Thread: Router Bit Suggestions

Always buy tungsten carbide cutters. Don't waste your money on high speed steel cutters.

It is a good idea to purchse cutters as you require them I have been using the only Australian made cutters for years Call into your local store and ask for Carb-I-Tool Brand

Great thanks for the tips, happy to stick with Australian made. Hopefully someone local stocks them as Newcaslte has pretty poor choice sometimes.

Try starting with one of those cheapy all in one sets off of E-bay; the finishes will be crap but you'll learn which bits are useful to you and which bits aren't. Then buy the specific profiles you need from a decent brand. I use a lot of roundover and flush trim bits; I only ever buy CMT for these.

In order of preference I get these brands:

CMT Italian, best in the world, Carba-tec or online
Freud American, Timbecon or online
Trend British and harder to come by. Online only, best to get them direct from the UK
Carbitool Australian, good range of profiles and readily available; often on the shelf.
Linbide Kiwi, again often available on the shelf

My decision as to which brands I get revolves around how much time I have before I need to buy it; if I have a couple of weeks then I go foreign, if I need it yesterday then whatever is available. All the brands listed above have catalogues, I would recommend you get hold of them.

A brand called Diablo are now on sale at my local big Green Shed; I've seen their saws and they might be ok.

Finally, the best investment you will ever make is a library ticket. Go the the woodworking section of the library and borrow as many books on routing as you can manage; you'll be amazed at the range of jigs and fixtures you can build.

Great thanks for the advice!
Have been around to most of the shops in Newcastle but no one seems to stock any of the reputable brands listed here.
Also have noticed the Diablo brand in the big green shed but they look kinds expensive for an unknown brand, unknown to me anyway.
I guess as usual i'll have to just buy online, saves petrol anyway : )

Diablo blades are manufactured by Freud which is a good reputable brand. So the cutters are probably also made by them.
The big green shed does have some good quality at times, just maybe not at the lowest prices.

Les

Having spent several seconds of research I have now discovered that Diablo are a subsidiary of Freud, therefore they have a fighting chance of being half decent. I've seen plenty of adverts and claims for their saw blades, including one for a demo saw blade that had quite comfortably chopped 8 cars in half and was still going strong. They ran of cars apparently; perhaps they should have considered quartering the ones they'd already destroyed.... Anyway; I'm a bit more confident that the quality of these bits shouldn't be too embarrassing, and the fact that Bunnies sell them means they'll be pretty easy to get hold of.

I'm real surprised though that you can't find Carbitool or Linbide at least in Newcastle; have you tried phoning around proper tool shops who service and sharpen tools? Carbitool also sell carbide blanks for making blades and replacing TCT tips on saws.

Originally Posted by lesmeyer

Diablo blades are manufactured by Freud which is a good reputable brand.
Les

Beat me to it by only minutes!

I started with a 15pc kit of router bits from carbatec. I reckon 12 are still unused in the box. Not saying that others wouldn't find it a good way to go, but is really start with a few key bits and go from there.

Perhaps start with a spiral down cut (for rebates and dados) and an upcut for mortises. A straight bit with a bearing for template work (even a few of these with different diameters), a chamfer bit (45 deg) and a round over bit. Then any special bits you want for particular projects.

Trav

Did not see it but an old cabinet maker told me about it - he fortunately was not of an age where having children was a vital issue. He also was old school and always wore a heavy [thickish] leather tool bag - now to get to the point - remember that the bit is spinning at some 20,000 rpm - cheap bits are fine until something goes wrong - e.g. hard knot in Aussie timber, part of the so called carbide decided to go travelling, he was free handing on saw horses, so the travelling piece managed to contact and cut into the tool bag - which by the way was covering the family jewels.

Seriously, there is carbide and carbide, its density, grain structure - all affects its ability to keep an edge, whether it can be resharpened, stay together and get the job done. Get a cheapie set for the price of 1 quality bit - certainly, but - the cheapies [usually no name in a badly fitted wooden / aluminium box] can't really deliver the goods.

Just as a final thought, this, to me, falls into the same category as buying el-cheapo drill bits or a known brand.

Probably 'nuff said.

Update - After looking and looking I ended up giving in and just bought the CMT 13 piece set. Managed to get them for $250 delivered so about $20 each, if I don't use a few then no biggie.
Arrived today in a lovely wooden case.... nice : )
Cheers

As much as I would always say go with Australian made first, I have just received four 1/2" shanked bits from Whiteside (available from Professional Woodworkers Supplies......a Forum sponsor), and I can only say that these router bits are the best quality router bits I have ever laid my eyes on.
I'll try to get some pics of them tomorrow if only to show the professional way they are shipped and the sheer size and quality of these items.

'Nuff said,
Bob