# Router bit burning the wood!!!



## rovailla (Dec 20, 2005)

Hi everyone,

I'm a newbie on this site/forum and very eager to further my knowledge with routers and share stuff with you guys. I' m an avid woodworker with a few years of experience, but every time I have to work with a router, the experience isn't very pleasant. 

Anyways, here's the story, I bought a 8 amps router with new carbide bits, and every time I router something, the wood gets burnt?!?!? I've tried reducing the speed, feeding the wood faster and slower and using soft and hard wood, but to no avail, the wood gets burnt anyways. The bits are brand new....Could it be that the router isn't strong enough or that I take on too much wood at a time?

Please help....

p.s. I tried looking at all the other post to find my answer, but I didn't find anything that answered my exact question....or I plainly mist it...I've been known to do that...hahaha

Thanks a million.


----------



## Gilbear (Dec 13, 2005)

How good are the new bits, and how much material are you trying to cut at once? I generally try not to take cuts deeper than a 1/4" at a time, and may go shallower -depending on hardness of the wood - also, just because bits are new doesn't mean they'll perform well. I've seen some pretty poor bits right out of the package. Generally speaking, slowing down makes it worse, not better - my thoughts off the cuff.


----------



## Glenmore (Sep 10, 2004)

Welcome to the forums rovailla. Sound to me like Gilbear said in his post you are taking to deep of a cut. I was in my shop just tonight doing a hue in some oak I needed to go into it a 1/2" so I made 2 passes at a 1/4" each and had no problems and that was at full speed.


----------



## Woodnut65 (Oct 11, 2004)

Hi: Welcome to the forum. Are the "new Bits" high speed steel or carbide? Cutting 
some tough materials can dull a steel bid in a matter of seconds. Usually when the wood burns it is the because the feed rate is to slow, and/or taking to heavy of a cut.
A router rated at 8 amps max. isn't a power house to start with, so I suggest that you take lighter cuts and adjust your speed. Hope this helps you out. Woodnut65


----------



## rovailla (Dec 20, 2005)

Thanks guys, you all have good points. Although the bits are carbide, I think they are of a poor quality, and the router is not a "power house"...hahaha, plus, I do feed the router too much wood at a time. I think the problem as a whole is a combination of those 3 problems at the same time. I think I'll stop being cheap and buy a very good router with very good accessories. In the long run, it will be cheaper and the results in terms of quality will speak for themselves. I guess (in my mind) I needed that little push to buy better quality stuff.

Thanks again guys, it’s much appreciated.


----------



## unlimitedwoodworker (Mar 3, 2006)

what type of router do you have? and who makes the bits?
jeff


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Jeff, this post is a year and a half old. Hopefully by now the member is routing problem free. 8 amp router sounds like a Skil, Ryobi or Craftsman. Many new woodworkers make the mistake of trying to cut full depth like they see on TV shows. Most often the shows will be using the big 3-1/4 HP routers with premium bits and soft woods like cedar or pine. Sticking to the 1/4" rule, which is taking off no more than 1/4" of material in a single pass will cure this most of the time. Dull bits, bits that have a build up of resin like pine tar, cheap bits that have poor quality are more reasons for burning. Moving at an even speed with a clean sharp bit is the only way to go.


----------



## unlimitedwoodworker (Mar 3, 2006)

oh i dont really look at the dates lol.


----------

