[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":814},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header-article-translation-en-section-none":3,"section-en-guides":4},null,[5,185,372,613],{"id":6,"title":7,"body":8,"category":160,"date":161,"description":162,"difficulty":163,"draft":164,"duration":165,"extension":166,"featured":164,"image":167,"layout":170,"locale":171,"meta":172,"navigation":173,"path":174,"references":175,"related":3,"section":179,"seo":180,"slug":181,"status":3,"stem":182,"tags":3,"translationKey":183,"updated":3,"video":3,"__hash__":184},"content\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fcam-toolpath-basics.md","CAM Toolpath Planning & Conservative Feeds",{"type":9,"value":10,"toc":153},"minimark",[11,20,25,28,34,38,46,51,54,82,86,150],[12,13,16],"cnc-warning",{"level":14,"title":15},"warning","Conservative First Cuts",[17,18,19],"p",{},"Before the first cut, verify workholding, wear ANSI Z87.1-certified eye protection, keep the E-Stop within reach, and make a test cut in scrap material. Treat the values below as conservative starting points, not a guarantee for every machine or material.",[21,22,24],"h2",{"id":23},"why-conservative-defaults-matter","Why Conservative Defaults Matter",[17,26,27],{},"Desktop CNC routers have significantly lower frame stiffness than industrial cast-iron machining centers. Attempting heavy industrial plunge depths or aggressive feed rates will cause tool deflection, chatter marks, stepped edges, or broken carbide bits.",[29,30],"figure",{"alt":31,"caption":32,"src":33},"Plywood test piece","Figure 1: Finished test workpiece cut in birch plywood using conservative parameters.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fproject1.webp",[21,35,37],{"id":36},"key-parameter-formulas","Key Parameter Formulas",[17,39,40,41,45],{},"To calculate your starting feed rate (",[42,43,44],"strong",{},"F",") in millimeters per minute:",[17,47,48],{},[42,49,50],{},"F = Spindle RPM × Flutes × Chip Load (mm)",[17,52,53],{},"For a standard 3.175mm (1\u002F8\") 2-flute upcut carbide bit cutting birch plywood or MDF:",[55,56,57,64,70,76],"ul",{},[58,59,60,63],"li",{},[42,61,62],{},"Spindle RPM",": 16,000 - 18,000",[58,65,66,69],{},[42,67,68],{},"Flutes",": 2",[58,71,72,75],{},[42,73,74],{},"Target Chip Load",": 0.05 - 0.08 mm\u002Ftooth",[58,77,78,81],{},[42,79,80],{},"Starting Feed Range",": 1,600 - 2,400 mm\u002Fmin",[21,83,85],{"id":84},"recommended-baseline-feeds-speeds","Recommended Baseline Feeds & Speeds",[87,88,90],"parameter-table",{"title":89},"Conservative Desktop CNC Starting Baseline for 1\u002F8-inch Bit",[91,92,93,121],"table",{},[94,95,96],"thead",{},[97,98,99,104,106,109,112,115,118],"tr",{},[100,101,103],"th",{"align":102},"left","Material",[100,105,62],{"align":102},[100,107,108],{"align":102},"Chip Load (mm\u002Ftooth)",[100,110,111],{"align":102},"Feed Rate (mm\u002Fmin)",[100,113,114],{"align":102},"Plunge Rate (mm\u002Fmin)",[100,116,117],{"align":102},"Max Step-Down",[100,119,120],{"align":102},"Stepover",[122,123,124],"tbody",{},[97,125,126,132,135,138,141,144,147],{},[127,128,129],"td",{"align":102},[42,130,131],{},"Birch Plywood \u002F MDF",[127,133,134],{"align":102},"16,000 - 18,000",[127,136,137],{"align":102},"0.05 - 0.08",[127,139,140],{"align":102},"1,600 - 2,400",[127,142,143],{"align":102},"400 - 600 (ramp preferred)",[127,145,146],{"align":102},"1.5 mm (≤ 50% tool diameter)",[127,148,149],{"align":102},"40% - 45% tool diameter",[17,151,152],{},"Confirm the result with a scrap-material test and inspect the available toolpath\u002Fmaterial-removal preview before starting a real job. If the machine or material differs from these notes, follow the machine manufacturer's guidance.",{"title":154,"searchDepth":155,"depth":155,"links":156},"",2,[157,158,159],{"id":23,"depth":155,"text":24},{"id":36,"depth":155,"text":37},{"id":84,"depth":155,"text":85},"Toolpath","2026-09-08","Core principles for generating safe 2D profile cuts and pockets on desktop CNC routers without breaking bits or burning stock.","intermediate",false,8,"md",{"src":33,"alt":168,"caption":169},"Plywood test cut workpiece","Finished test piece in birch plywood to evaluate cut surface finish and edge squareness.","article","en",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fcam-toolpath-basics",[176],{"id":177,"title":178},"notes-feeds-01","Laetoly