Feeds and speeds. The constant question that will never die. It's hard to answer this in a simple blog post. Don't take this as the end all, be all, but more of a starting or reference point.
There's a whole lot of math that goes into finding the perfect feed and speeds. I'm not a mathmatician, but there are plenty of websites that will go into much more detail than I ever could, however the basic formula is chipload x cutting diameter x number of flutes x spindle speed = feed rate.
The key to remember is that you want to make chips, not dust. Cutting will generate heat. You want to create as little heat as you can while going as fast as you can. It's a dance between not going so fast that you create a bit that gets so hot you cannot touch it. Larger chips pull away more heat, which means its easier on the tool and prolongs the life of the bit. If the bit is too hot to the touch, increase the feedrate or lower the speed dial on the router.
The best way to dial in your settings is with trial and error.
Here's what I run my bits at currently in wood like mdf, pine, and birch plywood: (click to purchase)
For depth of cut (DOC) i typically do the diameter of the endmill per pass (1/4 endmill will go .25 depth per pass) in wood.
Endmills:
1/16 endmill : 25ipm, 15 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
1/8 endmill: 50ipm, 20 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
1/4 endmill: 100ipm, 30 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
1/2 endmill: 100ipm, 30 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
Compression:
1/8 compression: 50ipm, 20 plunge, 1/4 depth per pass, 3 on Dewalt dial.
V-Bits:
30 degree: 40ipm, 10 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial
60 degree: 100ipm, 30 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
90 degree: 100ipm, 30 plunge, 3 on Dewalt dial.
Spoil Board :
1 1/2 Spoil board bit: 150ipm, 5 plunge, 1mm depth per pass, 1 on Dewalt dial.
On the left, a chart designed by Carbide 3D with recommended settings on different materials. Here is another excel chart with reference feeds and speeds.
I hope this has been helpful! Happy cutting!
-Ben
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