Quote:
solid7 wrote:
 I actually use a 1/4" hardened steel dowel, and make a pilot hole using a 1/4" drill bushing. (as you would use for drilling dowel holes in wood) This has been the most successful method, for me. |
That is the ideal, if you can't use a drill press to make the 90º pivot hole. But for most folks all of that is overkill.
One note I would like to make on router-bit selection would be to use one that has a 1/2" shank, the 1/4" shank bits bend easily when they get hot, and your hole could easily become larger than you intended because of the resultant bit wobble.
Great suggestion about doing a rough cut first. I like the tape idea on a template (wish I would have thought of that one
) If you really want to prolong your bit life you could use a jig-saw for the rough cut....
One more note: Roto-zip tools are great for drywall and 1/4" panels. That is what they were designed for. That tool has no business cutting anything that is 3/4" thick. As someone else stated you should always use a router with a solid base for that task. Using the proper tool for a job gives you a much, much cleaner finished product, it makes the job easier, and most importantly it is much safer. I have seen 1/4" spiral bit's and flat cut mortising router bits both crack off at high speed rotation. Luckily one of the spiral bits stayed lodged in the work, but another time the broken bit went flying across the room (the guy was trying to cut 1/2" plywood with it), and the 1/4" shank flat cutter rattled around behind the plastic shield that was on the router. It was lucky that no body got hurt in any of those incidences.
Be careful, and don't cheap-out when considering your tools, it is a dangerous thing to do.