Craftsman 315.175140 User Manual

Operator's Manual

ROUTER

Double Insulated

Model No.

315.175140

Save this manual for

future reference

CAUTION: Read and

follow all Safety Rules and

Operating Instructions before first use of this product.

Soars, Roebuck and Co., 3333 Beverly Rd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179 USA

Visit the Craftsman web page: www.sears.com/craftsman

972000-975

5-02

• Safety

• Features

• Adjustments

• Operation

• Maintenance

• Parts List

• Table Of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2

• Warranty ......................................................................................................................................................... 2

• Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 2

• Rules for Safe Operation ............................................................................................................................. 3-4

• Product Specifications .................................................................................................................................... 5

• Unpacking ....................................................................................................................................................... 5

• Accessories .................................................................................................................................................... 5

• Features ......................................................................................................................................................... 6

• Adjustments ................................................................................................................................................. 7-9

• Operation ................................................................................................................................................... 9-13

• Maintenance ............................................................................................................................................ 14-15

• Exploded View and Repair Parts List...................................................................................................... 16-17

• Parts Ordering / Service ............................................................................................................................... 18

FULL ONE YEAR WARRANTY ON CRAFTSMANROUTER Ifthis I:RAFTSMAN Router fails to give complete satisfaction within one year from the date of purchase,

RETURN IT TO THE NEAREST SEARS STORE IN THE UNITED STATES, and Sears will replace it, free of

charge.

Ifthis rRAFT$14AN Router is used for commercial or rental purposes, this warranty applies for only 90 days

from the date of pumhase. This warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., Dept. 817 WA, Hoffman Estates, IL 60179

Your router has many features for making routing operations more pleasant and enjoyable. Safety, performance and dependability have been given top

pdority in the design of this router making it easy to

maintain and operate.

,_ CAUTION: Carefully road through thisentire

operator's manual before using your new router. Pay close attention to the Rules for Safe Operation, Warnings and Cautions. If you use your router properly and only for what it is

intended, you will enjoy years of safe, reliable service.

_IL Look for this symbol to point out important safety precautions. It means attentionH! Your

safety is involved.

,_ WARNING:

The operation of any router can result in foreign objects being thrown into your eyes, which can result insevere eye damage. Before beginning power tool operation, always wear safety goggles or safety glasses with side shields and a full face shield when needed. We recommend Wide Vision Safety Mask for use over eyeglasses or standard safety glasses

with side shields, available at Sears Retail Stores. Always wear eye protection which is marked to comply with ANSI Z87.1.

Thepurposeof safetysymbolsIs to attract your attention to possible dangers. The safety symbols, and

the explanations with them, deserve your careful attention and understanding. The safety warnings do

not by themselves eliminate any danger. The instructions or warnings they give are not substitutes for proper accident prevention measures.

SYMBOL MEANING

A A

SAFETY ALERTSYMBOL:

Indicatesdanger, waming, or_ution. M_ beusedinco_un_ionwith_her_mbolsorpictogrsphs.

DANGER: Failure to obey a safety warning will result in serious injury to yourself or to others.

Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and personal injury.

WARNING: Failure to obey a safety warning can result in serious injury to yourself or to others. Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and personal injury.

CAUTION: Failure to obey a safety warning may result in property damage or personal injury to

yourself or to others. Always follow the safety precautions to reduce the risk of fire, electric shock and personal injury.

NOTE: Advises you of information or instructionsvital to the operation or maintenance of the equipment.

DOUBLE INSULATION Double insulation is a concept in safety, in electric

power tools, which eliminates the need for the usual thrae-wire grounded power cord. All exposed metal parts are isolated from internal metal motor components with protecting insulation. Double insulated tools do not need to be grounded.

_i WARNING: Do not attempt to operate this tool

until you have read thoroughly and understand completely all instructions, safety rules, etc. contained in this manual. Failure to comply can result in accidents involving fire, electric shock, or serious personal injury. Save operator's manual and review frequently for continuing safe operation, and instructing others who may use

this tool.

READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS

• KNOW YOUR POWER TOOL. Read operator's

manual carefully. Learn its applications and limitations as well as the specific potential hazards

related to this tool.

• GUARD AGAINST ELECTRICAL SHOCK by

preventing body contact with grounded surfaces. For example; pipes, radiators, ranges, refrigerator

enclosures.

• KEEP GUARDS IN PLACE and in working order.

