I'm finally getting started in woodworking and need some advice on router bits. I've read Spielman's router book and he mainly pictures CMT bits. I want to find the best quality bits and those may not always be the most expensive. I have found a source for Freud bits but so far haven't found anyone who sells CMT. Appreciate any info on high quality bits and where to buy them.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-12-02 AT 10:30 AM (CDT) 

Terri,
Sommerfeld's Tools for Wood carries CMT bits. www.sommerfeldtools.com , or 1-888-2BUYCMT.
The CMT web site is www.cmtusa.com
That's a start.
You want to look for high quality carbide and they should be sharpened with AT LEAST 400 grit. Otherwise, they won't maintain sharpness too long. It's less expensive in the long run.
Have fun with your router!
Carolyn

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Carolyn

There is much more than price to consider when purchasing router bits, and it would literally take a book to give you all the information you need.

Purchasing bits should fall into three catagories.
1. those used for joinery operations
2. those used for decorative purposes
3. those once in a blue moon operations.

Since you asked, some advise.

For joinery operation buy the best. CMT is good and not hard to find. Do a Google search and you'll find them all over. However, since you are just getting into woodworking, try Rockler's brand. I have used them and find them reasonably good quality and a good value. Joinery bits are the straights, spiral, pattern, trim, dovetail type bits.

For decorative purposes, wait until the project calls for it and then purchase it. If it is a common profile, i.e., round overs, chamfers, etc., buy a good quality bit.

The once in a blue moon thing. Really re-consider. Some of these bits can get pretty pricey and there is usually another way to achieve the same effect.

Other thoughts. Avoid 'sets'. There are bits in there that are less than useful, making the ones you use a lot, more expensive than needed. Avoid the all-in-one multi-purpose bits. Too hard to set up and very nearly impossible to repeat an exact set-up. If you want to rout aomething other than wood, you can, but you may want to purchase a bit just for this operation. I call those 'firewood' bits. If you blitz them, it is not a big deal.

For hobbyists, bits rarely get dull. They do get dirty and need to be cleaned to continue to cut sharp. Most often they are damaged by improper storage. Store them so they cannot touch each other or anything else.

with Carol the RouterLady. I have a drawer full of grey bits that were bargains at the time. I havent used them in 8 years. I found from experience that the most expensive bit is the one that doesnt work. The wood wasted, not to mention my time, made those "good buys" totally worthless. Now I am most exclusively CMT. They havent let me down.
John Lucas
www.woodshopdemos.com

Carol,
Thanks for your help. As I'm mainly interested in joinery bits at the present, I'll save my pennies and opt for a few CMTs.
Terri

I dont know about anyone else , but i like that dry coating
spray on stuff, maybe uits in my head but i think it helps.
I hang a lot of doors and i use a 1/2 in. st. cut alot and i spray that on there and it seems to come to life

Years ago when we started our small stair and millwork shop we were moving quite a lot of material over our routers and vice versa. We were always waiting on a particular bit to be returned from sharpening and developed the 3 cutter system which was buy 3 of everything, one in use, one out to be sharpened and one on the shelf to replace the current. We bought mostly bosch bits at the time. Then the sharpening guy explained about carbide grades and how a c-2 carbide was a standard hardness and the industrial grade carbide was a c-4 we began to look for companies that used the harder grade of carbide in their tooling and the amout of money we saved in shapening alone more than paid for the slightly higher cost per bit. I may have those hardness numbers transposed but it has been years since i have bought a new bit. Because some genius bought 3 of everything and they're still here.

James Hamilton
Plan-B Project Plans
http://www.myplan-B.netfirms.com

I think Carol's post just about says it all. For really good quality bits, I've yet to see the equal of the Whiteside router bits sold by Woodcraft -- they are really superb, and IMHO worth the pretty steep price. (oops - I'm prob'ly not s'posed to tout the competition, but that's life...)

