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  1. #11
    I am currently looking at part no. RDM62760 from here: https://routercutter.co.uk/rdm62760

    Given that I am looking for a spiral end mill down cutter with 6mm shank, it looks like that is the thing.

    Am I close?

    Kind regards

    Richard

  2. #12
    A few other candidates here http://www.trendproductsonline.co.uk...ters-850-c.asp . The negative aspect of downcut cutters is that because of the shaving being pushed down and having no easy escape route it can get a bit warm and make the motor work a bit harder.Not normally a problem with sharp cutters.

  3. #13
    Thank you for that. It seems that the dimensions of those cutters must mostly be based on imperial measurements even though they are expressing in mm - would that be right?
    I have heard that I should limit the plunge depth to 75% of the tool diameter. I plan to extract the shavings via vacuum - most probably hand held close to the bit. One aspect of what I want to do is to remove most of the inside of a small block of wood measuring roughly 200 x 80 x 40 mm - I guess I could use the down cut bit first for the extremity of this cut and use an up cut bit to remove the bulk where the surface tearing would be irrelevant. Is that kind of process common practice?
    Kind regards
    Richard

  4. #14
    Perhaps you want a router bit for cutting wood and a milling cutter for cutting metal?

  5. #15
    Big thank you for all your help.
    Got the top down cutter, had a go with it today, amazing difference, its now doing exactly what I want it to do.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Nice clean edges from top to bottom, no tearing, all good.
    Thanks again.

    Kind regards
    Richard

  6. #16
    Rye's Avatar
    Lives in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 16-02-2019 Has been a member for 6-7 years. Has a total post count of 50. Received thanks 4 times, giving thanks to others 0 times.
    Good to see you got it sorted. I've not cut softwood for ages and, TBH, I'd forgot what bit I used when I did cut it successfully (these days I mostly cut hardwood.)
    Any chance you posting the cutter you used for future reference. Thanks.
    Bought a Chinese 6040...if only I'd known better :(

  7. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Rye View Post
    Good to see you got it sorted. I've not cut softwood for ages and, TBH, I'd forgot what bit I used when I did cut it successfully (these days I mostly cut hardwood.)
    Any chance you posting the cutter you used for future reference. Thanks.
    Indeed - I got the following:

    part no. RDM62760 from here: https://routercutter.co.uk/rdm62760

  8. #18
    A downcut cutter will give you a clean top edge. I have found that they do not work well alone, however. Because they have a "down" spiral, they do not clear chips at all. In fact, they force the chips to the bottom of the pocket. This can so jam the cutter that it breaks. (Guess how I know). I have found that I get the best results if I do an initial pass about 0.02" (0.5mm) undersize with a conventional (up-cutting) cutter, then make a final pass to finished size with a down-cutting cutter.

  9. #19
    The cheapest way to get a reasonable finish is to use a straight flute cutter - like this https://www.toolstation.com/router-b...mperial/p46293 I have some in my Odds n Sods cutters box - they're OK ish but good value for occaisional use.

  10. #20
    I suspect experiences differ in this area and it also depends on exactly what you are cutting. I'm in the middle of cutting some small, intricate shapes from 5mm and 6mm "aviation-grade" ply. Close-grained softwood with multiple thin plies. I'm using a 2mm up-cut single-flute cutter and I get good results with virtually no whiskering on the top surface. I do use the same trick as I do when cutting steel on the same machine - the final pass is full-depth with a very small step-over and this takes off the burr/whiskers. Both Vectric and Fusion 360 CAM make this easy to do.

    For pocketing in wood which tends to splinter more, I wonder if an up-cut tool for roughing followed by a down-cut for finishing would work? Not necessarily something to use in a commercial workshop but for one-off jobs at home, maybe? Or you pay a small fortune for compression cutters which combine down- and up-cut flutes in one cutter.

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