Thread: Cheap Chinese router bits

Good call, I'm like you, I learnt the hard way when I bought a router a few years ago from Carbatec. I purchased a $25 archer set of bits, didn't last long. Nowadays I use CMT or Carbitool, by the time they are re-sharpened they work out to be economical.

I wouldnt use the cheap Chinese bits, I mean the thing is doing 20,000 rpm, any failure may hurt a tad..

Al

Did the power tools specialist at Bunnings talk you into buying them? These days I only buy CMT router bits. They cost a lot more but they are a lot gooder too.

Powertool specialist? In Bunnings?

Originally Posted by Wongo

Did the power tools specialist at Bunnings

Originally Posted by coastie

Powertool specialist? In Bunnings?

Yawn


Back on topic

Be nice to afford brand name bits all the time, a tight budget dictates that many of us buy the cheapy sets & put up with their foibles.

Rate of failure, poor grinds, voids in the brazing, etc etc would be more prevalent in the cheapies, of course, but you gets what you pays, & most of the time they do the job OK.

I bought a $75 dollar elcheapo set with 12 router bits about 12 months ago I make furniture at home quite alot and havent had to much trouble with them the only thing is that there not the size they say they are I just bought a new router so i think its time to upgrade

Sorry to repeat myself from an earlier thread but...........

"Routers are precision tools which require precision bits - they are not like a battery drill etc where you can get away with some imprecision.

Think about it, you have a tool which is spinning a bit at anywhere from 15 to 22+ thousand RPM - you and your "important bits and pieces" are very close to this tool - do you really want to risk a $10 bit spinning in a $100 machine in this situation?

If the "recognised brands" charge $200 - $400 for the machines and $30 - $100 each for bits doesn't this make you think - why.

Sorry, but of all the machines where a cheapy can do mostly what an expensive one will do - I don't think this is it."

Quality bits are not more expensive - in the long run. The job gets done well, safely. The bits can be sharpened many times with no loss of quality. The only disadvantage is you don't have heaps of bits at the start but with router bits - you certainly get what you pay for.

Regards,
Bob

Bob, I agree that you get what you pay for, I would love to be able to afford brand name bits for all of mine but it is out of the question.

I do have a couple of brand name bits that are undoubtably better qualtiy, thicker carbide, better finished, etc , but for some work I use the bits from a cheapie set from Bunnings that I have been using for years.

The only damaged bit is a bent one where I experienced a heavy kickback due to my own poor technique - I kept it as a reminder.

I think the risk of catastrophic failure of a router bit when used sensibly is pretty remote - yes there is a very small risk but if I worried about such small risks I wouldn't be woodworking, driving a car, using a chainsaw, etc etc.

One caveat - I think it is wise to educate yourself about router bits & understand what you are looking for when checking a prospective purchase out, ie. reasonably well finished, neat brazing with no voids, etc.

Short version - if you can afford better quality bits, do so, they will perform well for a long time. If you have a lower budget, the cheap bits will do the job, just know what you are purchasing.


Cheers..................Sean

The main problem I have encountered with cheap router bits is the shaft diameter, one bit slips out and another is a fair bugger to remove, I now use CMT, Carbitool, Linbide and a Triton straight bit which I suspect may be Carbitool.

Originally Posted by Gags_17

I bought a $75 dollar elcheapo set with 12 router bits about 12 months ago I make furniture at home quite alot and havent had to much trouble with them the only thing is that there not the size they say they are I just bought a new router so i think its time to upgrade

Hey guys i take back what i wrote about the cheap router bits earlier before i was just routing the finishing touches on my latest project and the crappy bit cameloose while i was cutting a reabate and screwed up the hole thing "NOY HAPPY JAN"

Originally Posted by coastie

Just wasted about a day and a half trying to get a mitred edge on some thin pine to make a small box.
F....d around with settings,table,router, after all failed (I was about 10-15 deg out of square)
decide to have a look at the cutter,sure enough about 10-15 degrees out of square.Removed and placed it in a place where it will never be used again and purchased a a Triton router bit,fitted it and perfect result.

I'll never buy this crap again!!!!

I never use a router but for miters, I roll my table saw blade over and get a good cut and angle. The trick is to make sure that the blade is at 45 deg this is simple to check. Cut a 45 deg miter on two separate pieces of wood and then lay the wood flat on the saw table slide the cut pieces together to make a 180 deg scarf joint and if no light shines through the miters are at exactly 45 deg works for me every time and it is simple and quick to set up once the stops have been adjusted.

Phil