Plug cutting tool and related method of use

A method of producing a plug for installation in a board, the method comprising:

• rotating a tool, including a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge about a tool longitudinal axis;
• engaging the first cutting edge against a donor board to penetrate a donor board face of the donor board, the donor board face including an aesthetic exterior surface;
• boring a groove below the donor board face with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge to form a plug located radially closer to the tool longitudinal axis than the groove, the plug retaining the aesthetic exterior surface along a plug face in a plug upper portion, the plug including a plug sidewall facing the groove, and a plug lower portion located below the plug upper portion;
• and
• tilting the tool longitudinal axis relative to the plug, while rotating the tool, to taper the plug so that the plug is inwardly tapered between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion, wherein the plug face includes a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the plug lower portion,
• wherein the plug includes a plug longitudinal axis that extends orthogonal to the plug face during at least a portion of the boring step,
• wherein the plug includes a third cutting edge transversely oriented relative to the first cutting edge,
• wherein the third cutting edge moves inward toward the plug longitudinal axis under the plug face during the tilting step,
• wherein the third cutting edge tapers the plug sidewall of the plug as the third cutting edge moves inward toward the plug longitudinal axis as the tool rotates.

A method of producing a plug for installation in a board, the method comprising:

• rotating a tool, including a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge about a tool longitudinal axis;
• engaging the first cutting edge against a donor board to penetrate a donor board face of the donor board, the donor board face including an aesthetic exterior surface;
• boring a groove below the donor board face with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge to form a plug located radially closer to the tool longitudinal axis than the groove, the plug retaining the aesthetic exterior surface along a plug face in a plug upper portion, the plug including a plug sidewall facing the groove, and a plug lower portion located below the plug upper portion;
• tilting the tool longitudinal axis relative to the plug, while rotating the tool, to taper the plug so that the plug is inwardly tapered between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion;
• producing a groove perimeter around the groove with the second cutting edge;
• producing an outer groove sidewall below the groove perimeter with the second cutting edge;
• and
• engaging a bearing surface of the tool against the groove perimeter during the tilting step,
• wherein the bearing surface is void of any cutting edge,
• wherein the plug face includes a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the plug lower portion.

A method of producing a plug for installation in a board, the method comprising:

• rotating a tool, including a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge about a tool longitudinal axis;
• engaging the first cutting edge against a donor board to penetrate a donor board face of the donor board, the donor board face including an aesthetic exterior surface;
• boring a groove below the donor board face with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge to form a plug located radially closer to the tool longitudinal axis than the groove, the plug retaining the aesthetic exterior surface along a plug face in a plug upper portion, the plug including a plug sidewall facing the groove, and a plug lower portion located below the plug upper portion;
• tilting the tool longitudinal axis relative to the plug, while rotating the tool, to taper the plug so that the plug is inwardly tapered between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion;
• and
• engaging a non-cutting bearing surface of the tool, located above the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge, against a groove perimeter, which transitions to the donor board face, during the tilting step to leverage a third cutting edge against the plug sidewall and produce an inward taper between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion,
• wherein the plug face includes a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the plug lower portion.

A method of producing a plug for installation in a board, the method comprising:

• rotating a tool, including a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge about a tool longitudinal axis;
• engaging the first cutting edge against a donor board to penetrate a donor board face of the donor board, the donor board face including an aesthetic exterior surface;
• boring a groove below the donor board face with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge to form a plug located radially closer to the tool longitudinal axis than the groove, the plug retaining the aesthetic exterior surface along a plug face in a plug upper portion, the plug including a plug sidewall facing the groove, and a plug lower portion located below the plug upper portion;
• and
• tilting the tool longitudinal axis relative to the plug, while rotating the tool, to taper the plug so that the plug is inwardly tapered between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion;
• and
• moving a third cutting edge of the tool below the plug face a distance so that the plug face is disposed in a plug relief cavity before the tilting step,
• wherein the plug face includes a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the plug lower portion.

A method of producing a plug for installation in a board, the method comprising:

• rotating a tool, including a first cutting edge and a second cutting edge about a tool longitudinal axis;
• engaging the first cutting edge against a donor board to penetrate a donor board face of the donor board, the donor board face including an aesthetic exterior surface;
• boring a groove below the donor board face with the first cutting edge and the second cutting edge to form a plug located radially closer to the tool longitudinal axis than the groove, the plug retaining the aesthetic exterior surface along a plug face in a plug upper portion, the plug including a plug sidewall facing the groove, and a plug lower portion located below the plug upper portion;
• tilting the tool longitudinal axis relative to the plug, while rotating the tool, to taper the plug so that the plug is inwardly tapered between the plug upper portion and the plug lower portion;
• providing a bearing surface above the second cutting edge;
• and
• pressing the bearing surface against a groove perimeter to leverage a third cutting edge of the tool against the plug sidewall to produce an inward taper on the plug sidewall below the plug face, while retaining a diameter of the plug face produced by the first cutting edge so that the diameter remains constant as the third cutting edge removes a material from the plug sidewall below the plug face,
• wherein the plug face includes a first diameter greater than a second diameter of the plug lower portion.