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  1. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by malletman View Post
    Hi,

    I've begun making inroads back into woodworking after relocating from Ireland a few years ago and want to use decent router cutters (though not necessarily spend a fortune on them). I have some Ultra ones from Bunnings, which I find hit and miss. I see Sydney Tools do brands called Xtorque and Techsmart; would these be recommended? Or would I be much better off buying from the likes of Carbatec or Carbitool? Fyi I'm using a 1/4" Ryobi trim router (drives me crazy but I'm stuck with it for the moment). Thanks.

    Hi,
    When it's in deep, it's in decent.
    Regards
    Hugh

    Enough is enough, more than enough is too much.

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  3. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Sydney
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    5

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    "Riverbuilder:
    For something that’s spinning at 18,000 RPM, I like to have the best quality bitand as sharp as possible.
    Dimar
    Carbitool
    Torquata
    CMT orange.

    Never had one let go in 40 plus years of using routers every day."

    (sorry - quote function not working for me)

    Yes, it's been playing on my mind that for safety reasons it may be best to spend the extra money on brands with proven quality.

  4. #18
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Hobart
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    I have always had good experiences with tungsten carbide router bits, including Chinese el cheapos. Agree with Paul that occasional touch up with diamond feather file is refreshing.

    Cannot say the same thing about High Speed Steel bits; some seem to be made from (very) mild steel.

  5. #19
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    215

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    I get all my bits from the US

    MLCS Router Bits and Woodworking Products

    Their range is huge (including accessories) and I've never had a problem with quality (most bits are made in Taiwan, I believe). Service is excellent and price is remarkable.

    I've just made a purchase of a 1-1/2"flat bottom bit (US$17) plus a digital height gauge for use with the router table (US$26). Total value NZ$51.00
    The only drawback is the shipping which for those two items brought the cost to NZ$99.00 so best to shop for a few items at a time.

    Pete

    - - - Updated - - -
    Last edited by woodhutt; 2nd March 2021 at 08:40 AM. Reason: Duplicate post

  6. #20
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
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    Quote Originally Posted by woodhutt View Post
    I get all my bits from the US

    MLCS Router Bits and Woodworking Products

    Their range is huge (including accessories) and I've never had a problem with quality (most bits are made in Taiwan, I believe). Service is excellent and price is remarkable.

    I've just made a purchase of a 1-1/2"flat bottom bit (US$17) plus a digital height gauge for use with the router table (US$26). Total value NZ$51.00
    The only drawback is the shipping which for those two items brought the cost to NZ$99.00 so best to shop for a few items at a time.

    Pete

    - - - Updated - - -
    I'd assume that there's a real lack of choice when it comes to buying options in NZ? That's an extraordinary price to pay for those two items, you're really doing yourself a disservice by not shopping on Aliexpress, Banggood etc.

    Just my 2c worth.

  7. #21
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Smile

    Quote Originally Posted by aldav View Post
    I'd assume that there's a real lack of choice when it comes to buying options in NZ? That's an extraordinary price to pay for those two items, you're really doing yourself a disservice by not shopping on Aliexpress, Banggood etc.

    Just my 2c worth.
    I'll certainly check them out but I always prefer to deal with an established seller (with premises) rather than an on-line market place.
    Cheers,
    Pete

  8. #22
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    Apr 2005
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    Warragul
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    68
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    577

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    Quote Originally Posted by woodhutt View Post
    I get all my bits from the US

    MLCS Router Bits and Woodworking Products

    Their range is huge (including accessories) and I've never had a problem with quality (most bits are made in Taiwan, I believe). Service is excellent and price is remarkable.

    I've just made a purchase of a 1-1/2"flat bottom bit (US$17) plus a digital height gauge for use with the router table (US$26). Total value NZ$51.00
    The only drawback is the shipping which for those two items brought the cost to NZ$99.00 so best to shop for a few items at a time.

    Pete

    - - - Updated - - -
    They have a great range and the quality looks good BUT ...... I just priced a box set which looked really good until I saw the shipping cost of nearly $90 AUD. Yuk!

  9. #23
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Quote Originally Posted by barri View Post
    They have a great range and the quality looks good BUT ...... I just priced a box set which looked really good until I saw the shipping cost of nearly $90 AUD. Yuk!
    Yes, like I said, the shipping is horrendous!
    Just checked out what I'd pay for the two items from Carbatec here in NZ. First, the nearest I could get to the bottom cleaning bit (not as large a cutting diameter) would cost me NZ$47. The digital height gauge (same model as far as I can see) NZ$49. Courier Post cost (Auckland to Wellington) NZ$12. Total cost NZ$108.
    Compared to the MLCS cost of NZ$99. including shipping, plus the fact that I'd have to compromise on the bit size and style, the choice is a no-brainer.
    Cheers
    Pete

  10. #24
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    May 2011
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    Albury
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    Quote Originally Posted by woodhutt View Post
    Yes, like I said, the shipping is horrendous!
    Just checked out what I'd pay for the two items from Carbatec here in NZ. First, the nearest I could get to the bottom cleaning bit (not as large a cutting diameter) would cost me NZ$47. The digital height gauge (same model as far as I can see) NZ$49. Courier Post cost (Auckland to Wellington) NZ$12. Total cost NZ$108.
    Compared to the MLCS cost of NZ$99. including shipping, plus the fact that I'd have to compromise on the bit size and style, the choice is a no-brainer.
    Cheers
    Pete
    And around half that cost through Aliexpress with no compromise in quality or size. Might take a bit longer to arrive, but, IMO it's a no-brainer.

  11. #25
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    Feb 2019
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    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Quote Originally Posted by aldav View Post
    And around half that cost through Aliexpress with no compromise in quality or size. Might take a bit longer to arrive, but, IMO it's a no-brainer.
    I took another look at the bits on Aliexpress and while the pricing is very attractive (about NZ$9.00 for the large diameter bottom cleaning bit), I'm still erring on the side of caution. These bits are very chunky with a massive head which I will be running about 15-16,000 rpm for the job in question (flattening boards in a jig). I don't have any experience of the Ali bits but I know the quality of those from MLCS and so feel safer and confident they'll do the job I want.
    As I only ever buy bits individually to suit the job I need (I only ever once bought a boxed set when I first started routing and half of them have never been used) I think I'll stick with what I know despite the cost when it comes to the larger bits - especially the heavier patterns such as rail & stile. I will, however look at Ali when replacing some of my smaller bits when the time comes.
    Thanks to all for the advice.
    Pete

  12. #26
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    Apr 2006
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    Hobart
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    You sound like me about five years ago, Pete. Aliexpress really is worth a try but a few things to bear in mind:

    • the parent company is Alibaba,
    • Alibaba and Aliexpress are the Chinese equivalent of ebay and amazon. They are the "shop front" for thousands of individual vendors; most good, some still learning, a few scams.
    • Alibaba is the wholesale division, B2B, prices may be brilliant but minimum quantity rules apply. "How many container loads?"
    • Aliexpress is the retail division, sometimes incredibly cheap, but you are dealing with individual suppliers of varying quality.
    • English is a very foreign language to them. Keep things simple and be tolerant.
    • China Post seems to be reliable, but very slow, sometimes extremely slow.


    I went to buy some router bits about five years ago, selected the three that I wanted and found that the postage costs exceeded the product costs. I then added a few more bits, and a few more, until the postage rate jumped. So I bought about fifteen and the postage costs were moderate. The tungsten bits are good, the HSS ones were crap.

    Chinese friend says that Chinese language version of Alibaba/Aliexpress is even more comprehensive. But key is to remember that they are all individual shops - just like ebay.

  13. #27
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
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    Petone, NZ
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    Quote Originally Posted by woodhutt View Post
    Yes, like I said, the shipping is horrendous!
    Just checked out what I'd pay for the two items from Carbatec here in NZ...
    I used to swear by Linbide bits. Made in New Zealand, a good range, and good quality (with decent sized chunks of carbide). But last time I went to buy some I found they have moved manufacturing to China - and I'm blowed if I'll willingly buy products from a country with the human rights ethics of pre-WW2 Nazi Germany.

    So I need an alterative supplier now .

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  14. #28
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    May 2011
    Location
    Albury
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vann View Post
    I used to swear by Linbide bits. Made in New Zealand, a good range, and good quality (with decent sized chunks of carbide). But last time I went to buy some I found they have moved manufacturing to China - and I'm blowed if I'll willingly buy products from a country with the human rights ethics of pre-WW2 Nazi Germany.

    So I need an alterative supplier now .

    Cheers, Vann.
    Wow, you're really in trouble if you're not willing to purchase ANY products made in China. You can probably start by throwing out your mobile phone and your computer.

    There's always Carbitool to fall back on though, at least at the moment. Might be some Indian manufactured bits in your future.

  15. #29
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    Sep 2008
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    Quote Originally Posted by aldav View Post
    Wow, you're really in trouble if you're not willing to purchase ANY products made in China. You can probably start by throwing out your mobile phone and your computer.
    Yes it's quite difficult. My cellphone is a Samsung - which I assume is made in Korea (I didn't buy it so didn't research its source) otherwise my next one will have to be a Nokia (unless they're now manufactured in China too ). Even then many of the components will be made in China.

    I did say I don't willingly purchase from China - sometimes there's just no choice (shows just how much they've got us by the short and curlies), not that I won't purchase from China. But I usually look for other sources first. Most of my portable power tools are old Makita or Hitachi, from the days when they were made in Japan (maybe they still are). And I've avoided handtools from China - with a very high success rate (it helps that I'm into vintage gear).

    But as this is the routing forum, my old (semi-retired) Skill 297 router is made is USA, while my regular use router is a Makita 3620 which says "Makita Corporation, Japan" which doesn't guarantee it's actually made in Japan. And my big 1925 Wadkin overhead router (still under overhaul) is made in England.
    ALL my portable router bits are Linbide, made in New Zealand, while the ones for the Wadkin are made in England.

    Cheers, Vann.
    Gatherer of rusty planes tools...
    Proud member of the Wadkin Blockhead Club .

  16. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
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    Upper Hutt, New Zealand
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    Another quick look at Aliexpress shows the makes of bits matching what I need are LaVie & JGZUI. A Google search could not tell me where these are manufactured.
    I'm much of the same opinion as Vann when it comes to Chinese manufactured goods but my objection is more to do with quality and safety rather than any ethical concerns. Even brands manufactured in China under license and where you would expect the OEM to exercise some quality control in order to protect their reputation doesn't inspire confidence (think Fonterra, the NZ milk powder producer who opened a plant in China only to have the product deliberately contaminated in order to increase the volume).
    A quick search for router bit reviews came up with this

    🏅 10 Best Router Bits – [Reviews & Guide] - Updated Mar 2021

    I was pleased to see MLCS rated well as a starter kit (if the OP is looking for a boxed set) and my own experience with their individual bits has always been positive. I guess it comes down to a choice between performance/safety and price.
    Pete

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