• KEEP WORK AREA CLEAN. Cluttered areas and

benches invite accidents.

• AVOID DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT. Do

not use power tools in damp or wet locations or expose to rain. Keep work area well lit.

IMPORTANT

Servicing of a tool with double insulation requires extreme care and knowledge of the system and

should be performed only by a qualified service technician. For service we suggest you return the tool to your nearest Sears Store for repair. Always use original factory replacement parts when servicing.

KEEP CHILDREN AND VISITORS AWAY. All

visitors should wear safety glasses and be kept a safe distance from work area. Do not let visitors

contact tool or extension cord.

• STORE IDLE TOOLS. When not in use, tools should be stored in a dry and high or locked-up

place - out of the reach of children.

• DO NOT FORCE TOOL. It will do the job better and safer at the rate for which it was designed.

• USE RIGHT TOOL. Don't force small tool or

attachment to do the job of a heavy duty tool. Don't use tool for purpose not intended -- for

example -- don't use a circular saw for cutting tree limbs or logs.

• WEAR PROPER APPAREL. Do not wear loose

clothing or jewelry that can get caught in tool's

moving parts and cause personal injury. Rubber

gloves and nonskid footwear are recommended when working outdoors. Wear protective hair

covering to contain long hair and keep it from being drawn into nearby air vents.

• ALWAYS WEAR SAFETY GLASSES. Everyday

eyeglasses have only impact-resistant lenses; they

are not safety glasses.

B PROTECT YOUR LUNGS. Wear a face or dust

mask ifthe operation is dusty.

• PROTECT YOUR HEARING. Wear hearing

protection during extended periods of operation.

• DO NOT ABUSE CORD. Never carry tool by cord or yank it to disconnect from receptacle. Keep cord

from heat, oil, and sharp edges.

• SECURE WORK. Use clamps or a vise to hold

work. It is safer than using your hand and it frees both hands to operate tool.

B DO NOT OVERREACH. Keep proper footing and

balance at all times. Do not use on a ladder or unstable support. Secure tools when working at

elevated positions.

• MAINTAIN TOOLS WITH CARE. Keep tools sharp and clean for best and safest performance. Follow

instructions for lubricating and changing accesso-

ries.

• DISCONNECT TOOLS. When not in use, before

servicing, or when changing attachments, tools should be disconnected from power supply.

B REMOVE ADJUSTING KEYS AND WRENCHES.

Form habit of checking to see that keys and adjusting wrenches are removed from tool before turning it on.

B AVOID ACCIDENTAL STARTING. Do not carry

plugged-in tool with finger on switch. Be sure switch is off when plugging in.

B MAKE SURE YOUR EXTENSION CORD IS IN

GOOD CONDITION. When using an extension cord, be sure to use one heavy enough to carry the

current your product will draw. An undersized cord will cause a drop in line voltage resulting in loss of power and overheating. A wire gage size (A.W.G.)

of at least 14 is recommended for an extension cord 100 feet or less in length. A cord exceeding

100 feet is not recommended. If in doubt, use the

next heavier gage. The smaller the gage number, the heavier the cord.

• OUTDOOR USE EXTENSION CORDS. When tool

is used outdoors, use only extension cords suitable for use outdoors. Outdoor approved cords are marked with the suffix W-A, for example - SJTW-A

or SJOW-A.

B KEEP CUTTERS CLEAN AND SHARP. Sharp

cutters minimize stalling and kickback.

• KEEP HANDS AWAY FROM ROUTING AREA. Keep hands away from cutters. Donot reach under-

neath work while cutteris rotating.Do notattempt to remove material while cutteris rotating.

• NEVER USE IN AN EXPLOSIVE

ATMOSPHERE. Normal sparking of the motor could ignite fumes.

• INSPECT TOOL CORDS PERIODICALLY and if damaged, have repaired at your nearest Sears

Repair Center. Stay constantly aware of cord

location.

• INSPECT EXTENSION CORDS PERIODICALLY and replace if damaged.

• KEEP HANDLES DRY, CLEAN, AND FREE

FROM OIL AND GREASE. Always use a clean

cloth when cleaning. Never use brake fluids,

gasoline, petroleum-based products, or any strong solvents to clean your tool.

• STAY ALERT AND EXERCISE CONTROL. Watch

what you are doing and use common sense. Do

not operate tool when you are tired. Do not rush.