CNC Hardware Team: Feeds, Speeds, and Chip Load Notes","guides",{"title":7,"description":162},"cam-toolpath-basics","en\u002Fguides\u002Fcam-toolpath-basics","guides-toolpath-basics","Ff3AlCRQt9fcBtjoT4zssAM4_CYsYOa1fNJ1K2xJG_c",{"id":186,"title":187,"body":188,"category":344,"date":345,"description":346,"difficulty":347,"draft":164,"duration":348,"extension":166,"featured":164,"image":349,"layout":170,"locale":171,"meta":353,"navigation":173,"path":354,"references":355,"related":3,"section":179,"seo":367,"slug":368,"status":3,"stem":369,"tags":3,"translationKey":370,"updated":3,"video":3,"__hash__":371},"content\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fchip-load-and-feed-rate.md","Chip Load and Feed Rate: A Verification-First Method",{"type":9,"value":189,"toc":336},[190,196,200,203,206,209,223,226,229,232,237,241,244,254,257,261,264,267,272,276,279,282,286,310,315,319,333],[12,191,193],{"level":14,"title":192},"Chip load is a calculation target, not a permission to cut",[17,194,195],{},"The formula below helps explain parameter relationships. It does not prove that a machine, tool, material, or workholding setup can carry the resulting load. Use the tool maker's data and a scrap test before a production cut.",[21,197,199],{"id":198},"the-relationship","The relationship",[17,201,202],{},"For a rotating cutter, nominal chip load per tooth can be estimated as:",[17,204,205],{},"$$\nf_z = \\frac{V_f}{n \\cdot z}\n$$",[17,207,208],{},"where:",[55,210,211,214,217,220],{},[58,212,213],{},"(f_z) is nominal chip load per tooth in mm\u002Ftooth;",[58,215,216],{},"(V_f) is programmed feed rate in mm\u002Fmin;",[58,218,219],{},"(n) is spindle speed in RPM;",[58,221,222],{},"(z) is the number of effective cutting flutes.",[17,224,225],{},"The rearranged feed-rate relationship is:",[17,227,228],{},"$$\nV_f = f_z \\cdot n \\cdot z\n$$",[17,230,231],{},"This is a relationship between programmed variables. It is not a universal material chart and it does not include every factor that affects actual chip thickness.",[29,233],{"alt":234,"caption":235,"src":236},"Spindle speed, feed rate, flute count, and chip load shown as linked variables","Schematic: the variables are linked; actual cutting force also depends on axial and radial engagement.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ffeeds-speeds\u002Ffirst-clean-cut-chip-load.svg",[21,238,240],{"id":239},"a-small-example-not-a-recommendation","A small example, not a recommendation",[17,242,243],{},"Suppose a two-flute tool is programmed at 18,000 RPM and 1,800 mm\u002Fmin:",[245,246,251],"pre",{"className":247,"code":249,"language":250,"meta":154},[248],"language-text","chip load = 1,800 \u002F (18,000 × 2)\nchip load = 0.05 mm\u002Ftooth\n","text",[252,253,249],"code",{"__ignoreMap":154},[17,255,256],{},"The arithmetic is useful for checking a program. It does not tell you whether the tool is sharp, whether the machine is rigid enough, or whether the material and workholding can tolerate the cut. Changing the flute count without changing the feed changes the result.",[21,258,260],{"id":259},"nominal-chip-load-is-not-the-whole-cut","Nominal chip load is not the whole cut",[17,262,263],{},"The formula assumes a simple relationship between the feed and the cutting edges. Actual chip thickness changes with radial engagement, axial depth, cutter geometry, runout, tool sharpness, material, climb or conventional direction, and the rigidity of the machine.",[17,265,266],{},"Low radial engagement can reduce the actual maximum chip thickness. Do not apply a fixed “increase feed by 10–30%” rule without a source for the exact tool and operation. When the engagement changes, use the tool maker's chip-thinning guidance if available, then validate the result on scrap.",[29,268],{"alt":269,"caption":270,"src":271},"Feed rate highlighted in a chip-load relationship diagram","Schematic: changing depth, stepover, or feed changes the load; recalculate and test rather than applying a fixed correction.