Thread: what bits should i buy

You might want to be a bit more specific on what you want make with the router, you can do so many things, all requiring different bits.

Originally Posted by bluegum30

i hav'nt got a router yet,but want to get a set of the cheap router bits all are talking about.i will buy a half inch router,want to buy about 10 to 12 bits.going to work in hardwood and softwood,can someone advise me what to buy please.
lloyd.

Agree with the other post, bluegum30, and this is a wonderful world. Keep in mind that a router is basically a motor that spins around extremely fast, but that's pretty much all it does. The bits are everything. Buy good ones and buy as many as you can afford is my advice. There's a mob online these days called Saws and Bits at:

http://sawandbits.com/catalog/index.php

and you can kit yourself out with a full arsenal of good quality bits for a mere song. They are good bits, too! Delivery is prompt and the guy running it, James, is diligent and trustworthy. I've bought almost everything they sell. At prices of $5.50 per bit, even my wife said, "go for your life".

I went for mine AND hers.

Essentially it comes down to straight cutters and things that deal with edges or grooves or channels. If you are buying a 1/2 inch router (definitely the go...don't bother with a 1/4 incher in my opinion) keep in mind that the large bits, such as panel raising ones and other mammoth chunks of steel and tungsten, are for use in router tables, not hand held devices.

Hope that's helpful!

Michael

Originally Posted by bluegum30

i hav'nt got a router yet,but want to get a set of the cheap router bits all are talking about.i will buy a half inch router,want to buy about 10 to 12 bits.going to work in hardwood and softwood,can someone advise me what to buy please.

I take a different approach, considering cheap sets of bits as "experimental" and - in quite a few cases - "throwaway." BTW, most sets include bits that you will simply never use and - to me, anyway - that's a waste.

If you can get an idea of what you want to do from them, fair enough - but you can see what each type of bit does from a free router bit catalogue, or by searching online - and your experience with cheap bits will be poorer than with good-quality ones.

A couple of sites for starters are here and here (click on the pictures on the sites to enlarge them). My preferred site is Wealden Tool Company in the UK, but not all of their pics show the resultant profile.

Hardwood and softwood need different approaches, mainly varying the feed rate, but hardwood will see off cheap bits quickly (resulting in burning of the workpiece) and you'll then get tear-out when using them on softwood.

I'd buy two or three really good-quality bits and get proficient with them first, then buy additional, individual bits, as and when needed. It's often the cheaper way in the long run and you'll love using the good-quality bits.

Originally Posted by cellist

If you are buying a 1/2 inch router (definitely the go...don't bother with a 1/4 incher in my opinion) keep in mind that the large bits, such as panel raising ones and other mammoth chunks of steel and tungsten, are for use in router tables, not hand held devices.

Although this may be obvious, for the very reason given above, make absolutely sure that your new router has variable speed - the larger bits MUST be run at slower speeds.

Ray

[quote=rayintheuk;824182]I take a different approach, considering cheap sets of bits as "experimental" and - in quite a few cases - "throwaway." BTW, most sets include bits that you will simply never use and - to me, anyway - that's a waste.


I'd buy two or three really good-quality bits and get proficient with them first, then buy additional, individual bits, as and when needed. It's often the cheaper way in the long run and you'll love using the good-quality bits.


Must agree with Ray. I originally advised getting a box of cheap ones and I still have the one I bought. Hardly any of them have been used and when i think about it they look pretty harmful. I agree with the 1/2 in bits and the variable speed router. The good bits i have bought and seem to use continually just are not going to wear out and will certainly outlive me.

Graham

flush trim bit - they can solve alignment mistakes, duplicate and trim things flush.
Straight bits - for groves and dados get a couple the size of the sheet goods you use.
Round over bit/s - round edges are nice.
ogee bit or thumnail or roman -fancy edges can have value when showing off is required.
some form of joint forming bit/s like tounge & grove, rail and stile, vj, mitrelock, slotcutter

that should get you 8 or 10 bits which is $50 or $60 at sawandbits.

Sapling, Michael, Ray, thanks for the replies. I have decided to get some of the router bits from saw and bits. I will be buying a variable speed router like all new adventures there is a fair bit too learn. I should have realised feed rate and speed would have a bearing on the life of TCT on a router bit, same as on saw blades. I will have to learn to post picture so you all can see my shed and what gear I have.

Lloyd.

one of the big magazines did an article on the number of different things you could do with 5 router bits.


I cannot remember who or where

Bluegum

seeing it's your first router buy a mid sized one,
then once you know what you'll be doing with it you can decide whether you need to buy a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.


ian

http://www.woodworkingonline.com/200...ts17-moldings/

Originally Posted by ian

Bluegum

seeing it's your first router buy a mid sized one,
then once you know what you'll be doing with it you can decide whether you need to buy a second, third, fourth, fifth, etc.


ian

There's a good argument for a trimmer too, for cleaning up edges, insetting hinges and other small cuts. They're much smaller, lighter and easier to handle, a better bet for the jobs they do.

They (mostly if not always) take 1/4" bits.