3/8" keyhole / slot bit feeds and speeds: chip load chart by material & machine

3/8" keyhole / slot bit feeds and speeds

45 sourced settings from High Country Tools. Published chip loads range from 0.00065 to 0.00428 in per tooth. Pick your material:

acrylic (5) · baltic birch plywood (5) · dense hardwood (maple, oak) (5) · epoxy resin (5) · hardwood (5) · hdpe / uhmw (5) · mdf (5) · melamine (5) · softwood (5)

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Manufacturer / bit	Material	Machine class	RPM	Feed IPM	Chip load (in)	Source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Acrylic / PVC (hard plastic)	hobby-ultralight	12000	12.1	0.00101	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Baltic birch	hobby-ultralight	12000	9.2	0.00077	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood - Dense (maple, oak, ash)	hobby-ultralight	12000	8.7	0.00073	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Epoxy / resin	hobby-ultralight	12000	7.8	0.00065	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood	hobby-ultralight	12000	9.7	0.00081	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	HDPE / UHMW / nylon (soft plastic)	hobby-ultralight	11500	13	0.00113	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	MDF / particleboard	hobby-ultralight	12000	10.7	0.00089	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Melamine / laminate	hobby-ultralight	12000	8.3	0.00069	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Softwood (pine, cedar, fir)	hobby-ultralight	12000	11.2	0.00093	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Acrylic / PVC (hard plastic)	hobby-light	12500	19.7	0.00158	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Baltic birch	hobby-light	18000	21.5	0.0012	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood - Dense (maple, oak, ash)	hobby-light	18000	20.4	0.00113	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Epoxy / resin	hobby-light	14500	14.6	0.00101	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood	hobby-light	18000	22.7	0.00126	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	HDPE / UHMW / nylon (soft plastic)	hobby-light	11500	20.3	0.00176	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	MDF / particleboard	hobby-light	17000	23.6	0.00139	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Melamine / laminate	hobby-light	18000	19.3	0.00107	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Softwood (pine, cedar, fir)	hobby-light	17000	24.6	0.00145	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Acrylic / PVC (hard plastic)	hobby-rigid	12500	28.1	0.00225	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Baltic birch	hobby-rigid	18000	30.8	0.00171	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood - Dense (maple, oak, ash)	hobby-rigid	18000	29.2	0.00162	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Epoxy / resin	hobby-rigid	14500	20.9	0.00144	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood	hobby-rigid	18000	32.4	0.0018	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	HDPE / UHMW / nylon (soft plastic)	hobby-rigid	11500	29	0.00252	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	MDF / particleboard	hobby-rigid	17000	33.7	0.00198	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Melamine / laminate	hobby-rigid	18000	27.5	0.00153	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Softwood (pine, cedar, fir)	hobby-rigid	17000	35.2	0.00207	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Acrylic / PVC (hard plastic)	business	12500	39.4	0.00315	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Baltic birch	business	18000	43.1	0.00239	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood - Dense (maple, oak, ash)	business	18000	40.8	0.00227	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Epoxy / resin	business	14500	29.2	0.00202	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood	business	18000	45.4	0.00252	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	HDPE / UHMW / nylon (soft plastic)	business	11500	40.6	0.00353	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	MDF / particleboard	business	17000	47.1	0.00277	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Melamine / laminate	business	18000	38.6	0.00214	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Softwood (pine, cedar, fir)	business	17000	49.3	0.0029	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Acrylic / PVC (hard plastic)	industrial	12500	47.8	0.00382	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Baltic birch	industrial	18000	52.3	0.00291	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood - Dense (maple, oak, ash)	industrial	18000	49.6	0.00275	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Epoxy / resin	industrial	14500	35.5	0.00245	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Hardwood	industrial	18000	55.1	0.00306	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	HDPE / UHMW / nylon (soft plastic)	industrial	11500	49.3	0.00428	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	MDF / particleboard	industrial	17000	57.2	0.00337	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Plywood - Melamine / laminate	industrial	18000	46.8	0.0026	source
High Country Tools KEY-38	Softwood (pine, cedar, fir)	industrial	17000	59.8	0.00352	source

FAQ

What feeds and speeds for a 3/8" keyhole / slot bit on a hobby-ultralight CNC router?
Published manufacturer data (High Country Tools) gives a chip load of 0.00065–0.00113 in per tooth and a feed of 7.8–13 IPM (9 sourced rows). Start low and test in scrap.

What feeds and speeds for a 3/8" keyhole / slot bit on a hobby-light CNC router?
Published manufacturer data (High Country Tools) gives a chip load of 0.00101–0.00176 in per tooth and a feed of 14.6–24.6 IPM (9 sourced rows). Start low and test in scrap.

What feeds and speeds for a 3/8" keyhole / slot bit on a hobby-rigid CNC router?
Published manufacturer data (High Country Tools) gives a chip load of 0.00144–0.00252 in per tooth and a feed of 20.9–35.2 IPM (9 sourced rows). Start low and test in scrap.

What feeds and speeds for a 3/8" keyhole / slot bit on a business CNC router?
Published manufacturer data (High Country Tools) gives a chip load of 0.00202–0.00353 in per tooth and a feed of 29.2–49.3 IPM (9 sourced rows). Start low and test in scrap.

What feeds and speeds for a 3/8" keyhole / slot bit on a industrial CNC router?
Published manufacturer data (High Country Tools) gives a chip load of 0.00245–0.00428 in per tooth and a feed of 35.5–59.8 IPM (9 sourced rows). Start low and test in scrap.

keyhole / slot bit profile illustration3/8" keyhole / slot bit feeds and speeds

FAQ

3/8" keyhole / slot bit feeds and speeds