Bowtie inlay router bit trouble

[Larry Browning]

I bought the MLCS inlay router kit to make a couple of bowtie shaped patches for my workbench. The kit comes with a brass insert for the router and a 1/8" downdraft router bit. The instructions say to make 2 passes of 3/32" to plow out the area for the patch. This worked pretty well on the 1st patch, but on the 2nd patch as I was plowing out the area on the 1st pass the router bit broke:mad:. This has shut me down due to living out in the sticks with no decent tool store withing 100 miles. So I ordered 2 more bits from MLCS which should be here sometime next week.
Now, I am pretty sure it was the operator and not the router bit that caused it to break. I thought I was not applying too much pressure durring the cutting processes, but maybe I was:confused:. Is that it or is there some other method that could prevent me from breaking another bit?

[Tom Esh]

Might have been a bad bit, but if it's solid carbide, they're somewhat brittle and won't take much lateral loading. That combined with the small diameter and it doesn't take much force on the router to snap one. You'll want a spare or two if you plan to do much inlay work. I always just take it real slow and don't worry about burning a little - it won't be visible anyway. Also I seem to get less breakage going full depth in a single pass. Not sure why that is, but I suspect is has to do with using more than just the bottom portion of the cutting length.

[Lee Schierer]

I broke my first bit as well. When removing large areas, you have to go really slow and let the bit cut and it doesn't cut fast. Since you can't see what you are cutting you will need to take several passes. Go slow as move back and forth. If the bit is in a cleared area and you are moving fast hitting an uncut area quickly can snap the bit. You can clean up large areas with a sharp hand chisel to get rid of the leftovers. Having a big router is definitely a handicap here as it is easy to get moving too fast.

[Larry Browning]

Thanks guys,
I suspected that I may have been moving too fast. As I began to feel a little more comfortable with the task I probably started moving the router a little too fast. I am not too sure about doing the full depth at one time, even though it sounds like it would make some since. I also think that using a chisel to clean out the places I miss is also a really good idea.

[Dewey Torres]

Those bits are 1/8 spiral down cut. because of the spiral design, there are points where the bit is only 1/16th thick. As a result they break easily.

I broke mine first one and damaged my router (don't ask).

Live and learn!

Dewey

[Paul Girouard]

Larry IF you have another router or at least a stouter bottom cutting bit you could lay out your bow-ties then free hand the area "close" to the lines to "hog out" some of the stock , then fine tune the let in area.

On the in-fill piece slow and easy feed rate . Should do it eh!

Good luck.

[Dewey Torres]

Larry IF you have another router or at least a stouter bottom cutting bit you could lay out your bow-ties then free hand the area "close" to the lines to "hog out" some of the stock , then fine tune the let in area.

On the in-fill piece slow and easy feed rate . Should do it eh!

Good luck.

Paul is right.

Once you have the patch cut, use an exacto to score the out-line of the bow tie (progressively deeper passes with each scoring). Being carerful but close with the router will allow the wood to "fall off" where the scoring passes are. I used the same technique for the marquetry fans on my shoe cubby as seen here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=87725

and to back it up with some umph, David Marks uses the same technique in his pieces which require inlay.

I would be glad to post a tutorial (if there is interest in such a thing)

Dewey

[Dewey Torres]

Here is a recent project I did with the butterfly inlay template...

Very simple (and easy)!

Dewey

[Paul Girouard]

#1: Paul is right.




#2: I would be glad to post a tutorial (if there is interest in such a thing)

Dewey




#1: Could you repeat that Chief:D

#2: I'd read it with interest:cool:
I have a bit and guide but haven't used it yet , I've had it for ten years , yanno just had to have it. BUT I'm building a garden bench right now out of some R. Cedar we had left over from a trellis we built 4 or 5 years ago that has some big knots I need to "clean -up " a bit . The bow-ties seem like a good solution so I will be using it soon , finally :rolleyes:


But the bigger bit / hogging out thing was / is sort of a common sense thing , that spiral bit is darned small.

I heard this last week in church " Common sense , so rare it's now considered a super power !" I like it :cool:

[glenn bradley]

Haven't broken one yet (I'm sure I'm due) but I use my Colt which is easier to "feel" than a full size router. I don't know what size cutouts you're doing but on larger stuff I hog out with a 1/4" bit and edge with the 1/8".