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  1. #1
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    Question Whats the Go?...............With Router Bits!!!

    Gidday

    As we all know the good old Router is one of the HAndiest and most Versitile Powertools in the WorkShop. In many ways a Routers Versitility Depends on what Bits we have available and our ability to get the Most out of them.

    This can be achieved by using templates; collet guides, Plunging and using other Router tricks of the trade!

    As with many tools The Router bits we use can often be about horses for courses............... depending upon what application were working on, the Purpose and size of the Shop were working in and the type of stock most typically used.

    However theres often Just a few "Bits" we always seem to be reaching out for!! Whats the Go with Your Router Bits??? Which Bits do you keep reaching out for and WHy do they seem to be your favourates????

    ...................For me I seem to keep Using 18mm & 19mm Long shanked straight bits from Carbi Tool. I'm always using them for flush trimming and rabids/dadoes!!!.................Often working with MDF and Plywood.

    REgards Lou
    Just Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time

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  3. #2
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    kyogle N.S.W
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    yeh.....me as well on long flush bits........as much as I hate routers cause all the noise, dust etc its hard to live without them......I use the flush bits for common shapes I've got templated.......double sided tape them on ........and also use them with router table to clean up rips off table saw when I haven't the time to do it by hand..................

    use spiral bits in my horizontal mortiser .....sounds flash but its just a ancient shopsmith........for mortise joints........trying to be the next Krenov

    also as hard as it is to admit I use a regular roman ogee bit when me stocks just too teary.......but rarely........try to get by with me profile planes.......

    I try to avoid using router as much as possible...... my poor old head and shed rattles from the noise..........besides I've always found it hard to buy something I can't really sharpen well......router bits a just too expensive....

  4. #3
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    Jul 2004
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    Perth WA (Carine)
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    G'day.
    When flush trimming, I aleays reach for my 50mm x 19mm super flush trim bit (CMT). This bit has a negative shear angle (6 degree) cutting edge. This allows the bit to slice/cut instead of chop the wood. The result is always stunning.
    Regards
    Les

  5. #4
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    Blacktown, Western Sydney
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    When I first got my router I went and bought a set of maybe 12 bits for around $60 I think, carbide tipped. From this I have found what bits I use lots and some I use never. I am currently at work so I can't check the sizes.

    Essentials - these were not in the kit
    4mm slot cutter for biscuit joining
    longish flush cutter/trimmer with roller bearing - I killed the one in the kit through overheating.
    25mm by 50mm straight cut. I use this for straightening and edge or jointing and also in jig for thicknessing.

    I have also used the roundover bit a lot and I will replace the kit one with a new one shortly.
    I have used the 45deg chamfer a few times and the core box(?) when putting a pattern into the doors of a dart board cabinet.

    Jon

  6. #5
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    Gorokan Central Coast NSW
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    My God don't start me on router bits, I'm a router nut and I reckon I've got over $2000.00 of bits. Ranging from 3 1/4 inch panel raisers down to 1/8 for inlay strips and a multitude of shapes in between.

    The important thing is that none of them were bought just for the fun of it, they are all top quality bits, and they have all been used on jobs.

  7. #6
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    Wow.............I hear you Termite:eek:

    HAving such a vast collection.............. it'd be great to get some feedback from you on what ROuter Bits you keep reaching out for???????.....................have you got any favourates that you love to use or seem to keep using????

    .....................It may even be a great guide for ROuter Newbs like me who are in the process of building up a BitKit!!!

    REgards Lou
    Just Do The Best You Can With What You HAve At The Time

  8. #7
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    Near Bodgy, AlexS, Wongo & CraigB
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    I like a good flush.

    I also like the cheapies from bunnies - they are not too bad if you keep em clean and dont puish em too much. If I need a special I'll buy the best im willing to afford at the time. genereally torquita or CMT.

    my favourite shape is roman ogee.
    Zed

  9. #8
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    Sep 2003
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    Elimbah, QLD
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    New Lou,

    If you intend to use your router for cutting mortices, I would strongly recommend that you invest in the set of three solid carbide spiral upcut bits which Carbatec is selling for $89. For the first time, it is now a good deal cheaper to buy these bits from a local supplier, rather than to order them from overseas. Unfortunately the set does not include a 5/16" bit, which is probably more often used than the 1/2" one which is in the set. But since the individual 5/16" and 1/2" bits are the same price when bought separately, you might be able to get Carbatec to give you the 5/16" instead of the 1/2".

    Rocker

  10. #9
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    Lou, the only advice I can give is as follows
    1. Always buy the best you can afford. I use CMT where possible but I would like to try Freud and the Whiteside bits. I haven't tried Carbitool as they are very close in price to CMT but CMT seem to be cutting their range, every new cattledog has less and less in it.
    2. Only buy the bits that you need for a job, that way you will build up a set of bits that will actually get used.
    3. Don't buy fancy bits because you think you will use them, wait until you are sure you will use them.

