Router burn marks

What you see

1. Dark burn marks along the routed edge or profile.

   Two sources: Bosch and Makita , sources [1, 2]

Likely causes

Most-agreed first: the more makers name a cause, the higher it sits.

1. Moving the router, or the work, too slowly.

   Two sources: Bosch and Makita , sources [1, 2]

What to change

Change one thing at a time, so you know which change fixed it.

1. Take a deep cut in several passes, lowering the bit a little each time.

   3 sources agree , sources [1, 2, 3]

2. Feed at a steady, moderate rate: fast enough not to burn, not so fast the motor bogs down. The right rate depends on the bit, the wood and the depth.

   Two sources: Bosch and Makita , sources [1, 2]

3. Make a test cut on scrap before the real piece.

   Two sources: Bosch and Makita , sources [1, 2]