OT Router bit speed

Use normal 'high' speed. More importantly though, is that the router bit is sharp and preferably Carbide tipped. Routing just a couple of feet of MDF moulding can easily kill a high speed steel edge. You know the job is lost when the bit starts glowing Cherry Red. regards john

Posts like this get good answers because Real Engineers have interests in more than one field.

There was a running joke on rec.woodworking years ago (perhaps it's still going), when everyone imitated newbies by asking "What's MDF?"

Another thing is depth. If you try to cut a deep and wide path, you can have a cherry red bit in less than a foot of routing. Start with a shallow cut and do many passes, each a little deeper. Depending on bit and what you're cutting, go maybe 1/4" or even 1/8" or less deeper on each pass. I forget where I read this, perhaps in some handbook on routers or Cumpiano's "Guitarmaking" book, but it made the difference between bits getting so hot I got burnmarks (in mahogany), wondering what was going on, and getting the job done. My routing was for a 1/4" rod, threaded (by me) on one end, heated in the middle and folded over, then put into the slot routed in a guitar neck, then fretboard glued on, for string tension compensation. The guitar and some parts of building it is shown on my website, thought not this part - it's straight out of Cumpiano's book.

For more questions, post to rec.woodworking, it's a really active group.

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I enjoyed these posts. Years ago I was into the furniture from MDF, and even from solid mahogany timber.

Only one routing cutter to use -- tungsten carbide tipped.

Cheers de MikeN

Thanks to all who replied, now have the info I need. its for a tv stand / combination craft box holder for the missus - will be using 16mm MDF, so wanted to trench the joins so it wouldnt collapse as readily as some of my other woodwork projects! And she wont have one made from 25mm sq section steel tubing - something silly about "clashing with decor". Dammed if I can figure that out - it works, its functional - what more do you want?

And yes, have yet to meet an engineer who wasnt across several disciplines - once read a definition that said

"An engineer is someone who will spend 2 days fixing a $20 radio because its interesting......."

An old (by now) engineering joke:

Three men were being led to execution on the guillotine, a priest, a lawyer, and an engineer.

The priest went first. As the blade descended, it made a loud noise and stopped just inches above the priest's neck. The priest said gently, "It is the had of God. You must let me go". And they did.

The lawyer was next. Again, the blade stopped just above the neck. The lawyer shouted, "There is a precedent to this situation. You must let me go". And they did.

As the engineer was being led up to the machine, he looked up at it, bending his head to various angles, and then said "I think I see your problem".

My Linksys router has a bit speed of ten million per second.

I built a "cat tower" (basically three 18" cubes with holes that line up so they can clime up the middle) out of 1/2" MDF a couple of years ago. I routed the dados to fit the edges and routed the holes for the tops/bottoms/front with a RotoZip and circle cutter. The carbide bits didn't even notice the MDF. As others have pointed out, don't take too much in one pass.

I carpeted the tower inside and out for the cats, so no MDF shows. If SHMBO has an issue with steel, I'm not sure how she's going to like the "decor" of MDF. ;-)

BTDT. No more.

Buy a new one.

Hell, Linux is free - write your own!

(I did)

Cheers! Rich

Why would I want to spend time on something I can buy (including all the hardware bits) for $20?

I think you can hack some of the routers so they run Linux programs. If you could run NIST EMC on it, you could use the router to control a router. Then the optimal bit speed could just be looked up in Machinery's Handbook.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany