2/18/2024 0 Comments Changing rotozip bitsLike any router you have to make your cuts so the bit is pulling into the fence/guide. This guarantee's less control so a guide becomes more important. Spiral saws are designed to be used one handed and often overhead so the weight needs to be kept to a minimum. All routers need guides and the larger the router the more control you have since the added weight helps to steady your cut. If you are cutting wood it helps to use the 1/4" bits so you remove more material at a slower speed. If you are cutting drywall the 1/8" bits work great. We know spiral cutting bits make cleaner cuts and less tear out than straight edged bits because of the shearing action at the same time they remove less material. You can prove this by making a free hand cut in drywall and then pine. Wood has fibers running in different directions so it is more difficult to cut these fibers tend to deflect the bit's path when powder does not. Drywall is powder that has been molded and held together with two sheets of paper. Spiral saws are a real bonus to drywall installers saving them lots of time.Ĭonsider the differences between drywall and wood. The reason for the down spiral on the bits is to channel the dust behind what you are cutting this means less clean up and a clear field of vision. RotoZip's and other brands of spiral saws are designed to cut drywall. They still aren't for precision cuts, but they have their place in woodworking. I still don't own a Rotozip, but do keep the 1/4-1/8 adapter and some Rotozip bits in my shop now. The foam backing does a great job of keeping the bit from hitting anything solid, holds the sawdust, and most importantly, it keeps the edges of the cut from having the significant chipout that had turned me off to the Rotozip system so many years ago. The project turned out very well, and I discovered a way to use Rotozip bits successfully. Laying the plywood on some sheet foam insulation I was able to cut out these characters with a minimum of chipout and when cutting it slow I discovered that the side pull was very manageable. I tried using a sabre saw (hand held jig saw) and decided that it just wasn't right for the job, so I installed an adapter and a Rotozip bit in an old Makita plunge router. They have uses, but not enough to justify the cost, at least for me.Ī few years back my daughter-in-law wanted help cutting out large drawings of cartoon characters from 1/4 luan plywood. After gaining experience with Rotozip I never bought one for my shop. All of it was done freehand, and when cutting there was considerable side pull similar to what happens when you try to increase a hole size with an electric drill and a twist bit. They cut it, but it was a very rough cut. After working with Rotozip tools on a jobsite I learned what they did well, which was cut sheetrock and suspended ceiling panels, and what they did not cut very well, which was plywood paneling and wood.
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