I recently started a thread asking about your preferences for plug
cutters - fluted (top set in image below) vs. round bottom blade.

https://imgur.com/pmq17Fy

I had never tried the fluted style, but I liked the idea of the taper,
so I bought a 3/8" cutter from Woodcraft.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8

Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
fine in a piece of maple.

https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg

My drill press was set at it's slowest speed (540 rpm) and it didn't
matter what speed I fed the bit at. The blowout started almost as
soon as the cutter hit the wood. Some pieces of the cedar were denser
than others, and I did manage to get a couple of decent plugs from
the denser pieces, but there were many more fails than successes.
Too many.

I ended up using my old straight cutter and then using my combo
sander to add a taper. I cut full length plugs, tapered both ends, and
then cut them in half on the band saw, getting 2 plugs from each cut.

On Sun, 14 Aug 2022 06:11:06 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
<teamarrows@eznet.net> wrote:

>I recently started a thread asking about your preferences for plug
>cutters - fluted (top set in image below) vs. round bottom blade.
>
>https://imgur.com/pmq17Fy
>
>I had never tried the fluted style, but I liked the idea of the taper,
>so I bought a 3/8" cutter from Woodcraft.
>
>https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
>
>Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
>it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
>blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
>fine in a piece of maple.
>
>https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
>
>My drill press was set at it's slowest speed (540 rpm) and it didn't
>matter what speed I fed the bit at. The blowout started almost as
>soon as the cutter hit the wood. Some pieces of the cedar were denser
>than others, and I did manage to get a couple of decent plugs from
>the denser pieces, but there were many more fails than successes.
>Too many.
>
>I ended up using my old straight cutter and then using my combo
>sander to add a taper. I cut full length plugs, tapered both ends, and
>then cut them in half on the band saw, getting 2 plugs from each cut.

It looks like the round cutter burned its way through.

I've only used the round cutters, and on red oak. It was a complete
fail, too. The cutter went in but that fell out had the consistency
of packed kitty litter.

On Sunday, August 14, 2022 at 4:34:47 PM UTC-4, k...@notreal.com wrote:
> On Sun, 14 Aug 2022 06:11:06 -0700 (PDT), DerbyDad03
> <teama...@eznet.net> wrote:
>
> >I recently started a thread asking about your preferences for plug
> >cutters - fluted (top set in image below) vs. round bottom blade.
> >
> >https://imgur.com/pmq17Fy
> >
> >I had never tried the fluted style, but I liked the idea of the taper,
> >so I bought a 3/8" cutter from Woodcraft.
> >
> >https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
> >
> >Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
> >it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
> >blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
> >fine in a piece of maple.
> >
> >https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
> >
> >My drill press was set at it's slowest speed (540 rpm) and it didn't
> >matter what speed I fed the bit at. The blowout started almost as
> >soon as the cutter hit the wood. Some pieces of the cedar were denser
> >than others, and I did manage to get a couple of decent plugs from
> >the denser pieces, but there were many more fails than successes.
> >Too many.
> >
> >I ended up using my old straight cutter and then using my combo
> >sander to add a taper. I cut full length plugs, tapered both ends, and
> >then cut them in half on the band saw, getting 2 plugs from each cut.
> It looks like the round cutter burned its way through.

Yes, I mentioned that... "my dull, smoking, round bottom blade cutter".
I will be buying a new one, but I didn't want to go out again after picking
up the fluted one and finding out that it didn't work in the cedar.

>
> I've only used the round cutters, and on red oak. It was a complete
> fail, too. The cutter went in but that fell out had the consistency
> of packed kitty litter.

The round cutter, even as dull as it was, cut perfectly usable plugs.
It always has. I've used it in poplar, douglas fir, pine, oak and now
cedar. The main drawback is that the plugs aren't tapered, so I have
to spend time tapering them myself.

I'm not giving up on the fluted one, I just know that I won't be using
it in cedar.

DerbyDad03 <teamarrows@eznet.net> wrote in news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8-
ba9acba38b94n@googlegroups.com:

*snip*
> https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
>
> Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
> it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
> blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
> fine in a piece of maple.
>
> https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg

From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser and
weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's weak.
The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking chunks of the
strong wood with it.

Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the tool
slices as much as possible.

>
> My drill press was set at it's slowest speed (540 rpm) and it didn't
> matter what speed I fed the bit at. The blowout started almost as
> soon as the cutter hit the wood. Some pieces of the cedar were denser
> than others, and I did manage to get a couple of decent plugs from
> the denser pieces, but there were many more fails than successes.
> Too many.

Did you try a faster spindle speed?

*snip*

Puckdropper

On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 2:58:57 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
> DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8-
> ba9acb...@googlegroups.com:
>
> *snip*
> > https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
> >
> > Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
> > it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
> > blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
> > fine in a piece of maple.
> >
> > https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
> From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser and
> weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's weak.
> The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking chunks of the
> strong wood with it.
>
> Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
> something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the tool
> slices as much as possible.

Are you suggesting setting my drill press at an angle to cut a plug
with a bit that has 4 separate cutters, as shown in the upper left
here:

https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg

That sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Don't you think
that a bit like that spinning at an angle is going to wreak havoc?

> >
> > My drill press was set at it's slowest speed (540 rpm) and it didn't
> > matter what speed I fed the bit at. The blowout started almost as
> > soon as the cutter hit the wood. Some pieces of the cedar were denser
> > than others, and I did manage to get a couple of decent plugs from
> > the denser pieces, but there were many more fails than successes.
> > Too many.
> Did you try a faster spindle speed?

