Shopsmith Forums

If I was you I would contact Infinity Cutting Tools. They have helped me many times with their superior router bits. Many of their bits are slanted so they shear down as they cut making some of the smoothest cuts I have seen.

berry wrote:I'd too would use a down cut spiral bit. Small cuts. While painters tape didn't help, and I wasn't surprised, you can add a sacrificial piece of hardboard to the stock and cut through both. Finally, it wasn't clear to me if you are cutting from the edge of a board or plunging in the middle. But if plunging I'd forget using the table and just use a plunge base on the router. Just my 2¢.

I think Berry has the best suggestion to get you through this issue with the tools and stock you already have. A piece of 1/8" hardboard clamped on top of the plywood should do the trick.

Hi Michael, It sounds to me that you are using the wrong tool to make your 1/8" and 1/4" cross grain slots.

You said that you plywood blade works good so why not use your table saw to make those slots? Also scoring will help.

Some guys like to do the first pass with the saw blade set to just do scoring.

Also a zero blade clearance table insert will help a lot.

For safety - also use your blue masking tape

I guess I have more questions but hey why not just wade in......

I'm guessing that you are cutting across the grain on the surface you are cutting. Depending on the plywood it is not uncommon to see a fuzzy cut that will clean up with a touch of sandpaper. If the splinters are going farther then that then you do have an issue.

Limit the depth of cut, no more then say 1/8" per pass might help. Even less on the first pass.

If these are non through cuts then a solid carbide down spiral should be used. I'm not all the familiar with whiteside bits, I wasn't impressed with the ones I got so they are no longer anything I buy. Infinity tools has some of the best bits I have used. CMT use to be my favorite and I still like them. If the cuts are through cuts then look for a compression bit with both up and down spirals.

Another thing that I have read about of late but can not attest to the value of the improvement is to take a hand sprayer and mist the wood. Let it set for a few minutes then route. I forgot where I saw the tip but it was like woodsmith or the likes. You don't want to soak the wood just wet it lightly and that will soften the fibers enough to make a clean cut.

When you get to making the 1/8" cuts expect to spend a good deal of time on them as you can't take a very deep cut per pass. I've broken my share of them even trying to cut 1/8" deep passes. You will want to order a couple of them........

If you do go with the router table you can add a piece of hardboard, mdf or the likes secondary top and then plunge a bit opening so you have a zero clearance opening and that will help with the splintering. I'd do the same thing if you go hand held.

Keep in mind routing direction for tables. You want the bit to be pulling the workpiece into the fence, left hand rule, fingers pointing in direction of feed, thumb in direction of fence.

For hand held router they always want to veer counter clock wise so the location of the fence is to that side, right hand rule for push cuts.

If all else fails then come back here with some pictures of you equipment and results because it could be a procedural issue or equipment issue or just plain some nasty plywood.

Ed

Well I sort of found a solution. I have two slots to cut in this project, one 1/4 and the other 1/8. Shopsmith to the rescue. I am using the two outer dado blades for the 1/4" and one blade for the 1/8" slots. The plywood cuts fine with the dado blades but the whiteside slot cutter tears up the wood. I am going to return/exchange them at Woodcraft next time I'm in town. I also ordered a multi thickness slot cutting set for some other projects. Once I get the other slot cutter blades I will give them a try and compare them to the Whiteside bits.

Michael

Like I said -
In modern plywood, Router BAD, Saw GOOD.