Help choosing correct Router blade.

[KevinRussell]

Chaps

I have a 600mm X 200mm x 10mm piece of Acrylic.

I need to shave 10mm off one face down 3 edges and 20mm off the other to a depth of 3mm. I have attached an image to demonstrate.

My question is - I'm a bit lost, which Router Bit do I need?

All advice gratefully received,
Kevin

 

[Notch7]

You need a solid carbide helical bit.

Not sure if it should up or downcut or diameter though.


https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Helical_Flute_UpCut_STC_903.html

 

[KevinRussell]

@Notch7 Thanks for the reply. So I guess buy "up cut" you mean clamping it on end, setting the length to 10mm cutting across the face?
Forgive my ignorance, how would I set the 3mm?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

For acrylic HSS would do just as well as TCT, possibly better as HSS can hold a sharper edge. Wear is less of a factor as acrylic is a relatively soft non-abrasive material. I agree that a spiral cutter is going to make for easier cutting as it will lift waste out and expel it upwards away from the cut. For best cutting results the spindle speed should ideally be lowered to something like 12,000 to 14,000 rpm but the feed rate of the router needs to be quick - ideally you are looking to create a stream of curled chips coming off the router cutter rather than a woolly mush. You really do need to either have a vacuum cleaner attached to the router to avoid weld-back of swarf (this is where waste welds itself back onto the surface of the acrylic). To guide the router a straight batten could be clamped to the work and the base of the router run against that

 

[KevinRussell]

@JobAndKnock Thanks for the advice, all good. I have purchased a HSS cutter rather than the Helix and I'll do some test cuts. If it doesn't work as intended I stump up the 40 quid for a Helix cutter.

 

[blup]

Wealden tool are very good, old fashioned (in the good sense of that word) very knowledgeable and responsive service.

Blup

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I have purchased a HSS cutter rather than the Helix and I'll do some test cuts.

I was actually referring to a spiral upcut HSS cutter, such as this one (there's no such thing as an upcut cutter with straight tips). With straight cutters on acrylic more power is required (than is needed for a spiral cutter), waste extraction (and consequently weld back) can be more of a problem and you tend to get a more pronounced chatter mark on the edge (although this can be sanded or flame polished out)

 

[KevinRussell]

@JobAndKnock Thanks for the advice. The HSS cutter worked perfectly.