Operation Manual

12
GB
Assembly / Key Factors for Quality of Cut
Adjusting the protractor
See Figs 12 & 15
1. Fit the Protractor (3) to the preferred holes in the MDF
slider and tighten the small knobs on the locating
bosses until they are a snug fit. If the knobs are too
tight to turn by hand a small spanner can be used.
2. With the knobs fully tightened the protractor cannot be
removed (Fig 12)
Checking the protractor scale
1. Loosen the adjustment knob and line the edge of the
protractor up with the aluminium inner track
2. Check that the scale pointer is at 90°. If necessary,
loosen the central clamping screw and adjust the
position of the metal scale plate until it reads 90°
(Fig 15)
In use:
• Theprotractorcantinanyofthethreepairsofholes
in the MDF slider. In most cases the protractor will be
used following the workpiece
• Anextendedwoodenfaceshouldbettedtothe
protractor to support the workpiece close to the cutter.
By also trimming the wooden face as it passes the
cutter, tear-out in the workpiece will be prevented
• Theholesformountingthewoodenfaceareslottedto
allow re-trimming
Fig.15
KEY FACTORS FOR QUALITY OF CUT
The quality of cut using a router depends on a number of
key factors.
The Feed Rate
• Don’toverloadyourcutter.Takeintoaccountthesizeof
the motor, cutter size and type, depth and width of cut,
and the type of material
• Toorapidarateoffeedwillcausetherouterto
overload. Cutting will be difficult to control, and tear
out (splintering) is likely. Damage may occur to your
router motor or chuck, and in extreme cases the cutter
could break
• Ontheotherhand,tooslowarateoffeedwillcause
the bit to rub instead of cutting. This will show up as
burn marks on your workpiece
• Practicewilldeterminetheoptimumfeedrate.Thecut
quality, and the sound of the router motor are guides to
the correct feed rate
• Avoidpausingduringthecut;thiswillriskdevelopinga
slight burn mark or step in your work
• Itisalwaysbesttorstdoa‘trialrun’withthepower
off to ensure that you can complete the cut smoothly
without obstruction
Depth of Cut
As a general rule:
• Forsmall,straightcutters(upto10mm/
3
⁄8" in
diameter) ensure that the depth of cut does not exceed
the diameter of the bit
• Forlargerdiameterbits,itisgenerallybettertomake
two or three shallow cuts rather than one deep cut
Router bit selection
• Routersoperateatfree-runningspeedsofbetween
18,000 and 24,000 rpm (min
-1
)
• Sharpcuttersareessentialforcleancuts,freeofburn
marks and tearout
• Wedonotrecommendhighspeedsteelbitsbecause
they generally do not retain their sharp edges for long
• Werecommendthatyoupurchasetungstencarbide
tipped router cutters. Tungsten carbide is the hardest
commercially available cutting edge material
• Whenprolecuttingoredgetrimming,lookforbits
which have a ball bearing pilot on top. Bits which have
an integral pilot (i.e. no ball bearing race) can burn or
mark the work
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