Replies

1. 
   woodhacker | Jun 17, 2007 05:25am | #1

   I'd opt for the set rather than a reversable bit. Then if you have two routers you can set up one for rails, the other for stiles and leave them configured until your panels are completed. Then should you need to replace either a rail or a stile during the construction phase, you won't have to go through the hassle of setting up and adjusting a router tto make the replacement part.

2. 
   dominic42 | Jun 17, 2007 03:23pm | #2

   i would purchase a set so you dont have to mess with shims. and if i may suggest you look at marc somerfelds bits. marc use to be a rep for cmt but now he has his own line of bits. he has put together some great instructional videos. http://www.sommerfeldtools.com/

1. 
   PeterDurand | Jun 17, 2007 05:36pm | #3

   I phoned them shortly after they stopped selling the CMT bits (they were selling off stock at bargain prices) and they told me that their bits are sourced in China. I don't know if that is good or bad. I wonder if LeeValley bits are North American made or also China made. Does it matter?Cheers,Peter

   Edited 6/17/2007 10:37 am by PeterDurand

1. 
   dominic42 | Jun 17, 2007 10:18pm | #4

   you know peter that whole subject is a sore matter to me, this country is losing so many jobs to china on a yearly basis, i just read that hoover is being shut down and relocated to china and a even bigger surprise is that miliwaulki tool is china made now. the only way we can stop this is to stop buying from there"like thats going to happen" i understand infinity is made here you might want to check them out.i think im going to write marc a letter and ask him if he wants his own brand of router bit and sell it to us american woodworkers then why not make it with american tool makers. no i have not lost my job to china however i can see it happen in someway.

   im just a frustrated american seeing my country slipping away.sorry for the rant.
   Dom

1. 
   PaulGS | Jun 18, 2007 05:50am | #5

   Thank you all for the advice and the editorial comment.By the way, one glimmer of hope for the US manufacturing sector is a weaking US$. As a Canadian, I'm seeing the other side of this. In my business, our US operations are now performing quite well, while our Canadian operations are struggling. Every dog has his day, you just have to live long enough to see it come around again.The Lee Valley website claims their router bits 'are made in Taiwan by a reputable manufacturer with strict quality control'. Not quite China perhaps, but very close.

2. 
   mike_b | Jun 22, 2007 07:38pm | #10

   <<and a even bigger surprise is that miliwaulki tool is china made now>>Dom,Just curious, where did you hear about Milwaukee moving manufacturing to China? I've always found their tools to be high quality and extremely reliable -- more so than some of the others, and hoped they would stay at home. Do you know when they made the move?

1. 
   AlanWS | Jun 23, 2007 12:30am | #11

   This is taken from the Milwaukeetools website:Milwaukee is headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin, which is also home to research, new product development, manufacturing support, marketing, sales and information systems. It has modern production facilities in Greenwood, Jackson and Kosciusko, Mississippi; Blytheville, Arkansas and Matamoros, Mexico.

3. 
   daveinnh | Jun 21, 2007 04:19am | #6

   I'd buy the set, but that price looks very cheap - i.e. you get what you pay for.

   I buy Freud & Whiteside brands, no regrets.

1. 
   PaulGS | Jun 21, 2007 06:06am | #7

   The prices I've mentioned are from Lee Valley. They also received a good review from FWW very recently (not the best, but near the top).

1. 
   coolbreeze | Jun 22, 2007 06:23am | #9

   Paul, sounds like you want to favor Canadian which is just fine. I buy a lot of Lee Valley stuff. My most recent purchase was their block plane and it is a delight.

   I will not buy another Veritas marking knife. I have bought two and both landed point first in my concrete floor when I dropped them,LOL

   I have now come to the conclusion that Whiteside is the way to go for me. Whatever the price is for Whiteside and its competitors, Whiteside is just the best I have used and worth the price,

   As for set v reversable. I vote like the others for the set. If you are not going to M & T, setting up the cuts to match is a major consideration and using two tables for each cut is the way to go.

4. 
   PADDYDAHAT | Jun 22, 2007 02:52am | #8

   Paul, I have never (in 40 years)found a savings in multiple use tools, fixtures, bits, cutters or power tools. They WILL cost you sooner or later in $, accuracy, repeatability(at the worst time), functionality and frustration (the worst of them all). 

    As far as the Lee Valley as a source, I would buy their cutters, bits, blades or irons with out a hesitation as they back them up even when you may be at fault. As far as the reviews, I don't think they will ever win the top award at FWW as I have not seen a major advertisement in a long time so they will always be a bridesmaid by a very very slight margin (due to the averaging and cosmic interpolation of the multiple tests and their judgements so no one gets the blame)and not get the glowing praise in the review text. BUT, we know better, we use the bits. Paddy