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ffeeds-speeds\u002Fchip-load-feed-highlight.svg",[21,273,275],{"id":274},"material-scope-matters","Material scope matters",[17,277,278],{},"Wood, plywood, MDF, plastics, aluminum, and fiber-reinforced composites do not share one safe chip-load window. Tool geometry, coating, spindle capability, machine rigidity, dust or chip extraction, and workholding all matter.",[17,280,281],{},"For Laetoly's desktop-CNC examples, begin with the documented wood or plywood baseline and keep the test cut shallow. This page does not authorize aluminum or composite cutting on an unverified machine. For plastics, avoid treating “more feed” as the only correction: chip evacuation and heat removal are part of the setup. For metals and composites, use material- and tool-specific manufacturer data and an appropriate machine assessment.",[21,283,285],{"id":284},"a-verification-loop","A verification loop",[287,288,289,292,295,298,301,304,307],"ol",{},[58,290,291],{},"Record the tool diameter, flute count, stickout, material, machine, and workholding.",[58,293,294],{},"Select a starting chip-load range from the tool maker or an approved internal note.",[58,296,297],{},"Calculate the programmed feed and confirm it is inside the machine and spindle limits.",[58,299,300],{},"Reduce depth and engagement for the first scrap test.",[58,302,303],{},"Run a spindle-off clearance check, then cut only a small test feature.",[58,305,306],{},"Observe chips, sound, edge quality, movement, heat, and missed steps.",[58,308,309],{},"Change one variable at a time and record the result.",[29,311],{"alt":312,"caption":313,"src":314},"Consistent chips from a balanced wood test cut","Schematic: chip appearance is evidence to consider, not a standalone pass\u002Ffail measurement.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ffeeds-speeds\u002Fhealthy-chips.svg",[21,316,318],{"id":317},"what-to-do-when-the-cut-looks-wrong","What to do when the cut looks wrong",[55,320,321,324,327,330],{},[58,322,323],{},"Fine dust or rubbing: stop and reassess tool sharpness, feed, RPM, engagement, and extraction. Do not blindly lower the feed.",[58,325,326],{},"Burning or melted material: stop the cut and investigate heat, chip evacuation, tool geometry, and material compatibility.",[58,328,329],{},"Chatter or deflection: reduce engagement, shorten stickout, improve workholding, or use a more rigid setup before chasing a number.",[58,331,332],{},"Broken tool or lost steps: treat the setup as unverified. Inspect the workpiece, clamp, tool, and controller state before any retry.",[17,334,335],{},"Chip load makes parameter changes explainable. It does not remove the need for machine limits, conservative testing, and an explicit stop condition.",{"title":154,"searchDepth":155,"depth":155,"links":337},[338,339,340,341,342,343],{"id":198,"depth":155,"text":199},{"id":239,"depth":155,"text":240},{"id":259,"depth":155,"text":260},{"id":274,"depth":155,"text":275},{"id":284,"depth":155,"text":285},{"id":317,"depth":155,"text":318},"Feeds and Speeds","2026-09-09","How feed rate, spindle speed, flute count, and engagement relate, with a conservative validation loop for desktop CNC routing.","advanced",10,{"src":350,"alt":351,"caption":352},"\u002Fmedia\u002Farticle-covers\u002Fguides\u002Fchip-load-and-feed-rate.webp","Unbranded carbide cutter making a shallow test pass in plywood with visible chips","Editorial cover image; the cutting scene is illustrative and does not specify a machine setting.",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Fchip-load-and-feed-rate",[356,360,364],{"id":357,"title":358,"url":359},"onsrud-plastic-routing","LMT Onsrud CNC Plastic Routing: Fixturing, Feeds & Tooling","https:\u002F\u002Fonsrud.com\u002Farticles\u002FFixturing-and-Routing-of-Plastics-with-CNC.asp",{"id":361,"title":362,"url":363},"onsrud-soft-plywood-data","LMT Onsrud Soft Plywood Technical Data","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.onsrud.com\u002Fimages\u002FSoft%20Plywood.pdf",{"id":365,"title":366},"laetoly-cam-toolpath-basics","Laetoly CAM Toolpath Planning & Conservative Feeds",{"title":187,"description":346},"chip-load-and-feed-rate","en\u002Fguides\u002Fchip-load-and-feed-rate","guides-chip-load-and-feed-rate","NA2dVBYtfSwMdYhxSKEIKyjbX64E96Aw6snsE3l-zkU",{"id":373,"title":374,"body":375,"category":160,"date":345,"description":597,"difficulty":598,"draft":164,"duration":348,"extension":166,"featured":164,"image":599,"layout":170,"locale":171,"meta":603,"navigation":173,"path":604,"references":605,"related":3,"section":179,"seo":608,"slug":609,"status":3,"stem":610,"tags":3,"translationKey":611,"updated":3,"video":3,"__hash__":612},"content\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Ffirst-clean-cut.md","Your