Welcome back everyone in today’s article I’m going to talk about the top 10 Router Bit sets that I use in my workshop. Now I’m doing this Article more because a lot of people have mentioned through comments on the previous Articles that they’re hesitant to buy full sets of routers bit you can usually get a deal on a full set.
But if you really just want to buy your router bit sets one at a time or two at a time. I thought it’d be worthwhile mentioning which ones that I end up with. Using on a weekly basis means you could probably shop for these 10 bits. And make up your own set what I find
I have to do often with the most used bits, is I’ll buy a few of the same bits at a time because. I know I’ll be going through them I’ll start from number 10 which is probably the least used and go down to number one which is my favorite. And most used bit so with that let’s get to it
Half Inch Shank Round over Bit
Now the half-inch shank round over bit. is something that I use when I change out the Collett on my router I’ve got a Dewalta router that can handle quarter-inch shanks and half-inch shanks it is a single-speed fixed base router. So I don’t have to worry about variable speed. And it’ll run these bits reliably if I’m going to do a lot of work on hardwoods like red oak.
For example, a half-inch shank is preferable over the quarter-inch variety. Because the greater mass of this bit will dissipate the heat a lot better and reduce. With the chatter or vibration that you get, you’ll also find that you’ll get less deflection as a result of that number nine
The long straight cutting bit with the half-inch shank
Now, this is something again that I will use for the same reason. I used the half-inch shank for the round-over bit is if I’m doing a lot of work where I need to hog out material. a little further down and I need to get deeper do longer shank. And the thicker shank is the way to go it will again handle the heat problems a lot better. And will give you a lot less chatter and vibration as you’re working I should mention that this is a carbide bit. so this can handle the abuse a little bit better than the quarter-inch variety and for that reason when I’m going to a straight bit. Or I’m doing some edge work this is the bit that I like to use.
Half inch shank t-slot router bit sets
Again I usually use the half-inch shank with t-slots. Nowadays because those are particularly hot jobs as I called them with the quarter-inch variety of the t-slot cutter. I usually have to do it in two passes I use a straight bit first and then I follow up with the t-slot which works just fine. But if you don’t want to have to do too many extra passes using the half-inch shank. And getting again a carbide bit is the way to go
Double bearing dovetail bit
This is the bit that I use when I am cutting dovetails using my general tools. A dovetail jig is a bit that I have somewhat customized for myself. It came originally with one bearing that burnt out and fell of the bit. The bit itself was still very sharp and did a great job so I bought two more bearings. And as I found out it performs a lot better with two bearings rather than one.
Profile Router bit sets
I don’t know what you call this bit but I like to call it the Bell bit. It’s typically a profile bit that you would use if you’re trying to do. Some molding I actually don’t use this for any decorative purposes at all what I usually use this bit for is cutting. Negatives into the edge of a piece of wood so that I can create a natural. Handle so for example if I’m making a single drawer you can create a natural handle. That acts as a drawer pole such as what I’ve done with the nightstands that I built recently Hardware on the face of a piece of furniture. Like that ruined the look of the nightstand so I decided to cut channels at the bottom back edge of the Drawer. And that works tremendously well as a natural drawer pole
Quarter-inch flush trim bit
This is a top-bearing bit. I also have the bottom bearing variety of this type of cutter as with a typical flush-trim bit this. One can be used for cutting out patterns I sometimes use a bottom bearing bit as I got into building cabinets these trim bits were probably the first type of bits that I used. When working with things like veneer you’re trimming off veneer on an edge. These are invaluable to have you’re gonna use them but I also use them to copy patterns and shapes so if I’m cutting patterns.
And I’m trying to duplicate a shape I will cut the shapes out roughly on the band saw. Then I’ll come over with whatever I’ve used as a template and follow the pattern using one of these bits numbers for the rabbit or rebate or slot cutter bit, however, you want to call it this is a highly versatile bit I’ve used it installed in the router table. For cutting out channels and grooves I think I’ve got three different sizes of this bit.
And again this is the quarter-inch variety I’ll use this bit quite often if I’m cutting splines I might upgrade at some point to a half-inch shank. Because you do get a little bit of kick when you’re using this bit so you want to be careful but overall a very valuable bit to have in your shop
All-purpose round over bit
Now I showed you the half-inch shank variety of the round-over bit. Here’s the quarter-inch shank Bit set. The quarter-inch shank is one I end up using kind of as a default on a particular project I might be doing multiple passes with different bits. I won’t change out the Colette I will go to my quarter inch round over and this one has been around for many years again probably almost a decade. And it’s still going strong it’s still nice and sharp. And I have not burnt out the bearing on it.
Sham for a router bit sets
This is the quarter-inch variety of Sham for a bit I think I have a half-inch shank as well somewhere. And like the round over it is used for finishing work getting quick chamfer on a piece of furniture to say a chair or a bench or even a table leg these come in really handy
I fully recommend having one of these router bit sets you can get a sham for the old-fashioned way using a chisel or a hand plane, where the round over is not always desirable the chamfer is often the way to go if you’re trying to break that edge and give it a nice sort of multi-dimensional look to your furniture
Spiral down cut bit
Last but not least is my favorite. The spiral down cut bit I also have the up-cut variety of this bit this down cut bit is the one that I’d like to use the Most. Because it leaves a nice clean finish on the top of the cut and at the bottom, it just hogs out the wood really nice again I try to buy only carbide bits nowadays because.
The ordinary cheaper bits don’t last very long they actually end up either breaking or burning up this one has been around in my shop for probably about a couple of years. Now and I have yet to have to sharpen it. It is still razor-sharp and it’s still doing its job just fine I love using this for a variety of purposes not least of which is if I’m doing a box joint as in my box stripping.
I will use a bit like this to hog out the material. but I get a much cleaner cut I have a longer version of this that came with my general tools mortise and Tenon Jake what happens is you’ll use this on several passes. And this is not unlike the bits that you’ll see on CNC machines where a CNC machine will go through in several passes.
And hog out the wood gradually rather than trying to take big bites one thing I’m going to do in the future is by the half-inch variety of this again but this is by far my favorite. and probably the most used bit in my workshop so there you have it a top 10 router bit sets if you were hesitant to buy a set of router bits this article should help you figure out which ones to buy which
We’ll be most useful to you and the projects that you’re working on I have quite a few other bits that I have in. the shop some really odd ones a lot of profile bits that came with sets that I Bought. really I don’t use most of them the ten that I’ve shown you today is absolutely the most used and the ones that I go to most often
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