powder

[Jim Dawson]

[killersoundz]

It's interesting because the sound of the spindle (router) seems to tell you right where it's happy at. Moving it through the MDF at 120ipm .25 deep now just jogging around the router sounds the best at 2.5 on the variable speed. It goes 1-6 on this router. No sparks or bogging at the speed. however you take it down to 2 or up to 3 at that feed rate it starts sounding off and sparking....weird stuff! So you guys were definitely right, the full RPM's of this router I'd have to have a feed rate at like 300ipm or more ha

Unfortunately I'm not comfortable running this machine at more than 120ipm because the large steppers I'm using start to loose a lot of torque, at 170ipm I can stall them just by grabbing the ballscrew. it seems to come back at 220ipm where I can't stall it but still makes me uncomfortable