Router bits for low volume use

[tvrgeek]

OK, set up to cope rail and stile, frames etc. Hundreds of feet, not thousands.
Looking at bit sets, they run from the ubiquitous "yellow" around $41 to Whiteside for $152 on the "Shaker" style and from $74 for Bosch to over $75 for the acknowledged higher quality.

In actual performance, how big a difference? Quality of grind? Bearings? carbide compisition? What is one actually paying for?

 

[bob vaughan]

What is one actually paying for?

A higher probability of a satisfactory fit.
If you don't care about fit, then go cheap.

 

[bowman]

I just bought the yellow shaker bits, ran them against some poplar to build out 17 cabinet doors. They did ok for one-time project. I coud not justify spending the extra for the Whiteside bits for this project.

I had no issues with the fit, although the stile cutter left some fuzzies which I had to knock down with a touch of sandpaper. It may have been my setup, but they came out fine in the end. These will be painted.

 

[tvrgeek]

Trying cheap as a starter. Lots to learn.

 

[MikeZ]

I can't justify the sticker shock of Whiteside over some other brands. Then I think about it, I am supporting a North Carolina tooling manufacturer that has been doing this for over 50 years. I recently cut several hundred feet of tongue and groove for doors on a step hutch, and the bits were 30 years old. Either I can cut several hundred feet one time, or thousands over the course of many decades of woodworking. I would buy the set that supports local and becomes a hand-me-down to my stepson or grandchildren because that means more than saving money today. I know it sounds like an ad, but I had this discussion with my father when cutting on those 30-year bits recently and asked him why he spent so much on those, his response was so I could use them one day. That hit hard. 100% #notsponsored.

 

[bowman]

I also had acquired a Bosch rail/stile set. In attempting to cut the stiles, one of the carbide cutters broke and embedded itself in the wood, but that was due to my error.

I purchased a replacement bit, and broke a cutter in the exact same place, but the operation was different. I was setting up my coping sled, and the waste/backer piece got pulled into the cutter. I would have hated to be replacing $150 set of bits due to operator error.

 

[tvrgeek]

I agree and Whiteside is well respected and there is that aftermarket that has a special coating for them. I will pay some of a premium for local premium tools. Yea, I do have a L-N, an Veritas and am going to order another Narlex Ricter chisel. There is a limit though. I suspect CMTs are good for about half price. In my handheld I tried Freud, Bosch, whatever in the big box and found them not great. But for getting things worked out, throw-away's will do and as mentioned, less colorful language if you mess up. When I was an S.A. , I learned all kinds of phrases.

A couple US company, offshore production and a couple Asian companies are actually stepping up and making very high quality tools. Woodpeckers needs to stay on the innovation wagon as clones will overtake them. 20 or 30% premium is one thing and easy to justify; 300% is another. They are moving from just squares to more complicated tools. Of course, there remains the total junk clones too.

Hint: Phenolic is really hard on a bit. Broke a 1/4 up-cut making my sled. I should have been doing the task with my palm plunge, not the table. I have a LOT to learn about routers.

 

[Ricksmi]

I completely agree with Mike and my philosophy has always been buy American and buy local the quality is far better than any asian crap especially the knock-offs. Been using Whiteside for years and just last year started using Ultra Sheer bits. Both are excellent quality and well worth the price since I'll most likely never have to replace them.

 

[JimD]

I purchased most of my router bits from MLCS. They are imported bits and I am not claiming they are the best quality available but they work. More than once. I do not buy relatively inexpensive bits for cutting machine dovetails and a few other high stress jobs. But for most stuff they are fine IMHO.

My last bit purchase was a set of groove cutting bits with three widths of the groove and a bunch of bearings so you can control depth. I think it was $25 from Amazon. Amazingly cheap. I needed to cut a 3/8 groove in a curved head and foot board piece on a bed for my oldest grandson. Maybe 10 feet of cut. Worked GREAT. Definitely will use these bits again. I doubt they will last as long as my normal MLCS but still, for the price, they are great.

I have cope and stick bits from MLCS and I think they work well. I am not sure I would go cheaper on these bits unless I was prepared to replace them if they didn't work well. I like the stacked bits but I also have two piece sets. With a stacked set the molding profile and the recess for it are made by the same bit. Kind of hard to mess that up.

 

[NCJim]

I needed an 3/4" straight bit for a small one time project. I ordered a $12 (free shipping) Yonico on e-bay but several day delivery. The more I thought about it I thought about it I ordered a Freud from Amazon for $21 (free ship.) with two day delivery. Well the Freud broke carbide on on the test piece. first cut. When the Yonico bit came I finished my project with not problem and the bit is still OK.
I have used Freud with no problems and I usually like and buy Whiteside bits because they are in NC.

​

 

[Mark Johnson]

I use Whiteside when I made my cabinets and was happy that I did. When others came wanting some smaller sets of cabinets, I had what I needed and didn't have to worry about rebuying something else. This is not to say other bits won't be fine. I'm just not a risk taker in that arena. Almost everytime I buy a "one time" tool, I have to buy something better to get my project done.

 

[bob vaughan]

Premium priced consumable tooling like router bits will have a higher probability of being properly balanced. With straight bits, balance is not the potential issue it can be with larger profiled bits. Put an out-of-balance bit in one of these cheaply made hand routers and one will have a memorable adventure in high speed vibration. Put that same combination in a router table, and the administration of any nearby airport will call and complain about the noise. This vibration can result in joinery cuts being much more sloppy than a craftsman would really like.

 

[Bas]

In general, with consumables like bits and blades, you get what you pay for. I am usually the first one to go for the "value" option, but when it comes to router bits, the risk is high. A cheap saw blade may result in some tearout or burning, a cheap router bit can rip out a chunk of wood ruining a project. Especially when said chunk cannot be located behind the workbench.

 

[wbarnes]

In general, with consumables like bits and blades, you get what you pay for. I am usually the first one to go for the "value" option, but when it comes to router bits, the risk is high. A cheap saw blade may result in some tearout or burning, a cheap router bit can rip out a chunk of wood ruining a project. Especially when said chunk cannot be located behind the workbench.

I thought I was the only one who had a black hole behind my workbench… glad to know I’m in good company.

 

[tvrgeek]

AFTER I do some testing, see if I have any bugs in the sled, make the +/- 45 inserts and make sure my technique is up to par, THEN I'll buy the Whiteside.

I just added a panel behind my miter saw to reduce the magical disappearing bits. One of these days I expect to find a pile of left socks.

 

[bob vaughan]

Here's a yellow router bit in action. If this is an acceptable cut, you're good.

 

[Rwe2156]

I’ve had good luck with Yonico, too. My rail/stile bits are CMT, which I feel are on a par with Whiteside. What separates the good ones are the carbide quality.

I recently bought a Yonico shaker bit set with the optional conversion for 5.2mm panels. Other than the fit on the tight side, it performed well.

 

[mpeele]

Cut with a NMA 3/4" dish bit. $17.99 + tax + free next day delivery for a set of 3 different sizes. Coaster 3/4 inch X 4 1/4" yellow pine. 3/8" depth of cut 1/4" bite, last pass 1/16" bite with a Shaper Origin. Sanding to remove slight step over ridge on bottom.

Only sanding to remove slight step over ridge on bottom.

A single Whiteside 3/4 in bit $35 + shipping + tax.

I made 40 of these and the the picture is of the last one.

Amazon.com

The first of these yellow bits I bought for some one time projects. They have far exceeded my expectations.