Lessons Learned, or How to flush trim thick wood

was working on the secret project this weekend and I have a lot of 6/4 material I need to trim down to match the plans or templates.  I decided a flush trim bit would be the best way to do that.

I took my trusty Bosch flush trim bit and checked it into my router table and off I went.  I was working hard to get it cutting, but I kept on telling myself it was thick wood and it was going to be hard and then when I got to a curved surface the bit grabbed and munched the wood up.  UGGH, that is going to take a lot of sanding to get right.  After working it some more I decided there had to be an issue.  Messed with the bit some and found it dull and chipped in a couple of places.  Well, that bit is probably 5 or 6 years old so I guess it might be worth a new one.  TO THE INTERNET....

find some bits on Eagle America, order them and they come into town.  Chuck the new one up that is larger in diameter and a down shear bit as opposed to straight and continued trimming the blanks.  It was cutting much better, did not have to work as much, but it still grabbed another piece I had an chewed it up a little bit.  Took me some time working with it but I decided that it had to do with the speed of the bit, how much pressure I put on it, and how fast i pushed the wood into the bit.  I wont say its perfect, but I did not give up and got better at the whole process by the time I was done.

Learn something new every day, whether we want to or not

DD