# newbie question freud 58-112 slot cutter



## lking (Dec 24, 2011)

many thanks for your help -- thought i'd try using a slot cutter to do tongue/groove -- long story short -- i ordered a freud 63-162 1/4-Inch Slot Cutter Set 9/16-Inch Depth -- but ended up with a freud 58-112 slot cutter and a freud 60-120 arbor -- getting the 58-112 off the pedestal in the box was hard enough but putting the 58-112 on the arbor is apparently beyond my skill set --

i'm looking at the diagram -- arbor shaft that router collet tightens down on, shim, slot cutter, shim, bearing, shim(s), nut --

but the slot cutter will not slide down the shaft of the arbor any farther than just past the threaded area --

do you crank on the nut to drive/force the slot cutter to seat on the top set of shims ?

what are the shims for in the first place -- i thought one would change the position of the slot cutter by adjusting the router in the table -- up or down --

sorry to be so dense -- thanks for your patience


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Some of the arbors are meant to be used with more than one bit at a time, for example 2 cutters with a spacer in between to make the tongue for tongue and groove. You can put the spacers on in pretty much any order you want, especially if you only plan to use the one cutter. Just use enough of them that the nut tightens the bit in place before it runs out of threads. There should be one small washer that is narrower than the outer rim of the bearing and it has to go between the bearing and the top spacer. If the nut that holds everything together is too large there may be another small washer under it. If these tighten down on the outer race of the bearing it won't turn. That's pretty much it.


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## lking (Dec 24, 2011)

thank you -- that explains the shims -- makes sense

what about the issue that the slot cutter does not slide down the smooth section of the arbor above the threaded part -- it goes down over the threaded part and then sticks -- how do you push the cutter down ?

appreciate your help --


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## lking (Dec 24, 2011)

issue turned out to be burrs in the center hole of the cutter -- a few swipes with a rat tailed file corrected the problem -- now it slides smoothly onto the arbor --


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