Feeding The Router; Direction Of Feed - External Cuts; Kickback - Craftsman 320.28084 Product Manual

FEEDING THE ROUTER (Fig. 32)
The secrets to professional-
looking routing are careful set-
up for the cut, proper depth-
of-cut selection, knowing how
the cutting bit reacts in the
workpiece, and the rate and
direction of feed of the router.
DIRECTION OF FEED =
EXTERNAL CUTS (Fig. 32)
The router motor and cutting
bit rotate clockwise. This
requires the feed of the cutting
bit to be from left to right (see
Fig. 32). Feeding the bit from
Fig. 32
Router Feed
_ Direction _'_
©
Rout
End
Grain:
First
1
Router Feed
@
Direction
(D O
.-I=
_5
',.L_
Cutting
Bit
left to right will cause the bit to pull the router towards (up against) the workpiece.
If the router is fed in the opposite direction (right to left), the rotating force of the
cutting bit will tend to throw the bit away from the workpiece, making it hard to
control. This is called "Climb-Cutting:" cutting in the opposite direction of the
proper feed direction. "Climb Cutting" increases the chance of loosing control,
resulting in possible personal injury. When "Climb Cutting" is required (backing
around a corner, for example), exercise extreme caution to maintain control of
the router.
KICKBACK
Because of the high speed of the cutting bit during a proper feeding operation
(left to right), there is very little kickback under normal conditions. However, if
the cutting bit strikes a knot, an area of hard grain in the workpiece, or a foreign
object, the normal cutting action could be affected and cause "Kickback."
This Kickback may cause damage to your workpiece, and could cause you to
lose control of the router, causing possible personal injury. Kickback is always
counterclockwise: the opposite direction of the clockwise cutting bit rotation.
To guard against and help prevent Kickback, plan the set-up and direction
of feed so that the router is always moving, and keep the sharp edges of the
cutting bit so that they are biting straight into new (uncut) wood (workpiece).
Also, always inspect the workpiece for knots, hard grain, and foreign objects that
could cause a kickback problem.
28084 ManuaLRevised 07-0712 Page 43