STL275: Tighten those router bits!

Bob Van Dyke joins Mike and Ben to discuss table saw blade sharpening, drill press height, scary router bits coming loose, and his upcoming dovetail bootcamp.

0:00 - Intro
20:34 - Table saw blade sharpening
32:49 - Drill press table height
43:34 - Segments
1:02:04 - Router bit on the move!

[douglasmagruder]

I admit it, I like cutting dovetails. I look for places to use them when I make things and it's for the exact reason Ben said, its about being excited to be in the shop. There is nothing more enjoyable than having a sharp set of tools, two squared up boards, and a 90 degree joint to make. There is no rush to the end any more than someone would want to rush through a sunny Sunday afternoon, its all about the time spend in the journey and the relaxation I get from it. Some people fish, some read books, I cut dovetails.

[j.dietrich]

1:02:04 - Tool pullout is a common problem in machining - there's an awful lot of torque on the tool shank when you're pushing a 1" endmill through steel. A router bit being used to cut wood shouldn't be pulling out even if you're taking huge cuts, simply because wood isn't tough enough to put up much of a fight. If you're getting pullout, the problem is almost certainly inadequate clamping torque on the collet nut or a poor fit between the mating surfaces. Cleanliness is very important because contaminants will greatly reduce the retaining force of the collet system.
I'm not sure if router manufacturers publish torque specifications for their collet nuts, but on an ER20 collet (capacity up to 1/2") we'd be tightening with a torque of 60ft/lbs (80Nm). Unless you're tightening your router collet with a 3ft cheater bar, you almost certainly aren't overtightening.

[billysmether]

Router bits. I do a lot of cnc work. You have to keep the bits, collet, and router opening clean. I clean all with alcohol and a Q tip about every other bit change. One thing I never use any more is a quarter inch adapter with an eighth inch bit. This is a guaranteed disaster as the bit will come lose. Also keep the bit up a little in the opening when tightening the bit. Another problem I have seen is the use of low cost bits from Japan. Not saying the quality is poor, just that they are based on the metric system and may not tighten completely, the collet may compress to it's limit and not keep the bit secure.

[MikePowersTSIG]

I guess I'm weird. I really like cutting dovetails. By hand or on the table saw.

[ericcommarato]

I usually listen to this podcast just on my ear phones. However, I took a watch and the Fine Woodworking shop looks like a pretty vanilla high school classroom. The tool wall is nice, but it was more "woodsy" (a term invented by Garry Knox Bennett)...with Mike Petkovich and Ben in your respective dining room table and shop. Even Nick's place, but he is presently homeless in transition. Perhaps you guys should throw some dirt and logs on the walls to skuff up the place, and make it look more "lived" in. Here in Madison, Mississippi, I used to take my 16" blades for my Tannewitz to the local Ace Hardware to be picked up by Triple A Saw down in Jackson, to be returned the next Monday.