This wasn't supposed to happen...

Solid carbide is very brittle. It happens.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Try drilling the worst part out, foristner bits work really well. As close to end as it looks its hard to not blow out the end without a backing block if your chopping them by hand.

-- Ed Collinge- Edmonds, WA.

this happens. what speed were you using on the router? were you forcing your speed or letting the machine do the cutting?

-- making sawdust....

Your quite lucky you weren’t hurt!

There are a number of other way to cut mortises. This method you used is normally not a problem. Maybe the bit was faulty, or maybe you were forcing it, as opposed to letting the tool do the work.

My guess is a faulty bit.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

WOW that is not good, but as long as you did not get hurt it is not all bad.

-- Hope Never fails

solid carbide is not good to use while cutting deep or heavy cuts. i found out the hard way too.
i’ve gone back to straight bits or shear cutters when i can find them. a shear bit is like a straight bit but the flutes are set at an angle.

-- Joey, Magee, Ms http://woodnwaresms.com

Lucky for you Kevin, no injury. I had a similar thing happen, the bit broke, hit the floor inches from my left foot. They are a great tool but need to be treated with a lot of respect.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

I use HSS spirals for this type of work, not so brittle.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

Yes Douglas, me too.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

With a plunge router it is more difficult to “feel” the cut.
I always disliked mortising with a plunger. When I got
a horizontal mortiser it was a very different experience -
all my energy was going into guiding and feeling the
cut – much more relaxing and you can feel when you
are cutting too much at a time.

I have never broken a 1/2” spiral flute bit but I have
snapped 1 or 2 1/4” bits in half – they are quite fragile.

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