I am new to woodworking and am going to purchase a router in the near future. I have read many discussions regarding size/brand/base/etc and I’m pretty dead set on my choice of router. I’m getting a 2.25 PC plunge/fixed base kit. I will be using it in a table and in hand.
I would like to know your top 5 router bits of all time. Base your list on how often it is used, how helpful it is, how easy it is to use (remember I’m new), its versatility, etc. I am not concerned with prices/brands. I just want to know the best bits to start out with (roundovers, straight bits, etc including sizes). 5 is not a magic number so if your top list has 6 or 7, please include them on your list!
Thank you all for your wonderful knowledge and advice!
Replies
ehrichweiss,
I'll take a stab. Initially I'd start with straight, roundover and bevel...1/4&3/4" straight, 1/4" rounder, 1/2" bevel....and then build from there...set for rabbits, bearing top and bottom on straight bits, upspiral, etc. Also, stick with 1/2" shanks...
Edited 12/29/2003 10:03:03 AM ET by BG
Edited 12/29/2003 10:04:39 AM ET by BG
The best plan is to buy your bits based on your use and need for each particular project. I will recommend the tilt base from Woodhaven. That way one bit can be tilted which gives a single bit more versatility. Since you are a beginner go and buy a book on routers. I'm not going to recommend any particular one. Most of them are sort of redundant so go to a Barnes and Noble or the local llibrary and see what looks good to you.
Go to http://www.woodhaven.com for lots of router stuff.
Link is to tilt base.
http://www.woodhaven.com/shopping/Main/Router+Tables+and+Accessories/Angle+Ease///
Edited 12/29/2003 12:23:09 PM ET by Rick at Arch. Timber and Millwork
I own a Hitachi 3.5 horsepower..It works perfect.Would advise you get a Plunge router one though...for bits..go to any site that sells Router bits...only you can decide what you need..
If nothing sticks to Teflon,how does Teflon Stick to metal. Huh
Most brands sell a basic kit, Buy that kit w/ 1/2" shanks. Dont buy 1/4" shanks, they are dangerous.
Amazon sells a freud kit thats like a 10pcer or so.
roundover, spiral plunge bit, straight bit, flush trimmer and pattern trimmer are what id consider basic must haves.
Another purveyor of BAD ADVICE..1/4 " bits are DANGEROUS????? What the hell are you espouseing? Millions of people have used millions of 1/4" bits for DECADES..Geez man.
just search the archives and see all the fun things about 1/4 inch shanks.
Ill never use 1/4, not enough surface area for the collet. Yes they are dangerous, millions drive cars and yet they are still dangerous.
So, what you are teaching me is that there is more circumference (surface area) in a half inch collet/bit relationship than a quater inch collet/bit relationship..therefore it is safer.
I hate to tell you but your logic is way off. Maybe you were using a 1/4 in. bit in a half in. collet....that is the ONLY way your logic could apply..Granted a 1/4 bit is smaller but so is the collet...proportionatly THEY ARE THE SAME. Unless of course ...pi r Squared changed..
clean collet, clean bit, even a few thousandths under size bit, when used PROPERLY is not unsafe.
"never get into a pissing contest with a skunk"
well two cabinet makers, one with a sewn up arm the other with a hole in his shop. Both use routers daily and keep solid collets. each had used 1/4 shanks of high quality (not your cheapo import bits found at the homecenters)
However youre wrong if youre telling me the suface area of a 1/2 inch collet is the same as a 1/4 in collet. relationship of the collet vs the surface area of the bit is flawed. If youre looking soley at the collet and not the whole bit then youre off base. consider the force exterted by 1/ 12ich dia. bits at the same RPM. The 1/2 will have more surface friction then the 1/4 inch bit. Both torqued down to the same speces.
ive been around this board for three or so years and have never seen anyone advocate 1/4 inch shanks unless the profile was never offered in 1/2inch shank. they just arent worth the risk using especially with a beginner who usually doesnt keep a new collet or clean one in the router or exerts too much latteral force when routing. 1/4 inch bits will break long before the extra mass/heat dissipation of a 1/2 shank.
Fine , whatever, and "never get into a pissing contest with a skunk" Geez, I hate to be redundant, but for you I had no choice. Send me ALL of your 1/4 shank bits..I 'll use'em sharpen them, use'em again and then send them back to you, might be a few years but they will still be in one piece and so will I .
ive been around this board for three or so years and have never seen anyone advocate 1/4 inch shanks unless the profile was never offered in 1/2inch shank
member since 3/20/02...you need help with arithmatic as well as spelling...
