Router Bit Speed Chart
Type your bit's diameter and get a typical maximum RPM — plus the full reference table your router manual buried on page 37.
Checks: Typical industry speed bands; the maximum printed on your bit always wins. Not independently benchmarked. · Last reviewed October 20, 2026
24,000 RPM maximum
rim speed at max ≈ 54 mph
| Bit diameter | Maximum speed |
|---|---|
| up to 1″ (25 mm)your bit | 24,000 RPM |
| 1″ – 2″ (25–50 mm) | 18,000 RPM |
| 2″ – 2½″ (50–64 mm) | 16,000 RPM |
| 2½″ – 3½″ (64–89 mm) | 12,000 RPM |
| over 3½″ (89 mm) | ≤ 10,000 RPM |
These bands are typical, not universal: published charts differ (see the sources below). If the number printed on your bit disagrees, the bit wins. Large bits belong in a router table, never freehand.
The rule behind the table
Router speed limits keep rim speed — how fast the cutting edge actually travels — inside a safe, clean-cutting window. Edge speed is π × diameter × RPM: double the diameter and you double the rim speed at the same RPM. That’s the idea behind the chart — small bits can take full throttle, big bits can’t. The bands slow big bits down but do not equalize edge speed: at the chart’s own limits a 3½″ bit at 12,000 RPM still moves about 125 mph at the rim, against about 71 mph for a 1″ bit at 24,000 RPM.
Published charts do not agree exactly. Amana’s chart allows higher speeds than the bands here, and Fine Woodworking’s 2006 chart is lower; the bands here sit at or between them. The maximum printed on your bit overrides all of them.
Speed is only half the cut
Burning can come from too much speed or too slow a feed; fuzzy cuts and chatter can come from too little speed or too fast a feed. Pair the chart’s ceiling with sensible feed: keep the router moving, take big profiles in two or three passes, and let the finished pass be a light one. Carbide likes to cut, not rub.
Frequently asked questions
Why do big router bits need slower speeds?
Rim speed. Edge speed is π × diameter × RPM, so a 3″ panel-raising bit at 24,000 RPM would have its edge moving at about 214 mph, and Fine Woodworking warns that a big bit at full speed could spin itself apart. Slowing to 12,000 RPM brings the rim from about 214 mph down to about 107 mph, which is still faster than a 1″ bit at 24,000 RPM (about 71 mph). Same physics as lathe blanks: diameter × RPM is what matters.
My router dial goes 1–6. What do the numbers mean?
Each maker maps the dial differently, so there is no universal conversion from a dial number to RPM. Look for the RPM-per-setting chart in the manual (some routers also print one on the body), or check with a tachometer, then write the table on the router with a paint pen — future you says thanks.
Can I run a bit slower than the chart says?
Yes — the chart gives maximums, not targets. Slower can reduce burning; Fine Woodworking suggests going below its chart if fresh bits are burning edges. Too slow invites chatter and fuzzy cuts because each flute takes too big a bite; if the cut degrades, speed back up or slow your feed.
Do these speeds apply in a router table?
The same maximums apply — but big bits should only be run in a table, never freehand. Big bits also want multiple shallow passes and a fence with proper guarding; the speed limit is necessary, not sufficient.
Sources & further reading
- Amana Tool, “Max RPM Guide for Amana Tool Router Bits” — a manufacturer chart that allows higher speeds than the bands on this page (for example 16,000 RPM for 2-3/4 to 3-1/4 in bits); notes that the laser etching on the shank has the current rating
- Joe Hurst-Wajszczuk, “Safe Speeds for Big Router Bits,” Fine Woodworking (May 2006) — a more conservative chart (10,000 RPM above 2-1/2 in); warns that a big bit at full speed could spin itself apart and that big bits belong in a router table
- The speed bands on this page are a commonly circulated set that we could not trace to one maker’s chart; the maximum RPM printed on the bit itself always wins