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Well, we finally get a chance to use the router circle jig to cut out our round table top. For this we are using a 1/4" pure carbide bit. If you are really not familiar with carbide, it is not like some form of steel. The structure of carbide is that it is more like a crystal. This means it will break before it bends, unlike steel that will take a massive force, bend and bend and then finally break. Carbide bits are much more sensitive to side pressure and if you push them too hard, they snap and are now useless. The good thing about carbide and the reason we use it is that it has a very high boiling point. This means, that unlike steel, you can subject carbide to very high temperatures and it won't melt like steel does. When steel bits melt, even partially they become dull and that's why we like carbide, it stays sharp much longer than similar steel bits.

 

Remember, the point to cutting this table top is to ultimately use this top as part of our 3-legged pedestal side table which you can see in other related videos.