Raised Panel Bit Sets - The Winner is.........?

[Jim Eller]

As stated in another thread, I'm in the process of building a blanket/hope chest.

I guess I'm going with raised panels.

I have a set I purchased about two years ago and never used. Well, today I gave them a shot and built a small panel and they seem to leave something to be desired.

If you were purchasing a new raised panel set today, what set would you purchase??

Any one use Marc Sommerfeld's bit set? I have watched his video and really like the fact that once you set the height you don't have to set it again when you change bits(if it works as indicated).

Jim

[Ron Bontz]

Whiteside triple wing or freud. Otherwise, I use my shaper. Do not try to take the whole cut at once on a router table. I always take a small clean up cut on the router table. Follow it with 120grit sand paper then 220 lightly. It stains out the same as the rest of the piece. Good luck:)

[Bob Wingard]

Sommerfeld USED to sell CMT and they were very good. He is now selling his own house brand .. Made in China .. I avoid them .. definitely not the best bang for the buck.

[Paul Greathouse]

I haven't used the Whiteside that Ron mentioned but Freud bits do a very good job. All of my recent router bit purchases have been Freud. They seem to be one of the major brands that is getting right.

[Ken Garlock]

Hi Jim.

I bought a set of raised panel, with backside cutter, from Eagle America (http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v186-4755/best_sellers). I have only cut less than 20 panels with them, and they have worked very well for me. I would definitely buy them again. :cool:

Eagle America is also having a sale on the bits. It is not a big discount, but every little bit helps.:)

I can't speak to these particular bits, but many of the Eagle America bits are White Side bits in an Eagle America plastic bag. ;)

[Bob Elliott]

Go to Sommerfeld's web site. They are closing out all the CMT bit sets. I have the 6 piece CMT raised panel set and bought the glass door set for $50 off the normal CMT price and $30 less than the house Chinese made set. You can get some good deals on decent bit sets in the closeout page.


Sommerfeld USED to sell CMT and they were very good. He is now selling his own house brand .. Made in China .. I avoid them .. definitely not the best bang for the buck.

[Mike Reinholtz]

I have had great luck with both Freud and Amana. Neither are cheap, but I have a couple styles from each manufacture and have had great luck with both. If I had to pick which does better for me, the Freud wins but only by a slim margin. The place the Freud really shines for me was with Oak, the Amana was leaving a "fur" edge (although it might have been too dull). I just finished making doors for my kitchen cabinets from Maple with a Freud set and didn't have any problems.

Using a shaper would be MUCH better, but the one I restored is still waiting for a VFD that is on back order...:D

[Jim Eller]

Using a shaper would be MUCH better, but the one I restored is still waiting for a VFD that is on back order...:D

Mike,

I have looked at shapers many times but there comes a time when I run out of practical room. I think I'm there and have been for some time.

I agree with the Freud brand. I have been buying just Freud or Whiteside and I prefer the Whiteside.

I have been watching some of Marc Sommerfeld's videos and like the fact that his bit are a set height in all of his sets. The current brands I have are not.

Jim

[Mike Heidrick]

Freud has the 2+2 bits which work great. The have been doing that on their shaper cutters for some time.

[Matt Meiser]

They are closing out all the CMT bit sets.

Lots of places are closing out the CMT bits. I needed a service part this past fall for a RP set I have and couldn't get through to anyone. Emails and voicemails were never returned. My local CMT dealer, who is getting rid of what he stocks, was able to find what I needed in the catalog. When I asked what was up, he said that he isn't sure, but that it doesn't look good for them.

[Cary Falk]

I have had good luck with Amana, CMT, Freud, and Katana.

[Glen Butler]

I have seen excellent results from CMT raised panel bits and I have never been dissappointed in a freud bit. Which is probably why all my bits are freud.

[Russ Jensen]

Expensive, but durable

[Jim Eller]

Does anyone know if the Freud raised panel set has the same matched set height for both bits as the Sommerfeld set does?

[Curt Harms]

One of the things i don't care for with the router bit sets is the tenon on the rail is limited to 3/8" which is not a lot for larger doors. Freud appears to have taken the design of their exterior door making router bits sets and shrunk them. It looks like you could make most any tenon length you want and deepen the mortise part of the stile with a mortiser or router. I didn't understand how those bits worked 'til I saw a demo at the Allentown PA. woodcraft store. They're doing a Freud demo tomorrow, Feb. 5 at Allentown. I may have to check that out. They'll probably have something of a discount in addition to having a Freud rep there. I've heard good things about the quadracut panel raisers, especially with coarse grained woods like oak and ash. Here are some examples. The rail & stile bits are $119 by themselves and the raised panel bits run around $95 so the kit saves a few bucks.

http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/2080395/29220/Adjustable-Rail-and-Stile-3-pc-Door-Bit-Set--Cove-Panel--Round-Rail--12-Shank--Freud-97-152.aspx

[Anthony Anderson]

Freud 2+2. Smooth as butter. I like the backcutter, some don't. I also like the smaller/tighter radius profile on the rail and stile bits, compared to the CMT.

Bill