First Clean CNC Cut: A Conservative Setup Workflow",{"type":9,"value":376,"toc":589},[377,383,387,390,407,410,414,417,491,494,497,501,504,507,510,516,519,523,526,543,548,552,555,575,578,582,586],[12,378,380],{"level":14,"title":379},"Start with a test, not the final part",[17,381,382],{},"The values in this guide are a starting point for a matching desktop-CNC setup. They are not a universal safe recipe. Follow the machine and tool manufacturer's limits, keep the emergency stop reachable, and test on scrap of the same material before cutting a valuable part.",[21,384,386],{"id":385},"lock-the-assumptions-before-choosing-numbers","Lock the assumptions before choosing numbers",[17,388,389],{},"Feeds and speeds only make sense together with the machine, tool, material, and engagement. Before entering a value, record:",[55,391,392,395,398,401,404],{},[58,393,394],{},"machine type and approximate rigidity;",[58,396,397],{},"tool diameter, flute count, cutting length, and stickout;",[58,399,400],{},"material species, thickness, and whether it is solid wood, plywood, or MDF;",[58,402,403],{},"spindle range, feed limit, workholding, and dust extraction;",[58,405,406],{},"whether the operation is a pocket, profile, or through-cut.",[17,408,409],{},"If any of these change, treat the old numbers as a new starting point rather than a proven recipe.",[21,411,413],{"id":412},"a-conservative-laetoly-starting-baseline","A conservative Laetoly starting baseline",[17,415,416],{},"For a 3.175mm (1\u002F8-inch) two-flute up-cut carbide bit in birch plywood or MDF, the current Laetoly notes use this initial window:",[87,418,420],{"title":419},"Initial desktop-CNC baseline; verify on matching scrap",[91,421,422,435],{},[94,423,424],{},[97,425,426,429,432],{},[100,427,428],{},"Parameter",[100,430,431],{},"Starting window",[100,433,434],{},"Boundary",[122,436,437,448,459,470,481],{},[97,438,439,442,445],{},[127,440,441],{},"Spindle speed",[127,443,444],{},"16,000–18,000 RPM",[127,446,447],{},"Must stay inside the spindle and tool limits",[97,449,450,453,456],{},[127,451,452],{},"Chip load",[127,454,455],{},"0.05–0.08 mm\u002Ftooth",[127,457,458],{},"A calculation target, not a guarantee",[97,460,461,464,467],{},[127,462,463],{},"Feed rate",[127,465,466],{},"1,600–2,400 mm\u002Fmin",[127,468,469],{},"Reduce if the machine stalls, chatters, or loses steps",[97,471,472,475,478],{},[127,473,474],{},"Depth per pass",[127,476,477],{},"Up to 1.5mm",[127,479,480],{},"Keep at or below 50% of tool diameter for this baseline",[97,482,483,485,488],{},[127,484,120],{},[127,486,487],{},"40%–45% of tool diameter",[127,489,490],{},"Lower it when rigidity or workholding is uncertain",[17,492,493],{},"Do not transfer this table to a 6mm tool, a different flute count, aluminum, acrylic, or a different machine without recalculating and testing. The same feed with a different tool changes chip load and cutting force.",[29,495],{"alt":234,"caption":496,"src":236},"Schematic: feed, spindle speed, and flute count determine nominal chip load; engagement still changes cutting force.",[21,498,500],{"id":499},"choose-depth-per-pass-without-a-universal-rule","Choose depth per pass without a universal rule",[17,502,503],{},"Depth per pass is the axial layer removed in one cutting pass. A shallow first pass is usually easier to validate than a deep pass because it reduces cutting force and makes unexpected movement easier to stop.",[17,505,506],{},"Use the smallest depth that proves the toolpath and workholding. A half-diameter value can be a conservative upper-bound heuristic for some light wood-routing setups, but it is not a maximum for every bit and it is not automatically safe. Reduce it when the tool is long, the material is hard, the machine is flexible, the pocket is narrow, or the workholding is uncertain.",[17,508,509],{},"Calculate the pass count by rounding up:",[245,511,514],{"className":512,"code":513,"language":250,"meta":154},[248],"pass count = ceiling(total cut depth \u002F chosen depth per