3/20/02 was that date of the cutover from WebX to Prospero. Nobody's information shows them being a member longer than that.
thank you ..I stand corrected.
>>just search the archives and see all the fun things about 1/4 inch shanks.
I just did a search on the archives, and to me, the comments are just about equally split. Do you have anything but anecdotal evidence to back up your opinion?
Apart from direct personal experience, I have supervised over 160,000 man-hours of hand router usage. That's based on four people using routers full time, 2000 hours per year for twenty years, not counting pinrouter and CNC work. I think that might qualify as a statistically valid sample, and it's a pretty conservative estimate.
I had virtually NO breakage with 1/4" shank router bits in that time, and that DOES include 1/4" shank straight bits in a drawer front machine that routed slots for the drawer bottoms in several hundred drawer fronts per day. I generally used 1/4" bits with appropriately sized cutters -- that is, for straight bits 1/2" or over, I went to 1/2" shanks, and for heavy profile cuts, I also used 1/2". But for 1/4" and 3/8" slots, laminate trimming, small roundovers and such, I always used 1/4" shanks.
The most breakage I ever had was with 1/2" shank bits that stepped down to smaller sizes, such as 1/2" shank , 3/8" cut straight bits. I don't know whether it was just the concentration of stress at the step, or a heat treating issue, but they all broke right down fro the step. I had so many break that we switched to 1/4" shanks, and that solved the problem.
I have had carbide chip and sometimes come off on both size bits, but no damage or injury from that. We also used a lot of HSS.
Freak accidents happen, and tools can be abused and broken, but In my experience there is no reason to broadly condemn 1/4" shank bits as any more or less dangerous than any thing else.
I would be interested to know whether you have any industrial safety statistics or other broadly based information to support your point of view. I am always ready to modify my opinion when I run into data which justifies doing so.
Michael R.
Woodwiz, I appreciate your comments regarding 1/4 inch bits.
You said: "The most breakage I ever had was with 1/2" shank bits that stepped down to smaller sizes, such as 1/2" shank , 3/8" cut straight bits. I don't know whether it was just the concentration of stress at the step, or a heat treating issue, but they all broke right down fro the step. I had so many break that we switched to 1/4" shanks, and that solved the problem."
You, and your workers obviously use routers/bits WAAAAAY more than I will ever dream about. I do not plan on large scale production of anything or using my router non-stop for hours at a time. Should the problems you were having with the bits breaking concern me enough to try to only buy "smaller bits" that have 1/4" shanks and not the 1/2" shanks? It is not a problem, but since I am new to this and just bought my first router yesterday, I want to buy the "right" router bits. If this means large bits=1/2" shanks and small bits=1/4" shanks, then I'll go that route.
Thank you and everyone else for your continued comments/advice!
I'm just a one man shop any more, but I just took a look at the 50 or so router bits in my cabinet, and they're about half and half. Small diameter, light cut = 1/4" shank. Large bit or heavy cut = 1/2" shank. That's why most routers come with two collets.
Keep the collets clean, and don't overtighten. And don't let the shanks bottom out - keep them up about 1/16" from the bottom of the collet recess.
"erichweiss" - is that your name, a refernce to Houdini, or both?
Michael R
Again, thank you for your comments hidden between the arguments of others.
Yes, it is a reference to Houdini. My uncle was a professional magician for a while, and I have always been a fan of magic (more so when I was younger, but I still enjoy the occasional card trick and putting on a show for kids). The stories surounding his death, his ability to entertain, how he captured the attention of the world, and the statement he made questioning one's ability to escape the afterlife continue to make me a fan of his legacy.
Wishing you and yours a happy new year!
Have to agree with Sphere, calling 1/4 inch shank bits dangerous is pretty extreme.
I have had a couple of 1/4 inch shanks snap in twenty years but I neither case was the result even remotely dangerous and in both cases I was pushing the bits way beyond their reasonable limits but needed to get some rough work done in a hurry with no good alternatives at hand.
I still use 1/4 inch bits regularly and have never had a problem with them or heard of an injury directly attributed to their failure.
John W.
Thank you. We have keep the threads as accurate as possible so someone does NOT get hurt.