Terry,

Welcome to the forum. :)

Carol's answer was quite accurate and complete, but I'll add a few thoughts:

In my opinion, the two best brands available are Onsrud and Amana. Woodcraft carries some Onsrud bits, but they can be a little hard to find.

Amana are becoming far more widespread (www.amanatool.com)and they make their own carbide. It is among the finest in the world.

You should really take a close look at their NOVA series of insert tools. One steel shank, 23 different profiles that can be swapped in and out of the shank. The profile sets are about $23.00 Each, and the NOVA starter kit (shank and 5 profiles I believe)is $79.00

Since working with them in the CNC world, I've become a big proponent of insert tooling. The upfront cost is higher, but the overall cost is much less. (it is far cheaper and easier to keep a few inserts on hand than have the three tool rule mentioned above :) )

Hope this helps,

Ralph


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www.consultingwoodworker.com

take a look at these router tests....they surprised me on what brand held up and which didn't....http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/pages/w00045.asp

I got my copy of Fine Woodworking after my initial post and as you say, I too was surprised at the results. Thanks for your input.
Terri

Sorry folks, but that test was highly flawed and misleading.

First of all, a straight bit is totally wrong for melamine. Secondly, the feed speed of the CNC router used was way too slow. Those bits were overheated and burned long before the edges dulled.

A CNC router like the one used in the test cuts would normally be set up to run that type of bit at about 14,000 RPM feeding at 600 inches per minute through the material. You and your hand router will never even get close to that.

Also, the CNC will cut an unwaveringly perfect line with no vibration at the bit. Again, your hands are not that steady. Your bit in your hand router is constantly losing and gaining contact. Really, the entire dynamic is different. I have been using both hand and CNC routers side by side for the last 5+ years, and I simply do not often use the same bits for the same jobs in both types of router because they behave so differently.

I was sorry to see Taunton's article appear. The test seems to be a fair trial and I'm very sure they thought they were giving an honest result, but anyone with CNC experience will tell you the same things. Frankly, the very basis of the test was a flawed assumption, ie: a CNC will precisely replicate the wear and tear on a bit. It would have been much more accurate to set up straight edges and simply run pass after pass with hand routers. Then the feed rate and the RPM would have been what you'll be using in your own shop.

Just my opinion,

Ralph



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www.consultingwoodworker.com

>Sorry folks, but that test was
>highly flawed and misleading.
>
>First of all, a straight bit
>is totally wrong for melamine.
>Secondly, the feed speed of
>the CNC router used was
>way too slow. Those bits
>were overheated and burned long
>before the edges dulled.
>
>A CNC router like the one
>used in the test cuts
>would normally be set up
>to run that type of
>bit at about 14,000 RPM
>feeding at 600 inches per
>minute through the material. You
>and your hand router will
>never even get close to
>that.
>
>Also, the CNC will cut an
>unwaveringly perfect line with no
>vibration at the bit. Again,
>your hands are not that
>steady. Your bit in your
>hand router is constantly losing
>and gaining contact. Really, the
>entire dynamic is different. I
>have been using both hand
>and CNC routers side by
>side for the last 5+
>years, and I simply do
>not often use the same
>bits for the same jobs
>in both types of router
>because they behave so differently.
>
>
>I was sorry to see Taunton's
>article appear. The test seems
>to be a fair trial
>and I'm very sure they
>thought they were giving an
>honest result, but anyone with
>CNC experience will tell you
>the same things. Frankly, the
>very basis of the test
>was a flawed assumption, ie:
>a CNC will precisely replicate
>the wear and tear on
>a bit. It would have
>been much more accurate to
>set up straight edges and
>simply run pass after pass
>with hand routers. Then the
>feed rate and the RPM
>would have been what you'll
>be using in your own
>shop.
>
>Just my opinion,
>
>Ralph
>
>
>

I would be interested in their reponse if you send them an email stating your point of view...maybe, if they agree with you they would do another test....I like those tests, but agree that they are useless in the wrong hands..I on the other hand, even tho I use router bits on occasion am not an expert on them.