Yes. The chips just flew faster.

DerbyDad03 <teamarrows@eznet.net> writes:
>On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 2:58:57 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
>> DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8-
>> ba9acb...@googlegroups.com:
>>
>> *snip*
>> > https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
>> >
>> > Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown below,
>> > it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking round bottom
>> > blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered cutter worked
>> > fine in a piece of maple.
>> >
>> > https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
>> From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser and
>> weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's weak.
>> The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking chunks of the
>> strong wood with it.
>>
>> Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
>> something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the tool
>> slices as much as possible.
>
>Are you suggesting setting my drill press at an angle to cut a plug
>with a bit that has 4 separate cutters, as shown in the upper left
>here:

I suspect he was suggesting that the sharpened tip of each cutter
should be reshaped at a different angle.

scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote in
news:wvtKK.131031$dh2.62916@fx46.iad:

> DerbyDad03 <teamarrows@eznet.net> writes:
>>On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 2:58:57 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
>>> DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in
>>> news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8- ba9acb...@googlegroups.com:
>>>
>>> *snip*
>>> > https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
>>> >
>>> > Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown
>>> > below, it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking
>>> > round bottom blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered
>>> > cutter worked fine in a piece of maple.
>>> >
>>> > https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
>>> From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser
>>> and weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's
>>> weak. The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking
>>> chunks of the strong wood with it.
>>>
>>> Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
>>> something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the
>>> tool slices as much as possible.
>>
>>Are you suggesting setting my drill press at an angle to cut a plug
>>with a bit that has 4 separate cutters, as shown in the upper left
>>here:
>
> I suspect he was suggesting that the sharpened tip of each cutter
> should be reshaped at a different angle.
>

Yes, that's correct.

Puckdropper

On Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 3:20:19 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
> sc...@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote in
> news:wvtKK.131031$dh2....@fx46.iad:
> > DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> writes:
> >>On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 2:58:57 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
> >>> DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in
> >>> news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8- ba9acb...@googlegroups.com:
> >>>
> >>> *snip*
> >>> > https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
> >>> >
> >>> > Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown
> >>> > below, it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking
> >>> > round bottom blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered
> >>> > cutter worked fine in a piece of maple.
> >>> >
> >>> > https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
> >>> From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser
> >>> and weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's
> >>> weak. The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking
> >>> chunks of the strong wood with it.
> >>>
> >>> Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
> >>> something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the
> >>> tool slices as much as possible.
> >>
> >>Are you suggesting setting my drill press at an angle to cut a plug
> >>with a bit that has 4 separate cutters, as shown in the upper left
> >>here:
> >
> > I suspect he was suggesting that the sharpened tip of each cutter
> > should be reshaped at a different angle.
> >
> Yes, that's correct.
>
> Puckdropper

OK, that makes sense.

However, if my option is to modify the fluted bit and hope that I find
the correct angle (any idea what that might be?) just so that it works
for Cedar vs. using a straight bit and tapering the ends on a combo
sander, I'll stick with my sanding method. ;-)

The fluted bit works on the other woods that I work with and like you
said, Cedar varies a lot even within the same board. For all we know,
there may not even be a proper angle that works all the time.

DerbyDad03 <teamarrows@eznet.net> writes:
>On Tuesday, August 16, 2022 at 3:20:19 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
>> sc...@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) wrote in
>> news:wvtKK.131031$dh2....@fx46.iad:
>> > DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> writes:
>> >>On Monday, August 15, 2022 at 2:58:57 AM UTC-4, Puckdropper wrote:
>> >>> DerbyDad03 <teama...@eznet.net> wrote in
>> >>> news:d7177d49-56ab-463c-8aa8- ba9acb...@googlegroups.com:
>> >>>
>> >>> *snip*
>> >>> > https://www.woodcraft.com/products/plug-cutter-3-8
>> >>> >
>> >>> > Using it to cut plugs in cedar was a complete fail. As shown
>> >>> > below, it basically shredded the cedar, while my dull, smoking
>> >>> > round bottom blade cutter worked just fine. However, the tapered
>> >>> > cutter worked fine in a piece of maple.
>> >>> >
>> >>> > https://i.imgur.com/aZBU3I4.jpg
>> >>> From what I recall about working with Cedar, it's a mix of denser
>> >>> and weaker wood. Along the grain it's dense while in the middle it's
>> >>> weak. The weak wood is probably cutting very quickly and taking
>> >>> chunks of the strong wood with it.
>> >>>
>> >>> Your tool probably isn't set up for Cedar. The geometry should be
>> >>> something with low angles (really sharp like an X-acto blade) so the
>> >>> tool slices as much as possible.
>> >>
>> >>Are you suggesting setting my drill press at an angle to cut a plug
>> >>with a bit that has 4 separate cutters, as shown in the upper left
>> >>here:
>> >
>> > I suspect he was suggesting that the sharpened tip of each cutter
>> > should be reshaped at a different angle.
>> >
>> Yes, that's correct.
>>
>> Puckdropper
>
>OK, that makes sense.
>
>However, if my option is to modify the fluted bit and hope that I find
>the correct angle (any idea what that might be?)

https://virginiatoolworks.com/2013/02/16/sharpening-angles-for-bench-block-planes/