pass)\n",[252,515,513],{"__ignoreMap":154},[17,517,518],{},"The final pass must be no deeper than the chosen depth per pass. Leave additional stock when the operation needs a separate finishing pass.",[21,520,522],{"id":521},"complete-the-dry-run-and-workholding-check","Complete the dry run and workholding check",[17,524,525],{},"Before cutting:",[287,527,528,531,534,537,540],{},[58,529,530],{},"Confirm the active work zero and the total depth.",[58,532,533],{},"Confirm that clamps, screws, the dust shoe, and the collet stay outside the toolpath.",[58,535,536],{},"Run the path with the spindle off at a known safe height.",[58,538,539],{},"Confirm that the tool never leaves the stock unexpectedly and that the final depth is correct.",[58,541,542],{},"Keep the emergency stop accessible and do not defeat a guard, limit, door, or interlock.",[29,544],{"alt":545,"caption":546,"src":547},"A cutter making overlapping passes with a defined stepover","Schematic: stepover changes the engaged width and therefore the cutting force.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ffeeds-speeds\u002Ffirst-clean-cut-stepover.svg",[21,549,551],{"id":550},"read-the-cut-before-changing-a-parameter","Read the cut before changing a parameter",[17,553,554],{},"Stop the test if the workpiece moves, the tool deflects, the machine misses steps, the sound changes sharply, or the cut produces smoke or melted material. Inspect:",[55,556,557,563,569],{},[58,558,559,562],{},[42,560,561],{},"Chips:"," solid chips are generally more informative than fine dust, but the expected form depends on material and tool geometry.",[58,564,565,568],{},[42,566,567],{},"Sound:"," harsh squeal, chatter, or a sudden load change is a stop signal, not a reason to keep cutting.",[58,570,571,574],{},[42,572,573],{},"Edge:"," burning, fuzz, tear-out, or a dimensional error points to a combination of geometry, engagement, workholding, and parameters.",[17,576,577],{},"Change one variable at a time. Record the actual tool, material, work zero, spindle speed, feed, depth per pass, stepover, and result. A recorded failed test is more useful than an unlabelled “good setting.”",[29,579],{"alt":580,"caption":581,"src":314},"Schematic of consistent chips from a balanced wood cut","Schematic: chip appearance is one observation; use it together with sound, edge quality, movement, and machine limits.",[21,583,585],{"id":584},"the-first-cut-is-a-verification-loop","The first cut is a verification loop",[17,587,588],{},"The goal of the first cut is not the fastest cycle. It is to verify that the machine, work zero, tool, material, workholding, and toolpath agree. Once that setup is documented, improve one variable at a time and keep the original tested record as a rollback point.",{"title":154,"searchDepth":155,"depth":155,"links":590},[591,592,593,594,595,596],{"id":385,"depth":155,"text":386},{"id":412,"depth":155,"text":413},{"id":499,"depth":155,"text":500},{"id":521,"depth":155,"text":522},{"id":550,"depth":155,"text":551},{"id":584,"depth":155,"text":585},"A beginner workflow for choosing a starting toolpath, checking depth per pass, and validating feeds and speeds on scrap material.","beginner",{"src":600,"alt":601,"caption":602},"\u002Fmedia\u002Farticle-covers\u002Fguides\u002Ffirst-clean-cut.webp","Desktop CNC router above a clamped plywood test piece","Editorial cover image; the machine is shown between test cuts.",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Ffirst-clean-cut",[606,607],{"id":365,"title":366},{"id":361,"title":362,"url":363},{"title":374,"description":597},"first-clean-cut","en\u002Fguides\u002Ffirst-clean-cut","guides-first-clean-cut","cqpAyDmkcFfrlyMzx199f6RV2I6WPrNt3O373EHxoRE",{"id":614,"title":615,"body":616,"category":795,"date":345,"description":796,"difficulty":598,"draft":164,"duration":165,"extension":166,"featured":164,"image":797,"layout":170,"locale":171,"meta":801,"navigation":173,"path":802,"references":803,"related":3,"section":179,"seo":809,"slug":810,"status":3,"stem":811,"tags":3,"translationKey":812,"updated":3,"video":3,"__hash__":813},"content\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Frouter-bit-geometry.md","Choosing Router Bits by Flute Geometry",{"type":9,"value":617,"toc":787},[618,624,628,631,639,689,694,697,701,704,709,712,716,719,722,727,731,734,737,742,746,749,752,757,761,784],[12,619,621],{"level":14,"title":620},"Selection