Rate Of Feed; Feeding To Fast; Feeding Too Slow - Craftsman 320.17543 Operator's Manual

RATE O F FEED ( Flgs_ 24
and 24a)
The proper rate of teed depends on severa_ factors: the hardness and moisture content
of the workptece,the depth of cut, and the cutting diameler of theblL When you are
cutting shallow grooves In soft woods such as plne, you may use a faster rate of feed
When making deep cute in hardwoods such as oak, you should use a slower rate of feed
FEEDINGTOO FAST (Flgo 24)
_BIt
Clean and smooth f_nishedcuts can only I | Shank
be achieved when the cutterbit Is rotating r;i,., ,_4 ,":..t I I
at a relatively h_gh speed, takingvery smal$
bites, producing Uny,clean cut chips
Forcing the teed of the cutter bit forward too
fast s_ows the RPM of the cutter bit, and the bit _.,..,.._
fakes biggerbites as it rotates, Bigger bites Cutter
mean bigger chipsand a rough finish
TO0 FAST
Thls forcing actioncan a}so cause the
router motor to overheat
Under extreme force-feeding conditions, the RPMs can become so slow and the bites
become so large that chips become partially cut otf. causingsplintering and gouging
of the workp_ece
The router w_l_ make clean, smooth cuts i! silewed to run freely withoutIhe ovedosd of
forced feedlng Youcan detect forced feeding by the sound of lhe motor, Its usual
high*pitched whine wilt sound lower and stronger as it loses speed Holding the router
against the workplecewill atso be strained and harder to do
FEEDING TOO SLOW (FIg_ 24s)
When you feed the cutter bit too slow_y,
the rotating cutter bit does not cut into
new wood fast enough to take a bite.
lnsleed, it scrapes away sawdust-like
partlcfes This scraping produces heat.
which can glaze, burn and mar Ihe cut
in the workp{ece and, In extreme cases,
overhea_ the cutter bit
When the cutler bit Is scraping instead
of cutting, the router te more difficult to
control as you feed it
BIt
Shank
Cutter
TOOSLOW
With almost no load on _he motor, the cutter bit has a tendency to bounce off the sides of
the cut in the workp}ese, producing a cut w_th a tippled finish _nslead o! clean eltalght sides
17543