    Now for recomended bits.
    In spite of what I have said above, there is available from Carbatec and Timbecon a quite cheap set of minature bits that are very handy for small box work.
    Some good straight bits in a range of sizes for grooving and rebate work.
    A few sizes of round over bits.
    A few sizes of cove bits.
    Thats about it for starters.

  11. #10
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    Apr 2002
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    Brisbane
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    1/2" & 5/16 straight bits for template work. 1/4 round over gets worked very hard on box edges. Flush trim. I have about a dozen bits that have never cut a thing.
    I've had good results from the carbatec house brand & have some oooold carbitool bits and a few CMT.
    cheers
    Any thing with sharp teeth eats meat.
    Most powertools have sharp teeth.
    People are made of meat.
    Abrasives can be just as dangerous as a blade.....and 10 times more painfull.

  12. #11
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Wodonga, Vic, Aust
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    I wouldn't get too worried about buying the expensive bits such as CMT & Jessada because I have seen many router bit reviews in magazines (such as Fine Woodworking & Australian Wood Review) that have shown the cheap bits to perform very well against the more expensive competition.

    When I first purchased my router 10 years ago I also got a 12 piece boxed set of the 'el cheapo' bits. I think they were called Greenline T cut or something like that. They are still available and only cost about $70 a set. They have done a heap of work and all except the 6.35mm straight bit are still going strong today. The bit only broke because I was using it to cut far too quickly in 32mm MDF and overheated it.

    The bit that I have probably used the most is the most expensive one that I have. It is a Carbi Tool multi function bit ($105). It is quite a large bit & can create many different profiles just by using multiple passes and changing the height of the bit above the surface of the table.

    I did buy a slot cutter so I could cut biscuit slots but now you can buy a GMC biscuit cutter for not much more and its not as limited as router cut biscuits.

    Regards

    Toolman

  13. #12
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    Oct 2004
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    Perth (Yokine)
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    Flush trim bits as well, plus I'm fairly simple in my work so far so the roundover bits get used a lot as well. And I do like the keyhole bit I have for when I'm making big mirrors.

    Have treated cheap bunnies bits with extreme care and watched them fly to bits though - am doing as mentioned and slowly buying better quality bits (at the moment, usually Carbatec brand) as needed.
    Cheers, Craig

    What was the greatest thing before sliced bread? :confused:

  14. #13
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    Moo, G'day from CASINO NSW the real home of Beef.
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    I'm a bit like Termite, had the old makita router for a very long time, so plenty of bits hangin round, plenty of broken ones too .
    Favourites' are not really proper "router" bits, but a pair of solid carbide 1/2" endmills(for milling machine use in metals), 1 in 4 flute 50mm spiral upcut configuration, and its mate 38mm spiral 2 flute type, cuts through all like hot knife in butter and leaves a glass like finish.
    Got a couple of new dovetail bits while in sunny Brissy today, one of C-Techs house brand and another from trade tools, we'll see how they go tomorrow.(must remember not to rout into the jig metal this time though )
    Last edited by E. maculata; 25th June 2005 at 12:32 PM. Reason: oops wrong shop
    Bruce C.
    catchy catchphrase needed here, apply in writing to the above .

  15. #14
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    East Bentleigh, Melbourne, Vic
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    Quote Originally Posted by NewLou
    Gidday

    However theres often Just a few "Bits" we always seem to be reaching out for!! Whats the Go with Your Router Bits??? Which Bits do you keep reaching out for and WHy do they seem to be your favourates????

    REgards Lou
    Hi NewLou,

    I've got a few 1/2" & 1/4" routers (Triton in shop built router table, DeWalt 621 in WoodRat, Bosch GOF 1300 ACE for free-hand and an old Ryobi for backup, plus dinky but useful Dremel) and a motley collection of router bits (including some slightly left-of-field 8mm jobs from WoodRat (need special collet).

    For the router table, my favourite is probably a 25mm long x 10mm x 12.7mm straight cut for trimming, drawer slide dado, etc. On the WoodRat I tend to use the WoodRat specials i.e. their brilliant HSS dovetail & straight bits - but one has to be very careful to avoid overloading them, else they overheat and become ballast vey quickly!.

    I also have some lock mitre, finger joint and slot cutter bits - mostly Torquata.

    One thing I have noticed is that, surprising as it may seem, Triton bits, size for size, are a fair bit cheaper that common-or-garden Bunnies of the shelf bites - at the same store

    Does anyone have any comments on availabilty or usefulness of ELU, Porter-Cable, whatever, non-plunge routers here in Oz

  16. #15
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    Nov 2004
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    Port Pirie SA
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    Me I use most of my bits often(when I get some shed time...)
    1/2*1" straight for trimming up
    19*30 straight for milling thickness
    5/16 3/8 1/2" spiral ups(morticing/slotting)
    1/2" round over
    1" bevel
    1/2" dove tailer
    asorted carbi-t slot cutters
    and my trusty carbi-t glue lock bit gets a good work out often
    also use panel a raiser and rail/stile set
    ....................................................................

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