• CHECK DAMAGED PARTS. Before further use of

the tool, a guard or other part that is damaged

should be carefully checked to determine that it will operate properly and perform its intended function. Check for alignment of moving parts, binding of moving parts, breakage of parts, mounting and any

other conditions that may affect its operation. A guard or other part that is damaged should be

properly repaired or replaced by an authorized service center.

• DO NOT USE TOOL IF SWITCH DOES NOT

TURN IT ON AND OFF. Have defective switches

replaced by an authorized service center.

• INSPECT FOR and remove atl nails from lumber before routing.

• DO NOT operate this tool while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any medication.

• POLARIZED PLUGS. To reduce the risk of electric

shock, this tool has a polarized plug (one blade is wider than the other). This plug will fit in a polar- ized outlet only one way. Ifthe plug does notfit fully in the outlet, reverse the plug. If it still does not fit, contact a qualified electrician to install the proper outlet. Do not change the plug in any way.

• WHEN SERVICING USE ONLY IDENTICAL

CRAFTSMAN REPLACEMENT PARTS.

• WHEN USING THIS ROUTER WITH A ROUTER

TABLE, HELP PREVENT POSSIBLE SERIOUS

INJURY BY KEEPING THE CUTTER GUARDED

AT ALL TIMES. Use only router tables, with guards, that have been designed for use on routers that are ofthis type, size, and weight.

• DO NOT USE TOOL UNDER "BROWNOUT" OR

OTHER LOW VOLTAGE CONDITIONS. Also, do not use with any device that could cause the power

supply voltage to change.

• SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS. Refer to them frequently and use them to instruct others who may

use this tool. If youloan someone this tool, loan

them these instructions also.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

,_ WARNING: Some dust created by power

sanding, sawing, grinding, drilling, and other construction activities contains chemicals known

to cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm. Some examples of these

chemicals are:

• lead from lead-based paints,

• crystalline silica from bricks and cement and other masonry products, and

• arsenic and chromium from chemically-treated

lumber.

Your risk from these exposures varies, depending on howoften you do this type of work.

To reduce your exposure to these chemicals: work in a well ventilated area, and work with

approved safety equipment, such as those dust

masks that are specially designed to filter out microscopic particles.

Depth of cut 0 - 1-1/2 in. Collet 1/4 in.

Horsepower 1-1/2 Rating 120 volts, 60 Hz, AC only

Your router has been shipped completely assembled. Inspect itcarefully to make sure no breakage or damage has occurred during shipping. If any parts are damaged or missing, contact your nearest Sears Retail Store to obtain replacement parts before attempting to operate router. A wrench and this

Operator's Manual are also included.

THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED ACCESSORIES ARE

CURRENTLY AVAILABLE AT SEARS RETAIL STORES

Template Guide Bushings

Dovetail Template Box Joint Template

Amperes 8 No load speed 25,000 RPM

Power cord 6 ft.

Net weight 8.13 Ibs.

_k WARNING: If any parts are missing, do not

operate this tool until the missing parts are replaced. Failure to do so could result in possible

serious personal injury.

Butt Hinge Template Multi-Purpose Router Guide

Rout - A - Form Pantograph

COMBI- VEINING

NATION BIT

PANEL

CUTrER

,_ WARNING: The use of attachments accessories not listed above be hazardous.

COREBOX

BIT

V-GROOVE

CHAMFER

,!,

STRAIGHT

FACE

BIT

COMB-

INATION

STRAIGHT

BEVEL

CUTTER

HINGE

MORTISING

BIT

DOVETAILRABBE1 OGEE,

CUTTER BIT ROMANO

BITS

[

*25895FORCARBIDETIPPEDEDGEFORMINGBITS 2589FORHIGHSPEEDSTEELEDGEFORMINGBITS

llll'1 III IIIIII

*CARBIDETIPPEDBITS I

CHAMFER

might

COVE

BIT,

45°

BIT

BEAD ARBOR

QUARTER. 2589

BITS

ROUND !

wrrH2

BALL

3EARINGS

(1i2IN.&

S/SIN.)

*25895

KNOW YOUR ROUTER

See Figure 1.

Before attempting to use any tool, familiarize yourself with all operating features and safety requirements.

SWITCH To turn your router on, depress the switch trigger.

Release switch trigger to turn your router off.