principles, not a machine-specific guarantee",[17,622,623],{},"The relationships below help you choose a starting cutter. They do not replace the tool maker's data, the machine manual, or a scrap-material test. Verify the shank, cutting length, collet, material, workholding, and clearance before a real cut.",[21,625,627],{"id":626},"start-with-the-edge-and-chip-problem","Start with the edge and chip problem",[17,629,630],{},"Router bits are easier to choose when you begin with the result you need rather than the name on the package. Ask two questions:",[287,632,633,636],{},[58,634,635],{},"Which surface needs the cleanest edge?",[58,637,638],{},"Where must the chips go so they do not pack, recut, or overheat the cut?",[91,640,641,654],{},[94,642,643],{},[97,644,645,648,651],{},[100,646,647],{},"Geometry",[100,649,650],{},"Typical effect",[100,652,653],{},"Trade-off to check",[122,655,656,667,678],{},[97,657,658,661,664],{},[127,659,660],{},"Up-cut spiral",[127,662,663],{},"Lifts chips out of the cut and usually improves chip evacuation",[127,665,666],{},"The top edge may show more fuzz or tear-out; chips need extraction",[97,668,669,672,675],{},[127,670,671],{},"Down-cut spiral",[127,673,674],{},"Pushes chips toward the workpiece and can improve the visible top edge",[127,676,677],{},"Chips can collect in a pocket or blind slot and may be recut",[97,679,680,683,686],{},[127,681,682],{},"Compression spiral",[127,684,685],{},"Combines up-cut and down-cut sections for two-sided sheet work",[127,687,688],{},"The result depends on cut depth; a shallow pass may not engage the compression section",[29,690],{"alt":691,"caption":692,"src":693},"Schematic of an up-cut router bit lifting chips from a workpiece","Schematic: an up-cut spiral lifts chips; actual edge quality also depends on grain, support, and cutting parameters.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ftooling\u002Frouter-bit-geometry-upcut-chip-direction.svg",[17,695,696],{},"Do not interpret “up-cut” or “down-cut” as a quality ranking. They are different chip-flow choices. In a pocket, a down-cut tool can make a clean top edge while leaving chips in the pocket. In a through-cut, an up-cut tool may evacuate chips better while increasing top-edge fuzz. The correct choice depends on which trade-off your operation can accept.",[21,698,700],{"id":699},"when-compression-geometry-is-appropriate","When compression geometry is appropriate",[17,702,703],{},"A compression bit is useful when both the top and bottom faces of a laminated sheet need edge control. It only works as intended when the toolpath reaches the part of the cutter where the opposing flute directions overlap the material. Follow the tool maker's recommended minimum engagement and do not assume that one shallow pass will produce a compression cut.",[29,705],{"alt":706,"caption":707,"src":708},"Schematic of a compression router bit with opposing flute directions","Schematic: compression geometry combines opposing flute directions; the required cutting depth is tool-specific.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ftooling\u002Frouter-bit-geometry-compression.svg",[17,710,711],{},"For ordinary plywood or MDF, start with the simplest geometry that solves the edge problem. A compression cutter is not automatically better, and a more complex cutter may make chip evacuation and parameter selection harder.",[21,713,715],{"id":714},"use-flute-count-as-a-constraint-not-a-score","Use flute count as a constraint, not a score",[17,717,718],{},"Flute count changes the available chip space and the relationship between feed rate, RPM, and chip load. A single-flute tool may provide more room for chips when the machine and material support it. A two-flute tool is a common woodworking starting point. Higher flute counts can suit particular finishing or material-removal strategies, but they also change the required feed and chip-clearance behavior.",[17,720,721],{},"Never copy a feed value from a different flute count. Use the formula and tool maker's chart for the actual tool, then validate on scrap.",[29,723],{"alt":724,"caption":725,"src":726},"Two-flute up-cut router bit with a spiral cutting edge","A two-flute cutter is a common woodworking starting point, not a universal default for every material or machine.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ftooling\u002Frouter-bit-geometry-upcut.svg",[21,728,730],{"id":729},"prefer-the-shortest-cutter-that-reaches-the-job","Prefer the shortest cutter that reaches the job",[17,732,733],{},"Longer cutting length increases reach but usually reduces rigidity. A “three times diameter” relationship can be used as a warning boundary in early tool selection, not as a universal safety limit. Tool material, shank diameter, stickout, machine rigidity, radial engagement, and feed all affect deflection.",[17,735,736],{},"Choose enough cutting length to clear the workpiece and no more. Keep the stickout as short as the collet and workholding allow, and verify that the collet grips the shank rather than the flutes.",[29,738],{"alt":739,"caption":740,"src":741},"Schematic showing a long cutter deflecting under cutting load","Schematic: increasing unsupported length increases deflection risk; the exact limit depends on the complete setup.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ftooling\u002Frouter-bit-geometry-flute-length.svg",[21,743,745],{"id":744},"separate-roughing-from-finishing","Separate roughing from finishing",[17,747,748],{},"The cutter that removes most of the material does not have to establish the final dimension. A roughing pass can leave a small, deliberate allowance. A finishing pass can then remove that allowance with a lower engagement and a more predictable edge.",[17,750,751],{},"This strategy is useful when dimensional accuracy or visible edge quality matters, but it does not remove the need for workholding, toolpath simulation, and a test cut.",[29,753],{"alt":754,"caption":755,"src":756},"Schematic of roughing passes leaving a small allowance for a finishing pass","Schematic: a finishing pass can establish the final boundary after roughing removes the bulk of the material.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fdiagrams\u002Ftooling\u002Frouter-bit-geometry-roughing-finishing.svg",[21,758,760],{"id":759},"a-repeatable-selection-checklist","A repeatable selection checklist",[287,762,763,766,769,772,775,778,781],{},[58,764,765],{},"Identify the material, thickness, visible faces, and whether the operation is a pocket, profile, or through-cut.",[58,767,768],{},"Select the chip direction that matches the edge and evacuation requirement.",[58,770,771],{},"Confirm the cutter diameter, flute count, cutting length, shank, and manufacturer limits.",[58,773,774],{},"Use the shortest practical cutting length and the minimum stickout that still clears the work.",[58,776,777],{},"Set a conservative toolpath, simulate it, and verify clamps and clearance.",[58,779,780],{},"Run a shallow test in matching scrap and inspect chips, sound, edge quality, and movement.",[58,782,783],{},"Change one variable at a time and record the actual tool, material, and result.",[17,785,786],{},"The best bit is not the most advanced one. It is the simplest geometry that satisfies the edge, chip-flow, reach, and rigidity requirements of the operation you can verify.",{"title":154,"searchDepth":155,"depth":155,"links":788},[789,790,791,792,793,794],{"id":626,"depth":155,"text":627},{"id":699,"depth":155,"text":700},{"id":714,"depth":155,"text":715},{"id":729,"depth":155,"text":730},{"id":744,"depth":155,"text":745},{"id":759,"depth":155,"text":760},"Tooling","A practical guide to up-cut, down-cut, compression, flute count, and cutter rigidity for desktop CNC routing.",{"src":798,"alt":799,"caption":800},"\u002Fmedia\u002Farticle-covers\u002Fguides\u002Frouter-bit-geometry.webp","Three unbranded router bits on a workbench beside a desktop CNC router","Editorial cover image; the bit arrangement is illustrative, not a tool specification.",{},"\u002Fen\u002Fguides\u002Frouter-bit-geometry",[804,808],{"id":805,"title":806,"url":807},"onsrud-routing-tools-catalog","LMT Onsrud Production Cutting Tools Catalog","https:\u002F\u002Fwww.onsrud.com\u002Fimages\u002F2017%20LMT%20Onsrud%20Production%20Cutting%20Tools%20Catalog.pdf",{"id":365,"title":366},{"title":615,"description":796},"router-bit-geometry","en\u002Fguides\u002Frouter-bit-geometry","guides-router-bit-geometry","cDT8ubw92RoK6j_jGGkVj1EIhOIQTT-p_kaYs0W_kBk",1789009347281]