Looking for upcut spiral router bit 1/4 or 5/16 longer than 1 inch!

[Jim Mackell]

The title says it all. I'm looking for an upcut spiral router bit 1/4 or 5/16, that is longer than 1 inch in the actual cutting area. Need to make some mortises about 1 1/2 deep and would like to try this approach as my right arm is about falling off from using bench top mortiser. Any help in locating would be appreciated as I can't seem to find anything longer than 1 inch.

Thanks!

[Jamie Buxton]

When I needed to do what you're attempting, I couldn't find a 1/4" bit with a cutting length longer than 1". However, I did find an end mill which is something like 4" long. It still has only 1" cutting length. So I milled the first 1" of the mortise depth with the regular router bit, then switched to the long end mill to cut the deeper part of the mortise. On the end mill, the upper part of the bit is guided by the mortise walls you've already milled with the shorter bit. You might also bore out the bulk of the waste with a drill before you cut the mortise. MSC is one supplier of end mills www.mscdirect.com.

[John TenEyck]

McMaster Carr sells 1/4" spiral upcut end mills with a 1.5" long cutting length. Didn't look any further. https://www.mcmaster.com/#8876a64/=1b1ecyx

I regularly cut deeper than 1" with the 1/4" spiral upcut router bits I use, and they only have 1" cutting length. The tip of the bit does the work if you take shallow passes. I don't think I've ever cut deeper than about 1-1/4", so I'm not saying it would work for 1.5", only that it's possible to go deeper than the stock cutting length. Of course, if you buy a bit with 1.5" cutting length there will be no question about it.

John

FYI, I use end mills all the time with the mortiser on my J/P, and they work great. I'd have no qualms about using them in my router. Just make sure to buy center cutting so it can plunge, and 2 or 3 flutes.

John

[roger wiegand]

Just curious, does going deeper than an inch with a 1/4" tenon add to the strength of the joint?

[Bill Dufour]

Check ebay for 1/4 carbide endmill. The one I linked to is $20 +5 for shipping from online carbide.
Not a recommendation, never bought from them, just the first one I see that is more then 1" DOC

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-4-FLUTE-LONG-CARBIDE-END-MILL/352190878887?hash=item52003654a7:g:9OUAAOSwB-1YnyJL

[Jamie Buxton]

Just curious, does going deeper than an inch with a 1/4" tenon add to the strength of the joint?

Maybe not. But what I was doing was cutting through mortises for legs in a seat bottom that was pretty thick. I wanted the look of the through mortise.

[Jamie Buxton]

Just curious, does going deeper than an inch with a 1/4" tenon add to the strength of the joint?
Note that the OP is cutting the mortise with a quarter inch bit. The mortise (and therefore the tenon) is likely larger.

[Floyd Mah]

Harbor Freight sells several spiral bit sets, $10 to $14, that are up to 3 inches long. One word of caution when using spiral bits, I have found that the spiral flutes tend to pull the bits out of the collet. In other words, your results may vary as you proceed with your cuts, until the bit actually pops out of the router. So, measure frequently, or you might be surprised. This, of course, might depend on the quality of the collet in your router, but just be forewarned.

[John TenEyck]

Harbor Freight sells several spiral bit sets, $10 to $14, that are up to 3 inches long. One word of caution when using spiral bits, I have found that the spiral flutes tend to pull the bits out of the collet. In other words, your results may vary as you proceed with your cuts, until the bit actually pops out of the router. So, measure frequently, or you might be surprised. This, of course, might depend on the quality of the collet in your router, but just be forewarned.

That's a good point. I've had it happen a couple of times with the collets on lower end machines like my Ryobi and Hitachi, but it's never happened on any of the better quality collets on my Bosch, PC, etc. routers. The Ryobi cost me a lot of extra work when a bit loosened and the recess I was cutting turned into a hole through the piece.

John

[Jim Mackell]

Thanks to all for the tips! Floyd, I've had that happen before and it's a real pissah when it does!

[Bill Dufour]

At least he is cutting through all the way so if the bit pulls out to cut deeper it is not a big problem.
Bill

[Bill Dufour]

I wonder if solid carbide bits need to be held tighter in the collet because they are so hard?
Bill

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
Here is an option available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Kodiak-Cutting-Tools-KCT137718-Diameter/dp/B007BSHUXE/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1515448470&sr=8-6&keywords=5%2F16+end+mill

They make quite a variety of diameters and lengths. I have bought some in the 1/4" diameter and 3/8" diameter for mortising and they've worked perfectly.
Good luck,

[Bruce Wrenn]

I second the HF mortising bits. As other poster said, make sure it's tight in the collet.

[Brian Gumpper]

You might be having a problem with the HF bits because they might be metric equivalents or lower tolerances.

Carbide is tough but brittle, go slow with a longer small diameter bit.