what router bits do you consider essential?

[mickp]

Just a general query to see what people think about router bits and thier uses.
I couldnt survive without my dovetail bits, slot cutters, bevels, cove bits, a couple of profile bits like the roman ogee and numerous straight bits.
My main use for these is in making my own moldings for my furniture and picture frames.

[doug the slug]

...................My main use for these is in making my own moldings for my furniture and picture frames.


well theres your answer to your own question. it depends on what you do with them. my projects are diversified between home renovations, small boxmaking and anything in between. I have a router table, 3 routers and a woodrat so i have a a wide range of bits in tct and hss ( the preferred bit for the woodrat and hardwood) at a guess i have 3 dovetail bits, 3 roundover bits of various sizes, one ogee bit, several straight cutters and a set of stile and rail bits, between them porobably worth more than the 3 routers put together!!!!http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gifhttp://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon10.gif

btw making your own mouldings is a great cost saver!!!!

[Jon]

I most probably use my long straight cutter the most that I use like a jointer to true up an edge.
I also have a wide flat bottom cutter for use with a thicknesser jig but next time it is needed I will probably visit McJings and get a 2" bowel cutter (I think that is what it is called) as from other threads these get the nod for thickenesser work.
Slot cutter for biscuits.

I also have a few profiles and roundover etc.

Jon

[underused]

My Whiteside "Incra set" gets used quite alot. Also straight bit round over, chamfer and ogee.
Cheers. Gary.

[Ashore]

Have four routers two old 1/4" permanetly set up for the gifkin dovetail jig a throw-a-way ortiz for freehand jobs and a good bosch 1300 ace set up in the old mark3 table.
As for bits the gifkin dovetail bit get a fair woorkout, next the rounding over bits , 1/2" straight , gifkin box making bits, 45 deg , straight cut with bearing, 6.5mm straight, ogee, and keyhole never had a much use for cove bits yet, Though like most people have bought a couple of sets of cheeper multi shaped bits, but find I generally go back to the better quality intervidual bits and the chineese ones rarely if ever get used , unless I am matching a particular moulding



Rgds

[mat]

Ashore

I had a good laugh at "ortiz"

[Carry Pine]

Slot cutter for biscuits, a lovely little ogee bit that I won in a club raffle and a round over bit get the most use. Must admit I have made panel doors with the CMT but needed to buy the big orange boy with the variable speed. Tried them in a previous life (how dumb?) in the non variable speed Makita and thought a train was coming through the garage....then read the instructions.

[Termite]

All of them......well that's what I tell SWMBO every time I want a new one. ;)

[craigb]

The one you don't have. :D

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Sharp ones that don't wobble.

In other words, what craigb just said. :rolleyes:

[Jon]

I can't edit my previous post :(

The cutter I need/want is a 1" dish cutter. Thinking about it 2" is a bit big.

Jon

[Max Ripper]

All of them lol, but my 3" flush trimming bits gotta be my favourite.




Max Ripper The bit thats makes the tools that makes the tools

[Harry72]

Router bits are like clamps... One cant have to many!

[Template Tom]

Just a general query to see what people think about router bits and thier uses.
I couldnt survive without my dovetail bits, slot cutters, bevels, cove bits, a couple of profile bits like the roman ogee and numerous straight bits.
My main use for these is in making my own moldings for my furniture and picture frames.
Doug has given you the answer It depends on what you are going to do with them
Myself I use a great deal of Face edge cutting bits from Carb-I-Tools

[Auld Bassoon]

Wouldn't it be nice to be a consumer-tester for Whiteside, CMT or Infinity - just have them send one their full sets for, say a year or so, just to see which ones are used most (insert a dribble icon) :D

[JohnnyR]

Its a tough call. I have a ton of bits right down to miniature trim sets for dollhouse kind of details but I suppose the Leigh and Incra sets get the most frequent workouts.

[Ratbag]

I think I'm particularly fond of my Carb-I-Tool bits. I've finally worn out the first bit I ever bought (1" dia. by 1 1/2"). It's not so much what they'll do, but what they've done that makes me feel nostalgic. Every bit is associated forever with its first project. Some were so expensive that even today I treat them with kid gloves. I bought a matched pair of Panel Door bits in 1985 that cost me a fortnight's wages! It actually took me the best part of a year to save for them, and now you could replace them with crappy asian imitators for less than a family night out at the pictures.

As for the most used/useful bits. Well, they would have to be my jointing bits: a Carb-I-Tool Tongue and Groover (which I scammed as a freebie with my first router) still cuts, despite having produced T & G floorboards for two houses and more wide panels/tabletops/benchtops/shelves than I can remember and a scary looking set of 4 finger joint groovers and shims mounted on an arbour for jointing up the laminations in home-made roofing beams.

But the single most useful bit ever has been a T & G V-Joint set from Israel which is now on it's fourth houselot of lining boards.