Getting close to pulling the trigger on a CNC. It appears that the collet that comes with the Dewalt is 1/8". Should I purchase a 1/4"? what bits should I start off purchasing? what about v-carving bits? What about the bit sets that can be purchased with the x carve as options? Please teach me!! THANKS
The bit that comes with the Dewalt 611 is 1/4". Get a 1/8" Collect for the Dewalt from Elaire. Here’s a link. Will be money well spent.
Right, wrong or indifferent, I have purchased bits from many different vendors (Amazon, Ebay, Home Depot, Wish). I even have the set Inventables sells as an add on item. That being said, you will want to match the type of bit with the material you are using. Some users will recommend high end bits, and I’ve seen some suggest Ebay. There are up cut, down cut, tapered, ball nose, flat, v shaped. Then you will get into how many flutes… etc. All have a purpose.
I probably didn’t answer you question, but hopefully I provided you with a place to start. All said, it comes down to the material you plan to work with, or the desired outcome of the project.
My DW611 came with the 1/8" collet insert that fits into the 1/4 collet in the DW611.
Bit, Bits and more bits. I cut a lot of stuff for a lot of little part projects. The x-carve is just one tool.
Until you can get through 10 projects without breaking your bit, don’t pay for expensive bits. When I was learning I bought 1/8" bits from Amazon - the fine “chinaeseum” materials. I also bought bits from Inventables. The inventable bits break - and at speeds, depth of cut and RPM that the cheap versions have no issues with. They would snap inside the collet - about 2mm above the collet line. I started to take the fancy plastic donut off the bits and the problem subsided. I quit using any expensive (more than $15 per 10 bits) until I stopped breaking bits, learned the settings, and started to understand my materials.
These high-speed bits are very hard, therefore brittle. It doesn’t take much to snap them.
The bit has to throw the chips it cuts. If you are making sawdust you are spinning too fast and travel speed is too slow. The number of flutes directly reduces the depth of cut per flute - as the flutes reduce the amount of metal in the bit body. Two good rule of thumb items. Cut soft stuff that will melt when it gets hot, like acrylic plastic and aluminum, with fast travel, single flute and low RPM cutting profiles. Cut hard stuff that burns before it melts with fast spinning multi-flute and slow travel cutting profiles. Soft stuff cuts easy and makes big chips, but will melt to the bit if the bit gets hot. Hard stuff will not melt but is hard enough that the depth of cuts must be shallow and short, or the tool will wear out too quickly.
Buy the cheap versions of up, down and end - ball and practice with them. You don’t know what a cutter does until you actually practice with it.
- I have a few bits.
Video on collets