I have to agree, I have a few of everything it seems, and my whiteside bits are really great. I do believe there was a test done by Fine Woodworking and Whiteside came in on top. I ordered my direct off the internet. I wish I could remember the name of the company but the price although not cheap was better than the rest.

Just my opinion.....lets back it up with some facts Jack

I have sold and used Whiteside Router Bits for years. I have used 100's and sold 1000's. My heavy duty router bit users insist on and demand Whiteside. We do not need some fancy test in Fine Woodworking to tell us what we already know. I have sold Freud, Bosch, Porter-Cable, Onsrud, CMT, Amana,and yes even WoodCraft. My findings are based on user feedback from the industrial customer. Whiteside is a good bit at a good price and it is made in America by an American family owned business, giving Americans jobs. I know from actual experience the quality of Whiteside....one can not go wrong using and buying Whiteside Router Bits.

Just my Opinion....

LAST EDITED ON Jul-23-02 AT 04:48 PM (CDT) 

Mike,

Easy does it! I never mentioned any brand in my last post pro or con.

While I do not have a formal test to verify my above statements, I have extensive experience in CNC operations and certainly just as much experience with hand routers. I am fully qualified in programming, operating and running 4 major brands of CNC's, and most of the CAD/CAM software.

I would wholeheartedly agree with you that Whiteside bits are very good quality and value. I own several myself, sold them to customers when I sold CNC's, and even have a Whiteside catalog on my bench at work right now. I will, however, stand by my previous PERSONAL OPINION that Onsrud and Amana are the best availible. They are not readily availible to the consumer marketplace, and the price is certainly pretty steep for the casual user.

My point was that the test itself was flawed, and does not accurately represent how bits will perform in a hand router. I was not surprised that Whiteside did well in the test, but there were certainly some surprises for me in what brands finished where.

I respect your opinion and your certain right to voice it, I just think your message was a bit more forceful than this discussion called for.

Ralph


-------------------------
www.consultingwoodworker.com

Silver,

An interesting idea. I will send that e-mail and let you know what response I get :)

Ralph



-------------------------
www.consultingwoodworker.com

I have to throw my two cents in here. I am a devotee of Freud bits. They are high quality carbide bits and hold up under continuous use well. I don't have anything bad to say about other bits (okay, maybe those nasty HSS things), but for me, I will continue to buy and use Freud.

One other note-bit sets aren't always such a bad deal. I bought a nice set of profile bits from Freud -all 1/2" shank and I use them all with regularity. The set is 91-104 and comes with six different bits. I know new sets are available for as low as $100 on Ebay. Not a bad price for quality bits.
Many companies also sell bit sets for making cabinet doors. They often include a raised panel bit in conjunction with the rail and stile set included.

Just a thought.

LAST EDITED ON Aug-04-02 AT 07:20 PM (CDT) 

Ralph,
I'm really disappointed about the router bit test after reading your post. I thought I had found some really good data but I guess life just isn't that simple. I will just get used to the idea of mail ordering my bits and that way I can get the better quality. I have a question for you though. If a person is wandering around the tool section at HD and thinks they really must have a new bit, what is your opinion of the Oldham Vipers?
Terri

Terri,

To be brutally honest, I'm not a fan of Oldham products. I've found them to be pretty poor quality.

If you order most of your bits online or through catalogs, Whiteside is a hard brand to beat. They do have a great selection, very good quality and a fair price. Also, the Woodcraft "house brand" has proven itself to me. Both can be found in Woodcraft stores or through their catalog. Whiteside is sold through any number of sources.

If you can find a dealer near you, Amana bits will impress you every time. They are expensive, but worth every penny in my opinion. You can find a dealer through their website. (www.amanatool.com)

Hope this helps,

Ralph



-------------------------
www.consultingwoodworker.com