Router bit Gift suggestion

[Dan Oelke]

Ok - my brother and I did a lot of work (that is slave labor) as we grew up doing remodeling and general handyman work for my dad. Now living a lot of miles away we can no longer "borrow" stuff from his toolbox and are building up our own.

My brother just got a Dewalt 618 router, and has on his wish list are one of two possible router bit sets (from his Amazon list) - Hickory Woodworking RBK1031 24-Piece Carbide Master Router Bit Set, 1/2" Shank (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0000ASDEN/ref=wl_it_dp/104-3151985-9399964?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I1RP7LJ9ONAPQ7&v=glance&colid=3DBI6HNZW39M0) or 50 Pcs 1/2" Shanks Carbide Router Bit Set (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0009P59UW/ref=wl_it_dp/104-3151985-9399964?%5Fencoding=UTF8&coliid=I3MW2U6TQQP4B1&v=glance&colid=3DBI6HNZW39M0)

Any suggestions/recommendations on these sets or others for the very occasional use - I would prefer keeping this to $100 or so.

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Well, at least the Hickory kit is a "known brand"...

While I'm not a normal fan of them, MCLS is a good place to look if you want to get a nice "set" for reasonable prices.

[tod evans]

most of the imported router bits come out of the same factory in taiwan. i have ordered 20 spiral upcuts from a mail order house and more than half of them came with the popular orange logo on the shank! remember router bits are a disposable item and treat them as such. .02 tod

[John Miliunas]

Dan, if your brother was trying to get a bit more serious about WW, I'd personally say to pass on the big sets. Typically, one is better off buying one or two higher quality bits as the particular jobs you're doing dictate. Something like Whiteside, Infinity or CMT comes to mind. :) However, if your heart (and his!) is set on a set:rolleyes: , I might recommend checking out Woodline: http://www.woodline.com/scripts/default.asp?campaign=google_novdec&kw=router+bits I have a couple of their more specialized "matched sets" and they do a nice job at a reasonable price. I note that they also have a "medium" sized general use set, which may fit your needs.:) :cool:

[tod evans]

john, i usually try to avoid using brands when addressing questions like this one but you have listed the two names i was talking about earlier. a few years back i ordered the spiral cutters from woodline and when they arrived most had the cmt logo on the shank.........big major price differance same bit. tod

[John Miliunas]

john, i usually try to avoid using brands when addressing questions like this one but you have listed the two names i was talking about earlier. a few years back i ordered the spiral cutters from woodline and when they arrived most had the cmt logo on the shank.........big major price differance same bit. tod

Bet that was a pleasant surprise!:D Sometimes one does wonder how many "different" brands actually come off the same line with different color paint!:) :cool:

[scott spencer]

Like Jim, I'm not a huge fan of the Hickory bits, but those that I own do cut wood. Within the "value" bits, I prefer MLCS, Woodline, Holbren, or the $5 Woodcraft bits when on sale.

Another approach is a basic set of the most common profiles from a higher end company like Whiteside. They've got a great 7-piece set for $75 that will cut better and last longer than the value bits....however the cost per bit is definitely higher.

www.hartvilletool.com (http://www.hartvilletool.com)

www.mlcswoodworking.com (http://www.mlcswoodworking.com)

[tod evans]

this same line different paint thing is a question i for one would like to have clarified. having never set foot in taiwan or china i would call on Shiraz to shed some light on this matter,not specifically router bits but equipment as well. my understanding is that griz has in the last decade implimented some of the most progressive machinery factories in the middle east? my curiosity lies as to which bits/machines run down the same lines only to get painted a different color? can/will you shed some light on this Shiraz? tod

[Joseph N. Myers]

MLCS is only 5 miles or so from me so I'm in there every month or so. I pretty much stay away from their brand as most of them are not "anti-kick back" and I've had my share of disasters using them. When I do need a bit in a hurry, I buy MLCS's Katana brand which is anti-kick back, professional grade but of course, more money.

I use to buy CMT, then Jasada but now sort of favor Freud. I do believe as others have said, in just buying the bits you use most ofter instead of kits. Reminds me of the old 80/20 rule, i.e., you use 20% of your bits 80% the time, get 80% of the job done in 20% of the time (and spend 80% on the remaining 20% of the job), 20% of the people do 80% of the work, etc.

Somebody on this forum, I think, had a real good suggestion of buying a cheaper set of bits, 1/4" perhaps, and keep track of which ones you use and buy really good ones to use instead (according to the 80/20 rule, you will be replacing 20% of them).

Regards, Joe

[Matt Meiser]

I bought the one of the MLCS sets to get me going and have slowly added better quality bits as I have needed them. As the MLCS bits wear out, they'll be replaced by top quality bits, but none have been replaced yet.

[Tom Conger]

Like Matt I bought a 50 peice set because I didn't really know what I would use.

On most oft used bits, I have upgrded to orange as I have worn them out.

[Dan Oelke]

Thanks guys. I will probably get him the set - I have myself been doing one or two at a time of the better name bits. I don't know (and I doubt even he knows) how far is going to go with the woodworking - so I'm going on the idea of buying a set and telling him to replace those that he wears out with a CMT or Whiteside.

Right now I'm leaning towards the Woodline - but maybe the MCLS.

[scott spencer]

Hi Dan - Here's another choice for a set....the results I've had from Price Cutter bits have been as good as any of the other value bits, and these are on sale well below normal "bargain" price. ($45)

http://www.pricecutter.com/product.asp?pn=p20-0016&SID=PC120705&EID=DMI120705P&eicioi=21948&bhcd2=1134560934