Best way to cut 1/2 chipboard

[Steamplates]

Hi Folks,

I have been registered here before but took the opportunity for a name change when re-registering. I'm still Steven P. Sparrow in UK with a different forum name. I've been busy on other stuff (steamplates) for a while but getting back to a long planned project for the ShopBot which I have had for 2years now. How time flies...!

I know it's a boring (no pun!) question and probably covered many times, but here goes. I need to profile cut a lot of 1/2" chipboard and have been experimenting with cutter sizes etc. for a while. I would like to ask if anyone else has advice or experience to share?

I only need to use a parallel cutter, there are no important internal radius issues to worry about so the diameter of the tool is not crucial. I do need to cut right through the board (to a sacrificial board) to get clean edges. Currently I am using a 3/8" two tooth router cutter which seems to run OK at 9,000 rpm and 0.1" depth of cut at 100 IPM feed rate and 20 IPM plunge. That means 5 passes. Naturally I'd like to ramp things up, it is hard to resist doubling depth of cut and feed rate, I'd love to cut it in one pass of course, but I do need good tool life as well! I should mention I have a 2HP SB supplied spindle fitted.

So, is there a better tool size/type for me to use? I have tended to err toward smaller diameters thnking that the less material the tool has to cut, the less power it will need, the less heat will be generated and a lower amount of dust will be produced. Is this a good strategy, or would I do better with a larger cutter at less RPM, more or less teeth etc. etc.?


TIA

Steve

http://www.steamplates.co.uk

[beacon14]

Welcome back, Steve

You don't say whether you have a standard or an Alpha machine; that will affect your max cutting speed, but either way .1 depth of cut is very conservative. You should be able to use a cut depth of at least the cutter diameter if not more, at 2-3 ips with a standard machine and 3-5 ips with an Alpha. When you say chipboard do you mean particleboard or OSB? PB would be more common to cut on the ShopBot but I've heard of OSB referred to as chipboard so just want to clarify.

Either way with the right cutter and speeds you should be able to rough cut down to leave just an "onion skin" in one or two passes (depending on whether it's a standard or an alpha) and then finish up with a full depth cut, slightly into the spoilboard. Most people use climb cuts for the roughing pass(es) and conventional cut for the finish pass.

I described the process in some detail here (http://www.shopbotblog.com/index.php/2007/08/almost-there/).

[Steamplates]

Hi David,

Thank you for putting all this work into replying. Yes, I should have included in the post that I have a standard machine, PRS I think, but not S Alpha. It is 96 x 48"

I will read this properly later and absorb it all, then try and identify which description is closest for our 'Chipboard', it is actuallly fine sawdust and glue!

Regards

Steve