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How to make better router cuts

6/6/21       
brad Member

I'm in the process of building some molds out of 1/2" acrylic sheet and I'm using pattern pieces and a straight cut bit on my router to cut the acrylic to size (first time I've done this btw). Although I know my pattern pieces are good and straight (come from a pro cabinet maker) the acrylic ends up having little ripples on the cut face no matter how little I try to take off at a time. Since the patterns are good I guess the problems got to be with my setup.

I'm running a Dewalt DW616 1.75? HP router on a flimsy Skill RAS900 router table that weights maybe 15 lbs. and not held down. The bit set was cheap off amazon and unfortunately has a 1/4" shank.

I'm guessing I need to at least screw the router table down and use a 1/2" shank bit. Any other suggestions?

6/6/21       #2: How to make better router cuts ...
Jack Mazzuchelli

Screw it down yes. NO on straight bit use very good spiral carbide bit. Southeast tools have excellent bits

6/6/21       #3: How to make better router cuts ...
Jim Clark Member

See if you can feel any play in your router shaft.
Sounds like something is loose, like a worn bearing.

6/6/21       #4: How to make better router cuts ...
duster

I get great results cutting acrylic on my cnc with a single flute down cut spiral bit. On a router table, an upcut spiral will probably work better. If your router has variable speed, try running at a lower rpm than you'd use for wood.

6/7/21       #5: How to make better router cuts ...
Tom Gardiner

If the pieces are large enough, the jointer is al lot faster and gives good results ( if the knives are sharp).

6/7/21       #6: How to make better router cuts ...
Thomas M Diel  Member

Website: http://thomasdiel.com

Hey Brad, The best answer you don't want to hear is pricy; but you can you a 1/4" and I would recommend stepping through the materials only 1/4" (or dia = step through depth) at a time but rewelding is an issue with straight flutes. The chatter your seeing is probably bit deflection if hogging 1/2"th w 1/4"dia in one pass. The big bucks solution is you might also step up to a low helix upspiral AKA O flute bit to clear chips in a router table and if you can step up to a 1/2"dia bit. Plexi is alot more dense so slow you feed down and cast vs extruded will give you varied results stringy vs spitting rewelded balls all over. If you do go for a O flute don't use it on anything else but plexi, it will stay sharp longer.
Your using expensive material so you'll see amazing results from O flute.

https://www.vortextool.com/1230.html

6/7/21       #7: How to make better router cuts ...
rich c

Onsrud O flute is the cutter I prefer. You use a Skill router table in a commercial shop? That's a huge mistake. If you are using a pattern, run it on a shaper. Get some real equipment!

6/8/21       #8: How to make better router cuts ...
Keith Newton

Back when I ran a plastic shop, we would use a 1/2" cutter with a 5/8" bearing for fast rough out, then follow with a half inch with 1/2" bearing for the finish cut. Plastic is very sensitive to feed-rate. Too fast, gives tearout, and too slow melts and welds to the cutter. A small router with too little power has a narrow range of speed it can handle, so it's time to move on up, not to mention that by doubling the shank diameter from 1/4 to 1/2" is 4 times the area or amount of metal in the shank.

6/8/21       #9: How to make better router cuts ...
brad Member

Thanks for the great input everybody. Aside from getting my machinery stable it looks like I need to get a 1/2" shank bit and just a better bit all around. I'll look into all the suggested bits here and do an upgrade.

6/15/21       #10: How to make better router cuts ...
brad Member

Update. I've had a lot of suggestions for a O flute upcut bit but despite all my search I don't believe there's one of these made that's designed to be a trim bit, with a guide bearing. All of them I found were meant for CNC.

The closest kind of bit I can find to what's been suggested is something like the Whiteside RS5200 1/2" shank 1/2" bearing 2" cutting surface length. If a O flute upcut can't be found would this do it?...


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6/18/21       #11: How to make better router cuts ...
Adam

Starting point:

Dewalt router(good)
cheap bit(bad)
1/4" shank(bad) should be 1/2" it makes a big difference especially with 1/4" cheap bits.
no prior experience cutting plastic(bad)

You need a good feel for the feed speeds on plastic. It does not cut like wood.
Ideally, you should be taking 1/16 a pass. Unlike wood where taking 1/8 or 1/4" is no big deal.

You've got several major variables to play with, before you go out and spend your time and money buying some special bit. Buy a typical good pattern bit from the usual suspects.

I've cut a fair amount of plastic in my day with regular two flutes and never had a problem.

The other guys are talking about perfect cutting on a cnc router. You are obviously not on that course.


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