LOCK-ON BUTTON The switch of your router is equipped with a lock-on

feature which is convenient when operating for extended periods of time. To lock on, depress the trigger, push in the lock button located on the side of the handle, then while holding the lock button pushed in, release the trigger. To release the lock, depress the trigger and release.

CHIP SHIELD

A clear plastic chip shield is installed on the front of

your router for protection against flying dust and chips. The shield is designed to fit the front opening of

the router base. If necessary to remove chip shield,

UPSIDEDOWN VIEW OF ROUTER

squeeze the tabs on each end and pull outward. To

replace, squeeze the tabs at each end, fit into opening, then release. For your protection, do not

use router without chip shield properly In place.

WRENCH STORAGE AREA

Your router has a wrench storage area located on the

top end cap portion of the motor housing. When

installing or removing cutters, remove the wrench

from its storage area. Proper storage of wrench when

not in use will help reduce the possibility of losing wrench.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTION

Your router has a precision built electric motor. It should be connected to a power supply that is 120 volts, 60 Hz, AC only (normal household current). Do not operate this tool on direct current (DC). A substantial voltage drop will cause a loss of power and the motor wil! overheat. If your router does not operate when plugged into an outlet, double-check the power supply.

SPINDLE

LOCK

DEPTH

ADJUSTING

RING

COLLETNUT

CHIPSHIELD POINT SUBBASE HANDLE Fig. 1

DEPTH

INDICATOR

RING

INDICATOR

POINT

WRENCH

STORAGE

AREA

POWER

WRENCH

LOCKING

KNOB

DEPTH

INDICATORRING

INDICATOR /

_ WARNING: Do not allow familiarity with your router to make you careless. Remember that a careless fraction

of a second is sufficient to inflictsevere injury.

_1= WARNING: Your router should never be

connected to power supply when you are assembling parts, making adjustments,

installing or removing cutters, cleaning, or when not in use. Disconnecting router

will prevent accidental starting that could cause serious personal injury.

INSTALLING/REMOVING CUTTERS

See Figures 2 and 3.

• Unplug your router.

_i WARNING: Failure to unplug your router could

result in accidental starting causing serious

injury.

• A spindle lock is located on the front of the motor housing. To activate lock, push spindle lock in and slide into lock position. See Figure 2.

,_ WARNING: To prevent damage to the spindle

or spindle lock, always allow motor to come to a complete stop before engaging spindle lock.

SPINDLELOCK

TOLOCK SPINDLE

Fig. 2

• Place your router upside down on table, then turn

collet nut with wrench until lock mechanism

interlocks. See Figure 3.

CUTTER

WRENCH

_i, WARNING: If you are changing a cutter

immediately after use, be careful not to touch the cutter or collet with your hands or fingers. They will get burned because of the heat buildup from cutting. Always use the wrench provided.

• Remove cutters by turning collet nut counter- clockwise enough to allow cutter to slip easily from

collet. See Figure 3. The collet is machined to precision tolerances to fit cutters with 1/4 in.

diameter shanks.

• With your router still upside down on table, insert

shank of cutter into collet. The shank of your cutter should be close to but not touching bottom of

collet.

• Tighten the collet nut securely by turning clockwise with the wrench provided. See Figure 3. Push

spindle lock in and slide into unlock position. Otherwise, the interlocking mechanism of the spindle lock will not let you turn your router on.

COLLET

Fig. 3

Note: Spindle lock is spring loaded and will snap into position when lock mechanism interlocks.

WARNING: Do not use cutters with undersized shanks. Undersized shanks will not tighten

properly and could be thrown from tool causing injury.

DEPTH OF CUT ADJUSTMENTS

See Figures 4, 5, and 6.

We recommend that cuts be made at a depth not

exceeding 1/8 in. and that several passes be made to

reach depths of cut greater than 1/8 in.

• Unplug your router.

,_i WARNING: Failure to unplug your router could

result in accidental starting causing

serious injury.

• Place your router on a flat surface, loosen locking knob, and turn depth adjusting ring until cutter is

inside subbase. See Figure 4.

TIGHTEN

LOCKING

KNOB

CUTrERATZERO

DEPTHOFCUT Fig. 5

• Position your router sothat the cutter can extend below the subbase for desired depth setting.

See Figure 6.

DEPTH

ADJUSllNG

RING

DEPTH

RING

INDICATOR

CUTrER

INSIDESUBBASE ' SUBBASE Fig. 4

• Turn depth adjusting ring untiltip of cutter touches

flat surface. Turn the depth indicator ringuntil the zero lines up with the indicator point on the base.

