Hi everybody,
Since the Forrest post got such a great response. Let’s tackle the question as to who makes the best router bits. Personally, I like Whiteside and Amana. They both have good carbide and their T.I.R. is well within tolerance. Are there other manufactures out there that I’m missing?
Replies
I like the Freud bits. I think Freud puts more into their bits than other manufactures.They use Micrograin carbide with titanium for longer life, and also well balanced. Never had a problem. check out their web site at freudblades.com.
http://www.freudtools.com/woodworkers/rep/router_bits/Router_Bits/Tongue_Groove/html/Tongue_Groove_1.html
Hello
Ive tried most of the brands, Ive found an outsider that is as good or better than the rest,plus the prices are much less for large bits.
the company is called Magnate
there e-mail address is http://www.magnate.net or phone 800-827-2316
there carbide is c4 and there quality is A1 (my scale;-) ) thay are great!
try them? I think you agree.
sincerly C.A.G.
I use a lot of different CMT router bits. Excellent finish and durability. Don't think you can go wrong trying them out !
http://www.cmtusa.com
Ole
.... I Love the smell of sawdust in the morning....
Edited 7/2/2003 5:09:07 AM ET by ORH
Looks like these are worth checking out. The prices dont hurt as much either! What does anyone think about woodline bits.
You must have been reading my mind. I was going to post this same question the other night and didnt. Most of the few bits I have are either freud or whiteside and a couple of bosch that I had to get in an "emergency situation." All have worked well but I believe so far that the whitside bits are the best of this bunch. Time will tell more. I also have a set of rail and stile bits that I bought from a guy at work. These are Magna and work well also but havent ever seen these for sale anywhere. I would like to have some CMT bits to try. Oh well.
Pathfinder,
Great idea to post this question. I have a few Whiteside, Amana and Katana (from MLCS). All of these have been excellent. I have considered purchasing one of the MLCS sets (30 or 66 bits at fantastic prices). Recently I needed some new router bits for a project and I "bit the bullet" and ordered the 30-bit set. I have used several of these and find them very good. I wouldn't recommend them for production work, but for hobbist dudes and dudesses they are an excellent choice, IMHO.
BJ
For staight bits I use carbide endmills, designed for metal working (usually niagra or OSG). They're quite resonably priced, especially compared to the spiral "wood" bits. And the carbide is IMO far better than anything I've seen any woodworking tool made from. I'm not sure the exact name, but its a sub-micron grade carbide that comes nearly razor sharp.
For other bits my favorites are gladu and dimar.
ANDREW, I TOO, USE METAL WORKING ENDMILLS. SINCE I SELL THESE ITEMS FOR A LIVING, I HAVE A HUGE ARRAY TO CHOOSE FROM. THE BEST I HAVE FOUND IN CARBIDE ENDMILLS, EITHER TWO OR FOUR FLUTE ARE FROM A LITTLE COMPANY IN SAN JOSE, CA. CALLED BENTZ TOOL. THESE CUTTERS ARE LIKE LITTLE PIECES OF JEWLERY AND MADE FROM THE FINEST 10% MICRO GRAIN CARBIDE WHICH VERY LOOSELY TRANSLATES INTO A C-6 GRADE OF CARBIDE WITH 10% COBALT. THESE BABIES CUT AND CUT AND CUT. YOU CAN REACH THEM AT http://WWW.BENTZTOOL.COM . OH AND BEFORE I FORGET, THEY ARE REASONABLY PRICED.
Path,
Thanks for the link..wished the catalogue worked...darn.
My limited use of router bits has included Jesada, Amana, Freud, Rockler and DeWalt. I have used CMT Forstner bits, but not router bits yet, mainly because they are sooooo pricey. Of those, I like the Freud and Jesada the best. I have a theory that for light use of ordinary (i.e., not complicated matched profile) bits, most brands will do a sufficient job. However, the ones with better carbide, design and tighter quality control will last longer and tolerate more resarpening.
When it comes to ordering a precision-matched rail and stile bit set, however, I would only go to the top manufacturers.
I too am considering buying one of the MLCS or other many-piece sets, and then the bits that I use the most can be replaced over time, and the less expensive but rarely used ones will be available when needed.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I sure wish there was some way to identify good carbide. As it is, I don't know any way to tell what I'm paying for. I've bought a few bits from Eagle and found them well made, thick carbide and sharp. But how long they'll last is always a matter of time.
So, unless you go through dozens of the things, how do you know what's best? Got an old Sears 3/4" round over that finally quit cutting after about ten years.
Got a solid carbide end mill from CMT that dulled after a year of moderate use.
I don't use my router as much as some of the other woodworkers but I have tried different bits over the years and I prefer the Freud. I haven't had a failure with any of them yet and they hold an edge quite well. I have had a dovetail bit break while routing a sliding dovetail but it wasn't a Freud, I don't remember who made the bit but they replaced it. Actually replacing bit was no big deal, if I had ruined $50. worth of board or worse if I had been injured that would have been worse. I have a friend, a cabinetmaker, that lost a joint on a finger with a brand new carbide bit. He had his hand on the router table an employee started to rout a board and a piece of carbide came off and took a finger off at the first joint. I don't cut corners on bits or blades on anything. I still have all my fingers where they were when I was born a good while ago and I am trying to keep them there.
Gods Peace
les
I like FSTools and Dimar, for the same reasons stated in the blade thread....industrial quality, good pricing (still not cheap) because you're not paying for a huge advertising campaign, and both are available quickly from my regional industrial suppliers. Freud is expensive here. Onsrud for spiral cutters, and anyone interested in router bits might want to look at some of the CNC machinery companies (they often sell tooling also), and there are tooling companies you may never have heard of that specialise in high quality bits mostly for the CNC shops. Take a look at http://www.thermwood.com for an example.
I think there is some rebranding going on in that industry; I bought some specialty bits this year (can't remember which ones....i bought a fingerjoint bit, two rebating sets, some slot cutters etc. all at the same time). Anyway, one of them came with a little panphlet....the bit was FS Tools, came in FSTools colours (black), but the pamphlet had 'Dimar' logos on it...all of them blacked out with magic marker except one they missed. All the Dimar bits I have are gray.cabinetmaker/college woodworking instructor. Cape Breton, N.S
Some of the dimar bits that I have are black, so you never know.
Anyone every use Pricecutter bits? I'm not a heavy user (ie professional) but I've used a few of these with no noticeable difference between them and the DeWalt bits I have.
Edited 7/7/2003 11:58:11 AM ET by COLEMAN654
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