my husband just finished assembling the machine and we are looking to cut stuff like the picture (not my picture) however finding info on bits to use is really hard for me. Can someone point me in the right direction please?? Should I just buy the kits from inventavles?? Feeling lost abd discourage.
Thanks
I would not buy the kit you will have bits you may never use. I use 60 and 90 degree bits as well as 1/8” downcut. Get several. I also use 1/16 and occasionally 1/32. If you plan to cut acrylic get some upcut bits also. Check out my YouTube channel. It will help you get started with many different types of projects. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVWqe-RPxZc9G2tevx1vT9w
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I agree with what Phillip said. There are a TON of videos out there to help get you started. Phil’s vids are especially helpful since he uses an X-Carve, and uses Easel for most of his projects.
Inventables sells a few starter kits containing a variety of bits. Suggest you start there.
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Yes, this is a good start. Once you are comfortable cutting material and have a better grasp on what is needed you can always buy what you need. Breaking a bit is feasible and rather than buying a kit again, you’ll probably have better knowledge of exactly what you will need.
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First, figure out what you want to cut exactly, namely the font. That will dictate everything else.
Second, figure out the largest bit you can use (that fits in the Dewalt so max of 1/4”) to cut out the majority of the letters (upper and lower case). Do this by changing the bit sizes in Easel and then looking at the preview.
Third, figure out how thick of material you want to cut. This is very important as you need to make sure your bit size has a cutting edge long enough to cut all the way through (I.e. don’t expect a 1/32” bit to cut 3/4” plywood…it just won’t happen). If you can’t find a bit that can cut through and cut the font details, go back to step 1 and find another font.
Fourth, look at the websites for well known and respectable manufacturers for bits that meet your criteria (Amana, Whiteside come to mind) and get their part numbers. Buy those bits from Amazon but don’t use them yet.
Fifth, buy cheap Chinese bits with similar specs to use while figuring out your settings and learning. Breaking a $20 bit sucks, so break a $4 bit until you dial it in. Also know that you might break $20 bits, it happens. I just broke one the other night…$20 bit cutting a $20 sign. At least I got like 10-15 other $20 signs out of it.
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Choosing a material type will select specific settings for the router to carve through the material. The
more dense the material, typically the longer it will take. If you were to choose the wrong settings for
the material, there is a strong chance the bit may break or the machine may fail.