Rate Of Feed; Feeding Too Fast; Feeding Too Slowly - Skil RT1323-00 Owner's Manual

Rate of Feed (Figs . 19 and 19a)
The proper rate of feed depends on several factors: the hardness and moisture content of the
workpiece, the depth of cut, and the cutting diameter of the bit. When cutting shallow grooves
in soft woods such as pine, you may use a faster rate of feed. When making deep cuts in
hardwoods such as oak, you should use a slower rate of feed.
Fig. 19a Fig. 19b
Bit Shank Bit Shank
Cut
Cutter
Cut
Cutter
TOO FAST TOO SLOW
Feeding Too Fast (Fig . 19)
Clean and smooth cuts can only be achieved when the cutter bit is rotating at a relatively high
speed, taking very small bites and producing tiny, clean cut chips.
Forcing the feed of the cutter bit forward too rapidly slows the rotation speed of the cutter bit,
and the bit takes larger bites as it rotates. Bigger bites mean bigger chips and a rough finish.
This forcing action can also cause the router motor to overheat.
Under extreme force-feeding conditions, the rotations can become so slow and the bites
become so large that chips become partially cut off, causing splintering and gouging of the
workpiece.
The router will make clean, smooth cuts if it is allowed to run freely without the overload
of forced feeding. You can detect forced feeding by the sound of the motor. Its usual high-
pitched whine will sound lower and stronger as it loses speed. Holding the router against the
workpiece will also come more difficult.
Feeding Too Slowly (Fig . 19a)
When you feed the cutter bit too slowly, the rotating cutter bit does not cut into new wood
rapidly enough to take a bite. Instead, it scrapes away sawdust-like particles. This scraping
produces heat, which can glaze, burn, and mar the cut in the workpiece and, in extreme
cases, overheat the cutter bit.
When the cutter bit is scraping instead of cutting, the router is more difficult to control as you
feed it.
With the reduced load on the motor caused by the slow feed, the cutter bit has a tendency to
bounce off the sides of the cut in the workpiece, producing a cut with a rippled finish instead of
clean straight sides.
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