Horizontal vs Vertical raised panel router bits...

[Todd Davidson]

Am curious as to how vertical raised panel bits compare to horizontal.

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Todd, I think they make a smoother cut because they are spinniing a lot faster.

[Richard Wolf]

Todd, I like the idea of the vertical bits, much safer. Just don't skip on building a tall fence to hold the panels vert.
The down side of the vertical bits is you can not do arched top doors.

Richard

[Corey Hallagan]

Todd, my router table has a 2 inch max hole in it so I had to go with the vertical. Got a good buy on one at the Sears/Freud bit sale. 2 for 1 sale going on now. I won't be able to use it though until I make a tall auxillary fence for the table as Richard points out.

Corey

[John Keane]

Help me out here. If a router bit is spinning at a given RPM, then what difference does it make whether it is vertical or horizontal? Isn't RPM the controlling variable?

[Lou Morrissette]

John,

Because the verticle bits are smaller in diameter, the can be run at a higher RPM. That would result in a better finish.

Lou

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I won't use a vertical panel raiser...period. You'll never convince me it's safer to run the workpiece on edge than it is laying flat on the table. That's about all I've got to say about that.

KC

[Norman Hitt]

John,

Because the verticle bits are smaller in diameter, the can be run at a higher RPM. That would result in a better finish.

Lou

I kinda disagree, because the RPM NEEDS to be increased on the smaller diameter bits, so the cutting edge is traveling the same speed (approximately) as the cutting edge on the larger diameter bits as measured in Ft.sec. There have been some reports in the past that the part of the contour of the cut that was at the EDGE of the Smallest diameter of the vertical bit didn't make as clean a cut as when using the large diameter horizontal bits of the same pattern.

[Tom Hintz]

While I can't swear to all the others, I have a review of the Infinity Tools vertical panel bit at the link below. Take light passes, tall fence for safety and it does a very good job without a big horsepower router.
Actual bit RPM is more for safety with a given bit diameter. You can do more for the quality of the finish with the feed rate. Shoving the wood in too fast will ruin the finish regardless of bit speed as will going too slow.

http://www.newwoodworker.com/reviews/infvertpnlbitrvu.html

[Hal Flynt]

I too like the vertical bits. I use a tall 1 foot fence and wooden Hand clamps to steady the panel (clamp the panel so the hand clamp slids across the top of the raised fence). This keeps the panel from tipping and gives me more control. I sneak up on the final pass in 1/8' increments and 1/32 to 1/64 for the final finish pass and have minimal sanding to do.

[Charles Hans]

I also agree that the vertical bit is a good choice. I don't have a large hp router and that's why I chose the vertical bit. I have used it extensively and have had fine results , the finish is as good as you could want. I have not had a problem when using the tall fence it keeps the panel very steady.
Charles

[Joe Lenox]

I like the verticle bits...and I made a horizontal router table to use them in...I made it similar to the one in the MCLS catalog...I know I should have posted pictures and I will as soon as I figure out how to.

[Steve Clardy]

You guys all give me the creapy shivers when you mention using a router for raised panels. I just can't convince myself that those raised panel bits on 1/2 shafts are the way to do it.
I use a 3hp shaper.

[Michael Ballent]

I won't use a vertical panel raiser...period. You'll never convince me it's safer to run the workpiece on edge than it is laying flat on the table. That's about all I've got to say about that.

KC

Just use the router so it is parallel to the table... Now you can run the wood resting on the table and you can use the verticle panel raiser horizontilly :D Just need to change the perspective ;)

[Sam Blasco]

I've always found it more finicky running anything on edge. Never did it on a router table, but on a shaper (same basic rules apply) it is very easy, and advisable, to build a safety hood and hold down for raising panels running the panel flat on the table. I'm sure you could engineer something similar for a vertical bit, but the ergonomics on the body for any of us with neck or back problems means that any time we can run something flat on a table instead of holding our arms at shoulder height or higher, pushing on a fence, leaning over a table edge, on your toes... hopefully you see my point. Plus alot more mass in horizontal cutters (inertia effect) most likely leading to a better finish. Of course, the difference may not be that dramatic in router bits, but in shaper cutters it is huge. And you don't need any of these big tall fences and reiforcments to keep them stable and square. My .02.

[John Keane]

I accept as axiomatic that a narrower diameter router bit may be operated effectively at higher RPM than its wider counterpart. What I question is how a vertical bit of the same diameter as a horizontal bit can run faster because it is vertical.

[Jules Dominguez]

Obviously, from the posts, both will do a good job. Smothness of cut is a factor of the speed of the cutting edge. A small diameter bit has to rotate at higher rpm's to get the same cutting edge speed as a larger diameter bit running at lower rpm's. I have a large diameter raised panel bit and a small diameter but tall molding bit. I made an auxiliary tabletop for the router table to handle the large diameter bit, as it does require a large opening in the table. I admit to being nervous using that big sucker, but I take special care when I do and it does a good smooth job of shaping the wood. As for the alternative, a small diameter bit, it also makes me nervous holding the workpiece vertical against even a tall fence.

They'll both make a nice cut and they both deserve more care and attention in use than "normal" bits.