What happens if you feed a portable router across the edge of stock at a slow rate?

• A. the router will stall
• B. the edge will splinter
• C. the feed will burn the bit
• D. the stock will heat and burn

Answer: (D)

When a router bit is in contact with wood, energy is split between cutting chips and heating the wood through friction. Feeding slowly means the bit stays in contact longer, so more of that energy becomes heat in the wood rather than chips. At the edge of stock, heat isn’t quickly carried away, so it can buildup and scorch or burn the wood. That’s why slow feeding across the edge is the behavior most likely to cause the stock to heat and burn. The other problems—stalling, edge splintering, or burning of the bit—are less likely in this slow-feed edge-cutting scenario.