Ryobi P600 manual Proper Rate of Feed, Force Feeding, TOO Slow Feeding, TOO Slow TOO Fast

OPERATION

PROPER RATE OF FEED

Trimming and edge shaping depend upon careful set-up and selecting the proper feed rate.

The proper feed rate is dependent upon:

•The hardness and moisture content of the workpiece

•The depth of cut. It is necessary that you do not exceed 1/8 in. depth of cut for proper rate of feed.

•The cutting diameter of the bit. Maximum bit size for roundover and edging operations is 3/8 in. max. Maximum straight bit size for rabbeting and dado operations is 1/4 in.

For edge shaping in soft woods such as pine, a faster rate of feed can be used. When edge shaping in hardwoods such as oak, a slower rate of feed will be required. In all wood types, a slower rate of feed is required when cutting shallow grooves.

Several factors will help you select the proper rate of feed.

•Choose a rate that does not slow down the trimmer mo- tor.

•Choose the rate of feed at which the bit advances firmly and surely to produce a continuous spiral of uniform chips or a smooth trim edge on laminate.

•Listen to the sound of the trimmer motor. A high-pitched, strained sound means you are feeding too fast.

•Check the progress of each cut. Too-slow feeding can cause the trimmer to take off in a wrong direction from the intended line of cut. Force-feeding increases the strain of holding the tool and can result in damage to the tool.

•Notice the chips being produced as you cut. If the trim- mer is fed too slowly, it will scorch or burn the wood. If the trimmer is fed too fast, it will take large chips out of the wood and leave gouge marks.

Always test a cut on scrap piece of the workpiece wood or laminate before you begin. Always grasp and hold the trimmer firmly when trimming.

When using the largest recommended straight bit (1/4 in.) in any type of wood, maintain a maximum cutting depth of 1/8 in. and a very slow feed rate to achieve the best quality cut. A cross-grain cut requires a slower pace than an identical cut with the grain in the same workpiece.

There is no fixed rule. Proper feed rate is learned through practice and use.

FORCE FEEDING

See Figure 14.

The trimmer is an extremely high-speed tool (26,000/min.), and will make clean, smooth cuts if allowed to run freely without the overload of a forced feed. Three things that cause force feeding are bit size, depth of cut, and workpiece char- acteristics. The larger the bit or the deeper the cut, the more slowly the trimmer should be moved forward. If the wood is very hard, knotty, gummy or damp, the operation must be slowed still more.

Clean smooth trimming and edge shaping can be done only when the bit is revolving at a relatively high speed and is tak- ing very small bites to produce tiny, cleanly-severed chips. If the trimmer is forced to move forward too fast, the speed 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 overheating of the motor and lower battery life.

Under extreme force-feeding conditions, the relative speed of the bit can become so slow – and the bites it has to take so large – that chips will be partially knocked off rather than fully cut off. This will result in splintering and gouging of the workpiece and will likely damage the tool.

TOO SLOW

TOO FAST

Fig. 14

TOO SLOW FEEDING

See Figure 14.

When the trimmer is advanced into the work too slowly it scrapes away sawdust-like particles instead of cleanly cut- ting into the workpiece. Scraping produces heat, which can glaze, burn, or mar the cut, and can overheat the bit. Dull bits can also contribute to scraping and burning.

It is more difficult to control a trimmer when the bit is scrap- ing instead of cutting. With practically no load on the motor, the bit will be revolving near top RPM. When feeding too slowly, the bit will have a 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. The cut that results may have rippled sides instead of straight.

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