Ryobi PCL424 Operator's Manual page 9

Because of the extremely high speed of bit rotation during
a proper feeding operation, there is very little kickback to
contend with under normal conditions. However, should the
bit strike a knot, hard grain, foreign object, etc. that would
affect the normal progress of the cutting action, there will be
a slight kickback. Kickback could be sufficient to spoil the
trueness of your cut if you are not prepared. Such a kickback
is always in the direction opposite the direction of bit rotation.
To guard against kickback, plan your set-up and direction
of feed so that you will always be thrusting the tool—to hold
it against whatever you are using to guide the cut—in the
same direction that the leading edge of the bit is moving. The
thrust should be in a direction that keeps the sharp edges
of the bit continuously biting straight into new (uncut) wood.
Moving the router in the opposite direction is known as
"climb cutting."
WARNING:
To reduce the risk of injury, avoid "climb cutting." Climb
cutting increases the potential for loss of control of the
tool and damage to the workpiece. If climb cutting can
not be avoided, use extreme caution.
PROPER RATE OF FEED
Trimming and edge shaping depend upon careful set-up
and selecting the proper feed rate.
The proper feed rate is dependent upon:
The hardness and moisture content of the workpiece.

The depth of cut. It is necessary that you do not exceed

1/8 in. depth of cut for proper rate of feed.
For edge shaping in soft woods such as pine, a faster rate
of feed can be used. When edge shaping in hardwoods
such as oak, a slower rate of feed will be required. In all
wood types, a slower rate of feed is required when cutting
shallow grooves.
Several factors will help you select the proper rate of feed.
Choose a rate that does not slow down the router motor.

Choose the rate of feed at which the bit advances firmly

and surely to produce a continuous spiral of uniform chips
or a smooth trim edge on laminate.
Listen to the sound of the router motor. A high-pitched,

strained sound means you are feeding too fast.
Check the progress of each cut. Too-slow feeding can

cause the router to take off in a wrong direction from the
intended line of cut. Force-feeding increases the strain
of holding the tool and can result in damage to the tool.
Notice the chips being produced as you cut. If the router

is fed too slowly, it will scorch or burn the wood. If the
router is fed too fast, it will take large chips out of the
wood and leave gouge marks.
OPERATION
Always test a cut on scrap piece of the workpiece wood
or laminate before you begin. Always grasp and hold the
router firmly when trimming.
When using the largest recommended straight bit (1/4 in.)
in any type of wood, maintain a maximum cutting depth
of 1/8 in. and a very slow feed rate to achieve the best
quality cut. A cross-grain cut requires a slower pace than
an identical cut with the grain in the same workpiece.
There is no fixed rule. Proper feed rate is learned through
practice and use.
FEEDING TOO SLOWLY
See Figure 12, page 13.
When the router is advanced into the work too slowly it
scrapes away sawdust-like particles instead of cleanly
cutting into the workpiece. Scraping produces heat, which
can glaze, burn, or mar the cut, and can overheat the bit.
Dull bits can also contribute to scraping and burning.
It is more difficult to control a router when the bit is scraping
instead of cutting. With practically no load on the motor,
the bit will be revolving near top RPM. When feeding too
slowly, the bit will have a greater than normal tendency to
bounce off the sides of the cut, especially if the wood has
a pronounced grain with hard and soft areas. The cut that
results may have rippled sides instead of straight.
FORCE FEEDING
See Figure 12, page 13.
The router is an extremely high-speed tool (30,000 RPM),
and will make clean, smooth cuts if allowed to run freely
without the overload of a forced feed. Three things that
cause force feeding are bit size, depth of cut, and workpiece
characteristics. The larger the bit or the deeper the cut, the
more slowly the router should be moved forward. If the
wood is very hard, knotty, gummy or damp, the operation
must be slowed still more.
Clean smooth trimming and edge shaping can be done
only when the bit is revolving at a relatively high speed and
is taking very small bites to produce tiny, cleanly-severed
chips. If the router is forced to move forward too fast, the
speed of the bit becomes slower than normal in relation to
its forward movement. As a result, the bit must take bigger
bites as it revolves. Bigger bites mean bigger chips and a
rougher finish. Bigger chips also require more power, which
could result in overheating of the motor and lower battery
life.
Under extreme force-feeding conditions, the relative speed
of the bit can become so slow – and the bites it has to take
so large – that chips will be partially knocked off rather than
fully cut off. This will result in splintering and gouging of the
workpiece and will likely damage the tool.
9 — English