Originally Posted by
Brandon SPEAKS
I guys, I have very little router experience and am using a router table for the first time. It is a bosch table and router. I am trying to make a simple trivet but cutting 3/8 inch grooves in a piece of maple. My attempt was with a 3/8 straight cut bit cutting 3/8 inches deep.
Are you trying to cut this in one pass? If so that is to much. Trying making three passes, each progressively 1/8" deeper. if still too much, you'll have to take shallower passes. The rule of thumb for a router bit is 1/2 the depth of the diameter of the bit, max! and that will take a powerful router at times to accomplish it.
The cuts are seeming to have way to much trouble. It is building enough pressure to move the fence (even though it is tightened down pretty hard), or just jam up.
What type of bit are you using? A two wing straight bit, with flush cutters on the bottom, should do it.
Clearly I am doing something wrong, my first thought is maybe I need to use an up or down cut bit instead, but before running out to buy a new one I figured I would check here.
You can try that, but I think that shallower passes, with the bit I referred to, should do it.