Note: The depth indicator ring is also a zero reset indicator when setting cutter at zero depth of cut, then it becomes the depth adjusting ring.

See Figure 5.

POIHT

CUTTEREXTENDED

BELOWSUBBASE Fig. 6

•Tum the depth adjusting ring to obtain the desired depth of cut. The distance the cutter moves can be

read on the depth adjusting dng. Each mark on the depth adjusting dng indicates 1/16 inch change in depth setting. Indicator point is located on the

base.

• Tighten locking knob securely before operating router.

DEPTHOFCUTADJUSTMENTSWHEN ROUTERISMOUNTEDTOA ROUTERTABLE

See Figure 7.

The depth of cut is readable from both sides of the depth

indicator ring. The bottom dng is convenient when using your router mounted upside down to a router table. The indicator point on the base can also be used when using your router mounted to a router table.

Set the cutter at zero depth of cut, rotate depth indicator ring to desired depth of cut on the scale,

then tighten locking knob securely.

FOR ROUTERTABLE USE ONLY

INDICATOR DEPTH

POINT INDICATORRING

Fig. 7

ROUTER TABLES

The use of Craftsman reuters on router tables offered

by other manufacturers has not been investigated for compliance with applicable safety standards.

_ WARNING: Do not use with router tables that

fail to conform to safe wood working practices and offer proper guarding for the cutter. Failure

to comply can result in an accident causing

possible serious injury.

HELPFUL HINTS

_/ Always clamp workpiece securely before muting. _/ A safe operator isone who thinks ahead.

•/ Always wear eye protection when muting.

,/ Make setup adjustments carefully. Then double

check. Measure twice and cut once.

J Keep cutters clean and preperly sharpened. 4' Don't let familiarity make you careless.

J Study all safety rules and do the job safely.

/ Never place your hands in jeopardy. J Make certain clamps can't loosen while in use.

J Test difficultsetups on scrap -- Don't waste

lumber.

J Pla'neach operation before you begin.

4" Provide for smoother operation by cleaning your

muter frequently. Shake muter or blow with an air

jet to remove sawdust buildup. Think safety by thinking ahead.

ROUTING

See Figure 8.

For ease of operation and maintaining proper control, your router has two handles, one on each side of the router base. When using your router hold it firmly with both hands as shown in Figure 8.

Turn router on and let motor build to its full speed,

then gradually feed cutter intoworkpiece. Remain alert and watch what you are doing. Do not operate

router when fatigued.

HANDLE

POWER

HANDLE

PRACTICE BEFORE ACTUAL USE

We suggest that you practice with your router before installing a cutter and making cuts in wood. Check the following before connecting your router to

power supply.

• Make sure power supply is 120 volts, 60 Hz, AC

only.

• Make sure the spindle lock isinthe unlocked position.

• Make sure the tdgger is not in the lock.on position.

• Make sure there is not a cutter in the toilet.

• Make sure the toilet does not extend below the

subbase.

• Plug your routerinto power supply.

• Grasp your routerfirmly with both hands and turn on.

,_ WARNING'- Keep a firm grip on router with both

hands at all times. Failure to do so could result in loss of control leading to possible serious injury.

Fig. 8

FREEHAND ROUTING

See Figure 9.

FREEHANDROUTING Fig. 9

When used freehand, your router becomes a flexible

and versatile tool. This flexibility makes it possible to

easily rout signs, relief sculptures, etc.

There are two basic techniques for freehand routing:

• Routing letters, grooves, and patterns into wood.

See Figure 9.

• Routing out the background, leaving the letters or pattern raised above the surface.

When freehand routing, we suggest the following:

• Draw or layout the pattern on workpiece.

• Choose the appropriate cutter.

Note: A core box or V-groove bit is often used for routing letters and engraving objects. Straight bits

and ball mills are often used to make relief carvings. Veining bitsare used to carve small,

intricate details.

• Rout the pattern in two or more passes. Make the first pass at 25% of the desired depth of cut. This will provide better control as well as being a guide for the next pass.

• Do not rout deeper than 1/8 in. per pass or cut.

WARNING: Do not use large router bits for

freehand routing. Use of large router bits when freehand routing could cause loss of control or

create other hazardous conditions that could cause possible serious personal injury.When

using a router table, large router bits should be used for edging only. Do not use router bits that are larger in diameter than the opening in router base for any purpose.

RATE OF FEED IMPORTANT: The whole "secret" of professional

routing and edge shaping lies in making a careful

setup for the cut to be made and in selecting the proper rate of feed.

PROPER FEEDING

The right feed is neither too fast nor too slow. It is the

rate at which the bit is being advanced firmly and

surely to produce a continuous spiral of uniform chips

-- without hogging into the wood to make large

individual chips or, on the other hand, to create only sawdust. If you are making a small diameter, shallow groove in soft, dry wood, the proper feed may be about as fast as you can travel your router along your guide line. On the other hand, ifthe bit is a large one, the cut is deep or the wood is hard to cut, the proper

feed may be a very slow one. A cross-grain cut may

require a slower pace than an identical with grain cut

in the same workpiece. There is no fixed rule. You will learn by experience

from practice and use. The best rate of feed is determined by listening to the sound of the router

motor and by feeling the progress of each cut. Always test a cut on a scrap piece of the workpiece wood,

beforehand.

FORCEFEEDING

Clean, smooth routing and edge shaping can be done

only when the bit is revolving at a relatively high

speed and istaking very small bites to produce tiny, cleanly severed chips. If your router is forced to move

forward too fast, the RPM of the bit becomes slower than normal in relation to its forward movement. As a

result, the bit must take bigger bites as it revolves.

"Bigger bites" mean bigger chips, and a rougher finish. Bigger chips also require more power, which

could result in the router motor becoming overloaded.

Under extreme force-feeding conditions the relative

RPM of the bit can become so slow -- and the bites it

has to take so large -- that chips will be partially

knocked off (rather thanfully cut off), with resulting

splintering and gouging of the workpiece.

See Figure 10.

TOOFAST

TOOSLOW Fig.10

Your router is an extremely high-speed tool (25,000

RPM no-load speed), and will make clean, smooth

cuts ifallowed to run freely without the overload of a

forced (too fast) feed. Three things that cause "force feeding" are bit size, depth-of-cut, and workpiece

characteristics. The larger the bit or the deeper the cut, the more slowly the router should be moved forward. If the wood is very hard, knotty, gummy or damp, the operation must be slowed stillmore.

You can always detect "force feeding" by the sound of the motor. Its high-pitched whine will sound lower and

stronger as it loses speed. Also, the strain of holding the tool will be noticeably increased.

TOO SLOW FEEDING

It is also possible to spoil a cut by moving the router forward too slowly. When it is advanced into the work

too slowly, a revolving bit does not dig into new wood fast enough to take a bite; instead, it simply scrapes

away sawdust-like particles. Scraping produces heat, which can glaze, burn, or mar the cut -- in extreme

cases, can even overheat the bit so as to destroy its hardness.

In addition, it is more difficult to control a routerwhen

the bit is scraping instead of cutting. With practically

no load on the motor the bit will be revolving at close

to top RPM, and will have a much greater than normal tendency to bounce off the sides of the cut (especially

if the wood has a pronounced grain with hard and soft areas). As a result,the cut produced may have

rippled, instead of straight sides. See Figure 10.

'q'oo-slow feeding" can also cause your router to take off in a wrong directionfrom the intended line of cut.

Always grasp and hold your router firmly with both hands when routing.

You can detect "too-slow feeding" by the runaway too-highly pitched sound of the motor; or by feeling

the "wiggle" of the bit inthe cut. DEPTH OF CUT

As previously mentioned, the depth of cut is important because it affects the rate of feed which, inturn, affects the quality of a cut (and, also, the possibilityof damage to your router motor and bit). A deep cut requires a slower feed than a shallow one, and a too deep cut will cause you to slow the feed so much that the bit is no longer cutting, it is scraping, instead.

Making a deep cut is never advisable. The smaller bits --especially those only 1/16 inch in diameter- are easily broken off when subjected to too much side

thrust. A large enough bit may not be broken off, but if the cut is too deep a rough cut will result -- and it may

be very difficult to guide and controlthe bitas desired. For these reasons, we recommend that you do not exceed 118inch depth of cut in a single pass, regardless of the bit size or the softness or condition ofthe workpiece. See Figure 11.

DEPTH

WIDTH

OFCUT

OFIUT

W/YJ d

Fig. 11

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