To understand why polycrystalline diamond (PCD) is used to cut wood, you have to forget about what is being cut and concentrate on how it is being cut. The speed and accuracy that is needed in the manufacturing process of today are what force the use of diamond. While carbide is measured in cubic millimeters of material removed and we evaluate stone and concrete cutting in terms of inches per minute feed rates, woodworking is discussed in terms of cubic yards per minute of material removed and thousands of feet per minute feed rates.

The role of tools in the connected world and the Internet of Things,

If your particleboard chips are warm, or you're hearing a whine, you may be spinning the router tool too fast. Cut 1,000 rpm, and see how it cuts.

Tooling is a critical element in a manufacturing environment. Here are things to think about when managing tool use and costs.

Here are some tips for maintenance and care of some of your most expensive machine components. Moulder Spindles: Broken shafts, seized bearings, “welded” tooling, all can be prevented.  Prevention = money in your pocket or more precisely, money you get to keep in your pocket. 

Saws are a workhorse in the woodworking shop, and use of the correct blade is essential for a quality product. The following is a primer on some of the basic tooth types and their advantages and disadvantages for use on different substrates and materials.

The question of expected yield per bit is one that every cutting tool salesperson and customer service specialist in the tooling business has been asked hundreds, if not thousands of times. While an approximate range/number can be provided in response, it requires the caveat that anticipated yield is based on the presumption that all outside factors that influence tool performance are optimal, so the tool itself can cut as intended.

Your tooling choices can impact your lean journey. Here's how.

A small shop owner talks about issues related to his new router.

Q. At your machining seminar, you mentioned about having a special saw tooth angle so that a radial arm saw would not dig into the lumber and stall. Can you repeat this, as it is indeed an issue for us?