>>Thank you. We have keep the threads as accurate as possible so someone does NOT get hurt.
Amen to that.
I don't consider 1/4" bits dangerous, but I lean toward 1/2" shanks for most applications - except for straight and spiral bits under 1/2" diameter. They just seem to run and cut smoother, and they are so close in price that it doesn't matter.
Count me in with the others that say buy 'em as you need 'em. Router bits are a consumable, anyway, if you do much woodworking. Preselecting sets seems to always end up with things you don't use.
Michael R
I like the carbide burrs in a dremel..my dentist gives me packs of ten at a time (new, NOT used)....talk about less than a 1/2" shank...cutting tip is 35 thousanths. Work great on Mother of Pearl, Ivory (recycled from keyboard keys) and ofcourse if ya get a bad tooth......
>>I like the carbide burrs in a dremel..my dentist gives me packs of ten at a time (new, NOT used)....talk about less than a 1/2" shank...cutting tip is 35 thousanths. Work great on Mother of Pearl, Ivory (recycled from keyboard keys) and ofcourse if ya get a bad tooth......
Not so good for cope and stick work, I bet........... 8^)
M.R.
If you recall an article about 15 yrs. ago in FWW that was on "Making wooden snoflakes" it was by a guy in Mt. I think, and they were real neat. In the years since then, I have made them almost every year..At the time of really big production I was up to 800 a day..just me no helper. I had used 4 routers in tables, 3 table saws (one a 4" modelmakers saw) and in the Routers ...NOTHING but 1/4 shank bits..some that are HSS that I have ground to specific sizes.
I also ran 4 flutes 1/2" wide with a corebox bit on 100 pcs. of 16' cypress for crown moulding with a 1/4" shank and still have the same bit (Vermont American I think) . I think the only time I broke any router bits were either in the overhead pin router or the 7.5 HP Perske CNC..In the case of the pin router it was a 1/2 straight bit single flute pattern routing, and in the CNC the same bit but the vacuum pods let go when a hole got too deep and I lost suction on a guitar body.
I use a LOT of endmills now, HSS and they work better for alot of my stuff than " Router Bits" and cost ALOT less..last half inch shank 3/4 cutting diameter spiral 4" long total was about 8.00$. And RAZOR sharp when new. I nicked my finger when it came out of the tube when I opened it.
I hope the new guy has fun.
.>>.At the time of really big production I was up to 800 a day..just me no helper.
That's a LOT of freakin' snowflakes! What did you do with them all, and how long did it take until you died of boredom? I don't remember the article, but I can imagine...... You didn't even have a pin router? Some people just like punishment, I guess...
>>In the case of the pin router it was a 1/2 straight bit single flute pattern routing,
It seems to be a little known secret that single flute straight bits are stronger and cut faster than two flute bits, especially in small diameters. That being said, I still used HSS spiral bits for cutouts on the pin router. A little slower, but less sanding; a trade-off.
Never tried end mills, but I've heard them recommended. Maybe I'll try something new next time there's a need.
Michael R.
Ahhh, man the snoflakes...first really no way to jig it for a pin router. They start as diamond shaped crosscuts 30* and equal thickness and length, about 6 to 8 inches in width. take 6 and roll em up like a log AFTER you rout/saw matching grooves crossgrain..then saw em like lunch meat and sand and finish them...of course that is the really short version of how to do it.
When I started them in ???? 1988 or so, I could shovel them into my woodstove..rejects. Then after many hours of re-inventing them I went to full production. They sold for various prices all over..started at 15.00 a dozen...ended up at (ten yrs. later) 5.00 for 3 witha nice shrinkwrap package...had to buy that packager..and pasteboard and printed backsheet.
Bored? you bet cher butt. I saw snoflakes in my sleep, also $ signs tho. I netted 10,000 in one month (november, 1990) and continued to make a killing...even rebuilt my shop after a horrific fire..(arson, not carelessness) and to this day I can whoop out a few thousand in a weeks notice and catch up on some bills if needed...marketing became a full time job, and I could have subbed them out, but I maintain better control (quality) by myself. They are fragile, and require a dedication like nothing I have ever done..
email, we'll chat..Spheramid@ aol.com
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks.
