Cutting 2.5 inch hard maple

[Uncle Bob]

I have a plank of hard maple that is 2.5 inches thick. I am making a shaving horse. I need to cut 4 holes from 0.75" to 1" in diameter through this plank, as well as trim about 2/3rds of the plank from 10" wide to 7" wide.

I am having trouble locating a spiral up cut bit that is 2.5" cutting length. Does anyone have a lead? I've searched all the popular router bit manufacturers with no joy.

I am thinking just cut 2" deep (several passes) and finish with a saw and a trim bit on a hand-held router if I cannot find a 2.5" bit. I do not own a band saw capable of making this cut.

Any advice is appreciated.

Bob

[jfederer]

I doubt you'll find a spiral of that length. I just got a 2.5" Freud straight bit. It cuts very cleanly. I used it in hard maple for making angled joints. I think this will suit your purposes. Just keep in mind that it's not a bottom-clearing bit, so you will have to program it to ramp down. For the holes, you could just use a Forstner bit in a drill press.

OK, so the forum doesn't show URLs. Do an Amazon search for: Freud 1/2-Inch (Dia.) Double Flute Straight Bit (Double Grind), (12-130)

[adze_cnc]

Why do you need a 2.5” cutting edge length?

[scotttarnor]

Can you do a 2 sided job 1 1/4 on each side?

[ElevationCreations]

Are you able to do a two sided job? You could cut your profiles larger on the second side and trim with a flush trim bit, and on the holes (pockets) make the second side pockets smaller then flush trim with the router. I have a 1/2" x 2" spiral flush trim which works well.

[adze_cnc]

https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/products/ru7306

[Todd D]

might get close here,

https://onlinesupply.ca/end-mill-selector

[ich-fräs-das]

Hi,
I often use these endmills, for example to mill a banjo neck out of 65mm maple wood.
https://www.sorotec.de/shop/Cutting-Too ... Mill-WOOD/

Sorotec is located in Germany.
BR
Eckart

[Uncle Bob]

Thanks for replies everyone. I’m going with the straight router bit, 18K rpm and slow feed rate, long ramp, and many passes.... Considered 2-sided, but with such a large piece, I only want to deal with securing it to CNC one time. I started with a piece of 10/4 and had two surfaces planed.

[ohiolyons]

Precisebits has some new bits that would work.

https://www.precisebits.com/products/ca ... 500f2f.asp

1.25 cutting length with the area after the cutting surface recessed so it can cut 2.75 deep.

[TReischl]

All you actually need to do it get through a bit more than half of the thickness. Then flip it over and use a flush trim bit.