Just got the new Grizzly Industrial catalog and they’re offering a set of 15 router bits for $39.95. All have 1/4″ shanks.
I’m kind of new to “routing” and wonder if this is a decent buy for a beginner. Anybody have this set or use Grizzly router bits in the past?
– Toolfreak
Replies
Similar question: I recently got a router but have no bits. I was wondering: is it better to buy by the set, or to buy individually, as the need arises?
Personally, I would stick to 1/2" shank bits because of vibration.
The Grizzly bits I have are OK, but I notice they are more prone to break than other suppliers.
As far as 1/4" shanks go, this is fine (preferred even) for 1/4" cutting bits, but for larger bits I would want larger shanks.
Stay away from sets that are all 1/4" shanks. There are certain situations and bits where a 1/4" shank is preferable, but in general 1/2" are far better for your "collection." Take a look at the MLCS offerings if you want to get a set to start with. This 30-piece set is a good value.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
I respectfully disagree with the other posts, you state that you are new to routing.Buy the set, for the money this probably will be a good teaching experience.I agree that 1/2" shanks are much better. When you are not new to routing ,buy the generally accepted best bits, Whiteside,Amana, Freud etc. I have only used a couple of Grizzly bits that I got as a free gift from Grizzly. I've only routed a couple of boards with these bits.For the limited amount of work I used them for, they worked fine.
mike
I use mostly Freud and Amana, with a couple of CMTs thrown in. Amana and CMT are what's available locally, and Freud is carried by other places a bit more distant. Of those three, I like the Freuds the best. I've not been thrilled with Amana. I have a couple of Lee Valley bits, haven't used them much, but they've given me excellent results so far and are reasonably priced.
My usage has been pretty light, so no conclusions can be drawn as to durability. I would buy MLCS, and plan to buy that one set, based on what I've read reported here and on two other forums. It's a good way to get a broad-based selection of bits on-hand, and then as the most-used bits crap out, they can be replaced with a higher-quality bit if need be.
I suspect Whiteside is probably the gem of them all, but I haven't tried them yet. If I go into some kind of production where one bit's going to be given a hard, hard workout, I'd definitely give one a try.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
Started off with Grizzly bits -- they worked well, but wore quickly, have been replacing them with Whiteside.
If you're using a profile as a one-off project, Grizzly isn't bad. If you're doing long run stuff, or plan on repeating the profile frequently, I'd use Whiteside.
Most of what I do doesn't require sets, so I buy the profiles I need as I have to. Most used bits are straight cut 1/2 and 3/4, with the plywood variant sizes, for dadoes. Roundovers are next most used.
YMMV.
check FWW article on router bits--tremendous variability in quality--price not necessarily related to quality--analysis used only straight bits--whiteside came out on top--whiteside easy to get at routerbits.com
I do a lot of routing and the only bit I will buy are Whiteside, Amana, CMT and if I have to Freud.
Doug
For that price, how can you go wrong? Sure, they're crappy bits, but when one breaks/wears out, buy a replacement from one of the higher priced lines. I can't think of a better "controlled experiment" to teach you something about router bit quality.
I strongly disagree with the advice to buy cheap bits to get started.
Buying cheap bits and using them until they break is a bad idea. First, cheap bits will give you a poor finish, often from the beginning. A dado cut with chips running the entrire length is not pretty (but something you might get from a grizzly bit). Second, having a bit break during use is always a risky event. Shrapnel is generally bad for the health; a ruined piece because the bit broke in it can also be a pain (and if the wood is expensive enough, an economical reason for not buying cheap bits from the start). A cheap, dull bit can be highly dangerous, especially when trying to back cut (which you should never do on a router table, if you value your fingers).
I recommend buying high quality, individual bits as you need them. It may be cool and ego boosting to get 30 or 50 bits straight away, but it's safer, and more economical to buy the 3 or 5 you really need to get started.
Get a grip here.........When starting out, how's one to know what a "cheap" bit is like unless you've tried them?I think the Grizzly bits in question here are probably crap, but $15.95 for a set seems like a small price to pay for a good lesson.
How does one know if a bit is cheap?
FWW did a nice survey of router bits. Then there are discussions like this one where experienced ww'ers can tell what are cheap bits (like grizzly) and which are not (like whitesides).
My point is experience with cheap bits can be hazardous to one's health, and your work quality suffers. No reason to get that kind of experience. I think I rather have a good grip on the situation, thank you very much.
In the 30 years I have been doing this, I have had one bit actually break -- it did not shatter, and the broken piece fell off into the router table. Besides, if one of these bits shattered, and you got injured, I would guess it would take you ten minutes to find a lawyer who would be willing to sue the bejesus out of Grizzly.
I've had two Grizzly bits break in the last 6 months. In both cases the bit was left embedded in the wood, as I was cutting either a sliding dovetail or a dado. Had I been edge routing, it would have been different.
There's just no need to risk it. No starting woodworker even needs 30 router bits. Buy the ones you need, and buy good ones. A bit breaks, hits your femoral artery, and you won't last long enough to call a lawyer. Why risk it? A router is a dangerous tool. Using a cutting tool with a substandard or dull bit is just foolish.
I've found that MLCS bits are better in the same price range. They also have free s/h so you can make small orders without paying 30% s/h. MLCS also offers the Katana line which is a step up.
Another great value choice are the Woodcraft bits when they're on sale for $5 each.
Grizzley sells both cheap and good router bits.. the set they sell for $40.00 is OK but I found the presidents brand (the purple one not the green ones) a much better value. they stay sharp much longer and I've never had a failure of a purple one..
I will say that I broke both a freud and a whiteside in the past two years both very expensive ones that I broke due to my mistakes.. I wish I'd used a much less expensive Grizzley to make those mistakes with..
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