In my cabinet of bits the ones which typically see the most service are as follows:
1/2 straight (or 1/2 pattern bit)
1/2 flush trim
1/4 round over
3/4 straight
1/4 spiral upcut
45 degree bevel
3/8 round over
3/8 rabbet bit set
That'd give you a good start, then just buy what you need as time goes on. I have about 50 odd bits now, and I really just buy them as a need arises. Though it sucks to see a bit you payed 25-40 bucks for sitting on the shelf collecting dust, so aside from the more commonly used ones like the ones i listed above just buy the rest as you go.
Buy good quality bits, as you need them, for specific jobs. Our shop has fifty or so bits in it and we still don't have the bit we need on occasion. There are no half dozen bits that get a lot more use than any of the others.
Get catalogs from several of the bit manufacturers, they make a lot of profiles that you will never see in stores but which can be immensely useful in your own work. Sometimes a special bit will offer a solution to a job that you were considering but didn't know how to tackle or inspire you to design a piece of furniture around the unique capabilities of the bit.
Purchasing bits this way means planning ahead and probably mail ordering, but it is worth the trouble, and the better quality will pay off in longer bit life and cleaner cuts. After a half dozen projects you'll have built up a core collection of bits that suit the work you do.
Occasionally I'll buy a cheaper bit from Home Depot or Sears if I don't think the bit will be used for more than the job at hand or if there just isn't time to order and wait for delivery.
The majority of router work, in most shops, is done on straight edged workpieces held against a fence in a router table. For that type of set up, having a ball bearing guide on the bit isn't needed, but if it will work in a fence set up, buy the bearing version of the bit anyway. That way, you'll have the bearing for those times when you have to work on a curved edge. This will save you the cost and hassle of buying the same profile a second time when you find that you need the bearing version. Whenever possible buy 1/2 inch shank bits, they cut cleaner.
Hope this helps, John W.
Edited 12/29/2003 11:59:05 AM ET by JohnW
Erich,
I recommend the MLCS sets with 1/2" shanks for start. They sell a 15-bit, 30-bit and 66-bit. These are all-round good bits and will get you started. The link below will take you to a description of their 30-bit set, for about $100. A really good price.
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/set30pc.html
Bert
I started out buying a large set of 1/4" bits that were on sale, figuring they'd do till I figured out what I was doing with them and I'd replace individual bits as necessary. Nearly 3 years on, the only bits I've HAD to replace were the straight cutters. I took the opportunity to upgrade to the best quality 1/2" shank cutters I could find. The rest of the set are still going strong. Other than that, the bits I've found most usefull are a drawer lock profile, and a 5 piece set of panel raising bits. I've found that buying quality bits pays in the long run; they stay sharp longer and can be re-sharpened quite a few times.
One cautionary note re your router purchace. Be sure to include variable speed and soft start in your list of "must have" requirements.
Mike Wallace
Stay safe....Have fun
yup, the one I just ordered has both variable speed and soft start. I went with the Porter Cable 895PK kit with the micro height adjuster.
Thank you all for your advice/opinions, and thanks for comments still to come!
Router bits are like clamps - u never have enough!
One thing I've noticed about 1/2" shank bits is that they stay sharper longer. About 2:1 in my experience with Amana bits. I was told that it is because of less vibration.
I've never had a 1/4" shank bit break on me, but I generally go slow when freehanding and keep an eye out for knots. Rarely use them when using the router table.
I have run across some unbalanced collets. When you find one, take it back and get another.
Cheap router bits are not cheap, in the long run, and are a total pain in the waz-zoo. And, there are lots of cheap ones out there.
I have spent far more on router bits than on routers. Something like 10:1 probably.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_Katy (maker of fine sawdust!)PlaneWood
Let me know how you like the router. I've heard people talk about it, but never anybody that has actually used it.Young, poor, and eager to learn
I will let you know how it works out for me from the viewpoint of an inexperienced router user. It is supposed to get to my doorstep next week sometime and I will be using it thoughout the week for sure!
Hi Eric I've got to add my two cents worth into this thread. If you're planning on 'big stuff' you're better off with 1/2" shank bits. They will take more strain than 1/4" bits. I do lots of small toys and boxes and use 1/4" stuff most of the time. My favorites... 3/8, 1/2 and 3/4 streight bits, 1/4" round-over and a 45 degre champher bit. If you plan to do cabinet boxes out of plywood, invest in the 23/32" streight bit (undersize 3/4") . Most plywood is NOT the thickness advertized. You may want to look at http://www.oak-park.com. They have lots of attachments and gadgets for router work.
SawdustSteve
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled