how long can/should you run the router before letting it cool down. I’ll be cutting through thicker hardwoods. I realize a water cooled spindle is probably the best choice but not in the budget. would an hour be too long? I just want to make sure I won’t be burning out routers on a weekly basis or taking forever to complete a project .This is my last concern before ordering the x50. thank you so much for the replies to all my other questions so far. They have been very helpful. happy holidays to all.
butch
When I first started (back in March), I wondered the same thing. I have done many marathon carves at 5+hours and never had an issue. I keep an extra set of Makita brushes on hand, and ALWAYS check them before I do an extended carve, but they are not even close to the wear markers. A few strategies will also help on the work load, such as using clearing paths to hog out material quickly. THis way if you are doing a detailed 3D carve with a ball nose, the work load on the Makita will be minimal. Oh, even though you did not ask this, I strongly reccommend that thingy (sold by a user in this forum) that you glue on to your Makita that keeps the speed dial from vibrating to faster speeds. I will find and post a link. You will need this at some point.
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thanks. yes i’ve read about the dial changing speeds
A huge factor is going to be how hard you make it work, not the time. You’ve talked about cutting out curved pieces so it sounds like you are going to be doing full bit width cuts. That’s very different than somebody doing a 3D carve with a ballnose bit taking only a 7% overlap. Vcarves would be in-between in work effort.
I think you are going to have to just check the temperature as you work and if it’s getting too hot cut less deep per pass. Also note a router cools with a fan that is driven off its own shaft so RPMs affect airflow. I’m NOT saying run faster for more air, you need to run at what your bit can handle for the speed you are moving at (look up bit chip load if you are not familiar with it). If it is a larger bit, you have to run slower, so be aware that means less cooling.
I think it was pointed out before that Makita won’t warranty a router it knows has been used in a CNC because this is not approved use. These are made for short term hand use. You will be using it out of spec, so monitor it closely.
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will do, it will be a learning curve for sure figuring out what bits work best and speed rates, doc etc. It sounds like the router will work fine as long as i don’t push too hard. If it takes longer to do what i want that’s fine.I am going to place my order today. thank you for your help. I know many more questions will follow once i get the machine set up. wish i had it this weekend, we have a blizzard warning for the next 3 days and I don’t ill be going anywhere soon.
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Hey Butch,
it was reported that when people burnt up their Makita trim router, it was mostly when they used cutters with a diameter larger than 1/2". As you can see on their web page, they don’t offer bits larger than that for it. In the forum people used 1¼" or even larger surfacing bits, so it’s mainly in this this case that I would be extremely careful. Have big red switch at the door that cuts at all electricity from the installation and a good fire extinguisher (a good suggestion for all other cases too anyway). This is because a universal motor like found in the Makita is slowed down by big loads and in this case at same time, current increases and with it, heat, and furthermore at same time, the cooling fan on top gets slower, and the sparks on the commutator can provide the ignition of melting plastic gases.
Makita knows about this, it says in the manual:
good advice thanks. I wasn’t planning on using surface cutters anyway except to surface the waste board
Just as an idea, i bought a 1 1/4 carbide cutter surfacing bit on scamazon a couple months ago. Surfacing my spoilboard with the makita and that on my woodworker took about 40 minutes at 80 ipm… i dont remember stepover but it was probably between 20 and 40%.
The motor was so hot you would not want to handle it. I now only use that bit for lightly cleaning up things, normally “freehanding” the router with jist the joystick. That heat scared me off- and many others have set fires that way!
I just upgraded to a journeyman (a 50% increase in area). I surfaced my board with a 1/4 endmill at 350 ipm. It surfaced just as well as the larger cutter, and did it in under 40 minutes (37 i think?). You can drive a 1/4 endmill very, very fast with cuts that light. Please consider that over using a larger cutter.
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that’s what i was thinking for the most part . maybe something a tad bigger