Router Speed Control

[TracyP]

I received a great deal on a porter cable router from my uncle as well as some freud rail and stile bits for free and a raised panel bit for free. I also got a shopsmith overarm pin router table complete with a second porter cable router for free. I understand that the raised panel bits need to be ran at a lower rpm. I mounted the new pc router under the table and adapted my fence from my cheap central machinery router table to the shopsmith. Now on to my question, does anyone recommend a router speed control that limits speed without limiting power and torque?
TIA for any advise as I understand that some of the speed controls can also reduce power and torque.
Tracy

 

[RayH]

I'm pretty slow about catching on, but are there a bunch of gloats in there?:wink_smil:wink_smil

Where's the pix??:wconfused:

RayH

 

[TracyP]

I'm pretty slow about catching on, but are there a bunch of gloats in there?

Where's the pix??

RayH

UUUUUUHHHHHH. I guess I forgot the gloat. I will post gloat pics in the next couple of days, also I also got a lot of free wood from him, smaller widths of red oak, maple, and poplar. But don't we all glue up smaller pieces?
:gar-Bi

 

[CarvedTones]

I fear they all reduce speed, torque and power. It's just how universal motors work if speed isn't built in using gears. I have a spare I would let you try if there is an easy way to get it to you. I am in Cary.

 

[McRabbet]

I doubt you'll get decent results with the speed control, but a key question here is the model/size/power of the PC router -- a smaller router like a PC 690 is not really capable of handling a panel raising bit (I've done it in lots of passes and was not happy with the outcome). I have an MLCS speed control and I've not been happy with the reduced power of slowed PC 690. It should be okay with the rail and stile bits at full speed -- just keep the wood moving to avoid burning.

I use a variable speed 3-1/2 HP Milwaukee 5625 router in my Router Table -- it has an electronic speed control that does not diminish the power at speeds down to 10,000 rpm -- about right for a 3" diameter raised panel bit.

 

[TracyP]

I doubt you'll get decent results with the speed control, but a key question here is the model/size/power of the PC router -- a smaller router like a PC 690 is not really capable of handling a panel raising bit (I've done it in lots of passes and was not happy with the outcome). I have an MLCS speed control and I've not been happy with the reduced power of slowed PC 690. It should be okay with the rail and stile bits at full speed -- just keep the wood moving to avoid burning.

I use a variable speed 3-1/2 HP Milwaukee 5625 router in my Router Table -- it has an electronic speed control that does not diminish the power at speeds down to 10,000 rpm -- about right for a 3" diameter raised panel bit.

Rob
The router is a 1 3/4 hp pc router, not sure of the model number, I will have to look tomorrow. But thanks for the advise on the speed controls. I am afraid I will have the same results that you had with a speed control I would rather spring for a variable speed router and do my first raised panel doors properly.

Thanks again

Tracy

 

[Bas]

I know nothing about using raised panel bits, but 1 3/4 HP is definitely not enough. Everything I've seen and read about those bits is that you need a LOT of oomph. I have a 2 1/4HP in my router table, and the largest bit I feel comfortable with in that one is a 1/2" rabbeting bit.

But this is all good news, since you now have a great PC router for hand-held use (roundover/ dado's/ etc.) AND you get to buy a new 3+HP BIG HONKIN' router with variable speed control. So you better get going on your gloats for this batch, or there won't be enough "rest" time in between

 

[jglord]

Several years ago I had a discussion with an engineer at Whiteside about router bit speeds and he said the optimum speed for the tip of a router bit is 60 miles per hour. If you want to exercise your calculator, (e.g. (((1" x 3.14152 x 20,000 x 60) / 12) / 5280)
you'll get 59.49 mph. For 3 1/4" bit, the ideal speed would be around 8 or 9,000.

Just thought I'd pass this bit of trivia along for this discussion. Hope it helps.:wink_smil

 

[woodrat]

Several years ago I had a discussion with an engineer at Whiteside about router bit speeds and he said the optimum speed for the tip of a router bit is 60 miles per hour. If you want to exercise your calculator, (e.g. (((1" x 3.14152 x 20,000 x 60) / 12) / 5280)
you'll get 59.49 mph. For 3 1/4" bit, the ideal speed would be around 8 or 9,000.

Just thought I'd pass this bit of trivia along for this discussion. Hope it helps.:wink_smil

John, Please explain the figures in your formula.
Some of them I can guess at but others, I've
no idea of why. :BangHead:

Thanks,

Woodrat....aka....Archie

 

[McRabbet]

Archie, in words, here is what John's formula means:

(((Bit_Diameter_inches*Pi*Revs_per_Minute*Minutes_in_an_hour)/Inches_foot)/Feet_per_mile) = speed at the outer edge of the bit. The first part of the formula (his 1 * 3.14152) is the calculation for the circumference of the 1" diameter bit as that is the distance it travels in one revolution. The Revs_per_minute is the normal bit speed of most fixed speed routers. The other numbers convert the time units to minutes and the inches to miles to yield a miles per hour result.

This same formula applies to dust collection too! A blade on the 15" impeller in my Clearvue will travel at (((15 inches * 3.14152 * 3,450rpm * 60 seconds)/12inches)/5,280feet)= 153.96 MPH! Maybe that explains why cyclones are noisy!!:jiggy:

 

[jglord]

Thanks!! I couldn't have said it better.:thumbs_up

 

[TracyP]

Wow, I didn't know I had started such a mathematically complicated thread. That just goes to show how deep the knowledge is here

:rotflm:

 

[woodrat]

Archie, in words, here is what John's formula means:

(((Bit_Diameter_inches*Pi*Revs_per_Minute*Minutes_in_an_hour)/Inches_foot)/Feet_per_mile) = speed at the outer edge of the bit. The first part of the formula (his 1 * 3.14152) is the calculation for the circumference of the 1" diameter bit as that is the distance it travels in one revolution. The Revs_per_minute is the normal bit speed of most fixed speed routers. The other numbers convert the time units to minutes and the inches to miles to yield a miles per hour result.

This same formula applies to dust collection too! A blade on the 15" impeller in my Clearvue will travel at (((15 inches * 3.14152 * 3,450rpm * 60 seconds)/12inches)/5,280feet)= 153.96 MPH! Maybe that explains why cyclones are noisy!!:jiggy:

Thanks. Like I said, I knew what most of it was but a
few things had me stumped. Like Desi said "That splains it". :icon_scra
Not difficult once you know what all the parts are.

Thanks again.