Defective Router Bit

[Mike Leonard]

I bought this Whiteside bowl and tray bit a few months ago for a project that I am just now getting to. I put it in the router last night and made about three light passes on a piece of scrap to get the feel for it when it came apart. Luckily no damage was done to man or machine.

If I still had the receipt from routerbits.com I would send it back. I am going to e-mail this to Whiteside and see what type of response I receive. Obviously, their response will have a great impact on my further patronage.

[Chris Padilla]

Is that a bowl bit, Mike? That is scary having shrapnel like that flying off a cutter running at, what 20,000 rpm?? :eek: Glad you are okay. Where did the shrapnel get flung to??

[Chris DeHut]

Wow Mike,

That is one nasty looking break. Outside the metal working industry, I have never seen carbide come apart like that. Glad you are okay and you were not on the receiving end of the shard.

Chris DeHut
www.Woodworkingathome.com

[Bob Oswin]

Is there any metal behind that carbide or is it just flapping out there all by itself?
If that's the case you have got yourself a badly designed bit.
No more than 2 mm should be exposed on the cutters.

Bob

[Steve Clardy]

Glad you're ok.
Whiteside is great about taking care of their bit problems. Thats about all I run. Only had one problem. Must have 70 bits, and 45-60 are whiteside. I'd go ahead and give routerbit.com a gingle and see what they say without a receipt. I buy from them too. Great service.:D
Steve

[Brian Hale]

Man is that scary!!! Glad you weren't hurt!

[David Klink]

I know just how you feel. A couple of years ago I had a 3/4 straight bit break off completely, right where the shaft meets the bit. It didn't hit me, but it startled the heck out of me and made me stop and catch my breath for a few minutes. Then I cursed because it broke.

Glad you're okay.

[Mike Leonard]

Here is the response I received from Whiteside. It's always nice to do business with a company that stands behind their product.

Mike,
I received your E-mail today and took a look at the bit and I'm sending another out to you today. We have altered the way we manufacture this bit and it will look a little different but have the same results. Sorry for the problem.

If you have any other questions or problems, feel free to E-mail me directly and I will receive it quicker than through other channels.


Txxx Rxxxx
Plant Manager
Whiteside Machine Company
4506 Shook Road
Claremont, NC 28610

[Chris DeHut]

Hi Mike,

I suspected Whiteside would take care of your problem. They have been a good company to deal with in the past and I have seen no signs of them changing in recent months. I am glad you got it all worked out!

Chris

[Donnie Raines]

Glad to see they are making it right!

One question, however: How aggressive a cut were you taking?..1/8..1/4 or more? And then at what rpm were you spinning this thing?

I ask becuase it could be that the bit was not defective(looks as though it was by the manner in which it broke) but you want to insure that we did not take to big a bite and thus the cutter decided to come free. Just like dovetail bits, you want to take shallow cuts and build up from there.

Intention is to help...to critique.... :cool:

[Chris Padilla]

Donnie,

Dovetail bits typically can't be done in shallow bites...you'll end up with no dovetail! :D However, your point is well made/taken. At least with a dovetail, you can use a stronger straight bit to hog out most of the material.

[Donnie Raines]

Chris your right....what I meant to say was you need/should clean out the waste first with a straight bit to reduce the stress to the bit......thanks Chris!!.... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: