# Spoil Board Surfacing Bit



## ssnvet

Just got our new spoil board leveling bit in. The one we have set up for the other router is from Whiteside and has two carbide inserts in the vertical orientation.

There are a whole lot more options available today than when I sourced that bit years ago and this one from Amana looked very promising (and cost quite a bit less). It is 2.5" in diameter.



















But there's no way I'm spinning this puppy up to 18,000 rpm. 12,000 is more like it.


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## DS

Yup, that is a good flycutter bit. I might go as low as 10,000 rpm. A lot will depend on how fast you can feed it into the material.

While it may be rated to 18,000 rpm, you might not get a decent chip load without cranking the ipm really high, (not always advisable).

Check it after running the flycut cycle. You should be able to tolerate the heat in your hand if it is set up right. If it is too hot, slow the rpms down, or speed the feedrate up to increase the chip load.


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## ssnvet

After burning up bits on our first CNC router for years, I finally learned how counter intuitive feeds and speeds are.

Whenever we'd burn up a bit, we'd slow down the feed speed. And cut, re-cut and re-cut every single chip until we made saw dust…. and burned up the bit.

Now we typically run the spindle at max. (well, continuous duty rated max) speed of 18,000 rpm and run the feed as fast as we can and still get an acceptable finish and not shift the part on the vacuum table (typically ~ 700 ipm).

The magic moment happened when an outside tech. showed me how to run with the dust boot up and catch the chips rooster tailing off of the cutter in my hand. The hotter they are in your hand, the more you are removing the heat from the cutting edge.


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## Woodwrecker

That looks like a nicely designed bit.
Hard to beat Whiteside though.

Was it a lot less expensive then Whiteside?

And, I'm with you on reducing the rotation to 12,000 over 18,000.
Even at 12,000, I'm taking cover….haha


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## ssnvet

> That looks like a nicely designed bit.
> Hard to beat Whiteside though.
> - Woodwrecker


For some reason the Whiteside bit that matched the one we have on the other machine was ~$320, while the Amana bit was $180.

As you can see, the Whiteside bit only has two carbide inserts.










Maybe this is an obsolete part number and people are gouging on the remaining inventory.


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## oldnovice

I am still a little leary of replaceable cutters!

Many years ago I watched a demo of table saw molding cutter with removable contour cutters, when one of the cutters broke loose and embedded itself is the ceiling! Haven't used anything like since.


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