Thread: Router Bits - Box of 12 = $10.00

Yes, not bad at all Linden. Looks like they're 1/2" and all...

Couldn't go wrong with that, especially if you're starting out and you're trying to work out which bits in particular to buy really good versions of. I've just got a cheapy set at the moment, but I still paid a fair bit more than that.

Best Wishes,
Batpig.

Linden... mate... cheep is cheep... cheep is also bloody dangerous!!

I know theres a thread somewhere around here about my own experience with cheep bunnings router bits and mate I now PAY UP for the good ones!!! If I need a particular bit I talk to the blokes at Carbetex and they advise me which one I need for that particular result... having bought a bunch of them now I couldnt refer them more strongly

Nor warn you more stringently about cheep router bits!!

THINK ABOUT IT!!!

Metal bit whirrrling at some friggin insane speed... cheep metal... touch wood BLAM you suddenly have a manicly whirling peice of bloody sharp metal flinging around the shed... and your head!!!

Mine cut me along the forarm the forehead and across the shoulder before it finally embedded itself in the wall of the shed and that was after wizzing around the shed several times!! THANK GOD none of the kids or the missus had come out... the peice ended up in the wall next to the door at kid/missus head height!!

So... THINK!!! they may be cheep and a "bargain" mate... but hells bells is your or your loved ones life worth so little?

ahem... just my view of bunnings cheep crap router bits based on my own personal experience

I'm with Ding on that. Make sure you have the work covered and you have a safety mask on. Flying tungsten is hard to catch.

I've snapped off two 6mm straight bits from Bunnings sets (not necessarily GMC) routing grooves, very slowly. They've disappeared downwards, but I shudder to think what would happen with a decent sized round over bit or something.

Pay for good ones, especially if you're using them hand held.

Dingo and Rookie,
Thanks for your warning about the dangers of using cheap router bits. I will be on guard if I use them.


How can you tell the quality of a router bit?
Is it price?
Is it manufacturer?
Is it just general opinion?
Is it personal experience? Such as Dingo and Rookie experienced!
How is the average person to know?
Some items are marked up 1,000 percent before they get to the consumer?

Please do not be offended by my question as I do not know and value advice from others who do!

1. carbitool
2. cmt
3. carbatec
4. torqata

ive used these and found they last well
specialy the 1 and 2 3 and 4 are pretty good as well
ive used cheap bist and apart from the safety aspect you can make 1 cut and they are r00ted

i know bits are expensive at around $50.00 each for straight bits
i have had some carbitool bits sharpened 3 times after heaps of cuts in very hard timbers and they come up just like new - you couldnt sharpen a cheap bit that is screwed after one cut so it makes em pretty expensive in my estimation

dont take my word for it you'll find out soon enough about cheap router bits

I agree with everyone else. They're not a bargain, their a potential death trap and at best an accident waiting to happen. I also prefer router bits that last and can be sharpened. CMT is my fav., but Carbitool aren't bad either.

Regards,

Rob

Quite right, i too agree with all the warnings above. The same low priced sets are sold here in Europe, they seem a bargain. Soldered-in carbide bits that appear to have quality, a nice variety of shapes and sizes and even the box that they come in looks very tempting.
But the hard metal cutting parts are of an unknown quality. They may be carbide alloys, but they can be made too hard and too brittle. In that case, tiny pieces can chip off when something hard is hit inadvertantly. I've also seen failed soldering joints, where the whole cutting bit was flung into the air. Even with the little mass it has, the speed can be enough to have it break a window pane.

I once bought a set like this myself (after having checked that all soldered joints were fine). I'm a careful worker with routers anyway, so none of the parts have failed or chipped or broken yet, but when the need for sharpening arose, i noticed the hardened steel was indeed poor quality. I have various grinding machines to even sharpen tungsten carbide tools, but this was an awkward job with less than perfect results.

So i would consider sets like these to be no good for professional application or for use in hard wood. In short: all demanding and mechanically tough or risky router jobs. But for hobbystuff in soft wood like pine or birch plywood and such, they are adequate and offer fine results. They are excellent for toymaking and doll's houses and i keep them in reserve for jobs like that. And when they are blunt, you throw them away.

But for serious and tough jobs, go for quality and investment, i learned from practice that in the long run this always pays off.

cheers!

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

Mine cut me along the forarm the forehead and across the shoulder before it finally embedded itself in the wall of the shed and that was after wizzing around the shed several times!! THANK GOD none of the kids or the missus had come out... the peice ended up in the wall next to the door at kid/missus head height!!

Honestly ?

I've been through a lot of cheap bits. None have exploded on me though. Didn't hit a nail did ya ?

Agree its worth getting good quality bits though. Especially the raking ones. Nicer cuts.

Haha, you're right, i reread my post and it sounded a bit panicky, but i meant well.

Nope, no nail. And yes, it may have been hard bits or traces of metal in the wood. For instance, a lot of harvested Dutch wood has metal traces in it, like pieces of grenade iron from the Second world War! This goes especially for pine raised near our Veluwe heather fields, where the Germans intercepted bomber planes on their way to the Ruhrgebiet with heavy FLAK-guns. A lot of infantry fighting was going on there.

And seriously, i've seen a failed soldering joint on a cheap bit once. As you say, it seldomly happens. In this case, the bit may have had a serious collision with solid metal which wrenched the carbide tip joint loose beforehand, furthermore the entire bit was discoloured and black at some parts, so it had run very hot, maybe several times over. And that's bad for any metal part. So i admit the use must have been beyond reasonable limits, though it wasn't my bit and it didn't happen to me personally. But i never saw something like that happen to a quality bit.

You're also right about the fact that, when you know what to look for and have tool and materials knowledge, cheap bits needn't be a bad purchase and they can serve you well. But for the sake of utmost safety and because i can't judge the knowledge and experience of others, i decided to write my post as i did above.

Regards & nice weekend

Had a cheap set for a few years now. Have gradually replaced them with quality ones as the job required it.
However, they've done a fair job for me. The only problems I came across was the screw holding the guide bearing of one of them came out during use. Gave me a shock at the time. After that I checked them all for tightness and used a touch of loctite. (I even found the bearing and screw)
Jim