Reformed Router Bit Snob

[Frank Drackman]

In the past, I was a complete router bit snob. I would only purchase bits made from a few high-end manufacturers & if possible bit with a 1 shank. Then I was gifted a trim router that only used 1/4" bits.

The trim router sat unused for about a month until I needed to put an 1/8" round over on a lot of parts. The trim router seemed a better option than the PC 690 so I ordered an 1/8" round over with a 1/4" shank from one of the high-end companies.

Somewhere down the line I need a bit for a very specific job. When I searched online I saw that instead of paying $25-$35 for a bit that I might only use on a single project I could pay $8-$10 for the bit … and have it delivered to my door for free in two days. I paid the $10 and the bit more than met my expectations.

Now I look for value instead of a name when I search for bits. Many times I start with names like Yonico, Hiltex & Yakamoz to see their offerings. I read reviews to see what others say before blindly purchasing a brand. I’m obviously not the only one. Today I looked on Amazon for undersized straight bits for plywood. Whiteside has a three bit set for $52.11 that 65 people gave a 4.5 star review. Yonico has a three bit set that 199 people gave a 4.5 start review. YMMV.

[Bruce Wrenn]

In the past, I was a complete router bit snob.

Somewhere down the line I need a bit for a very specific job. When I searched online I saw that instead of paying $25-$35 for a bit that I might only use on a single project I could pay $8-$10 for the bit … and have it delivered to my door for free in two days. I paid the $10 and the bit more than met my expectations.

Now I look for value instead of a name when I search for bits. YMMV. I own several of those delivered free to your door bits. None has ever failed to deliver the goods. One 1/2"straight shank bit was used to cut ribs for a rounded work station, with a total of over 200' in 3/4" plywood. Bit still cuts good, without any sharpening. Absolute toughest bit I ever owned is a 1/4" straight bit from Woodcraft. Remember their five dollar bits? In a trammel, routing a circle, it cut half the head off a drywall screw, with no damage to cutters.

[Leo Graywacz]

Smaller bits and some medium bits I get 1/4" shanks so I can use them in the Colt router. Nice to be able to use one hand on the router and the other for something else. For the most part I try to use Whiteside bits, but I have been surprised by a few other unknown to me brands like Task and Akzytue.

[Ben Rivel]

I'm pickin' up what you're puttin' down, BUT something you might not have been aware of regarding cheaper chinese ANYTHINGS on Amazon is the crazy about of fake reviews those companies pay people or give them free products to post. I know this for fact and first hand experience. Happens ALL the time on nearly ALL types products. So sometimes you have to take Amazon reviews with A LOT of skepticism.
That said, I only buy Whiteside router bits (guess I'm still a router bit snob) and have never found them to be overly expensive. Ive always thought them to be best bang for the buck and somewhere in the middle cost-wise.

[Andrew Seemann]

I own several of those delivered free to your door bits. None has ever failed to deliver the goods. One 1/2"straight shank bit was used to cut ribs for a rounded work station, with a total of over 200' in 3/4" plywood. Bit still cuts good, without any sharpening. Absolute toughest bit I ever owned is a 1/4" straight bit from Woodcraft. Remember their five dollar bits? In a trammel, routing a circle, it cut half the head off a drywall screw, with no damage to cutters.

The original post made me think of those $5 bits from Woodcraft. I think I got most that they offered, and I have actually used most of them. When I lived closer to them, I would pick up the occasional Whiteside bit they would put on sale. All the Woodcraft and Rockler private label bits I have gotten work just fine. In fact most of my router bit drawer is green and light blue, with some orange and red and unpainted thrown in. I just ordered a purple Griz one with some other stuff I got; we'll see how that one does, probably just fine would be my guess.

I don't use router bits all that often, and when I do mostly it is round overs and chamfers, both handheld and in a table. The non-premium bits have all worked well. I do have a CMT drawer bit, and some Freud's frame and panel bits I inherited.

I do like the trim router. It is great for said round overs and chamfers on larger items. Easier to control than a bigger router.

[Leo Graywacz]

Anytime you see all 5 star reviews on anything I am skeptical. I rarely give out a 5 star review. If 3 is average and 4 is good that means 5 is fantastic. Most everything I own is good, not much is fantastic. I think I've given out one 5 star review and a couple of 4.5s. The rest are 4 and below. A 4 star review is a good review.

[Jim Dwight]

The only "cheap bit" that I was really disappointed in was a dovetail bit to make half blind dovetails. It failed where the carbide transitions to the shank. I bought a CMT which is still working. But for most bits, I have been pleased with the cheaper bits. My favorite is MLCS woodworking but I've been pleased with bits off Amazon too.

[Larry Frank]

I guess I am a snob but I really like Freud bits especially the Quadra Cut. If I have only a one time use, I will get cheaper bits. Where I am running 100 ft of cut or more, I use Freud or Whiteside.

[johnny means]

I remember going into Woodcraft, years ago, and literally buying all the $5 bits, all of them. I did this on fairly regular basis, as my work burned through a lot of bits. One day I walked into thw store and asked the manager, whom knew me very well, if they would be doing the $5 bit sale again. He looked me dead in the face and denied that that had ever been a thing.

[glenn bradley]

I guess I am a snob but I really like Freud bits especially the Quadra Cut. If I have only a one time use, I will get cheaper bits. Where I am running 100 ft of cut or more, I use Freud or Whiteside.

Agreed. Almost any bit will do fine for 10 feet or 20 feet. In carefully conducted tests we know the names that will go many, many times this far. For a one off or something really weird I will buy a cheap bit to get me through the job because it will do fine long enough for me to get through the job.

[Bruce Wrenn]

I own a CMT 1/2" up spiral solid carbide bit, and a MLSC 1/2" solid carbide up spiral bit. Both do the job, but the CMT does it better (quicker and with less burning.) My go to bit for mortises is a HF HSS up cut spiral bit. They are so cheap (a set of three 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2" costs around ten bucks) I consider them "throw aways."

[Curt Harms]

Agreed. Almost any bit will do fine for 10 feet or 20 feet. In carefully conducted tests we know the names that will go many, many times this far. For a one off or something really weird I will buy a cheap bit to get me through the job because it will do fine long enough for me to get through the job.

Yup. Frequent or critical use the premium brands are worth it. When we did our solid surface project we spent the $$ for premium cutters. For doing roundovers or flush trimming on utility cabinets MLCS works just fine.

[Rich Engelhardt]

So sometimes you have to take Amazon reviews with A LOT of skepticism.I only pay attention to the bad ones. Those give me all the information I really want to know usually.

[Jim Becker]

I have a number of piece of tooling with the Yonico name and they have performed with excellence. I've also purchased quite a bit of USA-made tooling from EBay for specific endmills (spiral cutters) with no regrets. I use Amana for insert cutters and things like tapered ball nose tooling; Whiteside for their .25" compression cutters, etc. The tiny stuff I use I buy off Amazon in multi-packs. By tiny, I'm talking 1mm. IE, I buy what is available for my need at a price I'm happy with.

Case in point...recent purchase off Amazon is for a .375" up-cut with a 1.75" cutting depth. "Cobra" brand if I recall. I bought it because it was what I could actually find in the configuration I needed. Nothing similar was available on EBay and I wasn't going to pay north of $100 from a "name brand" for this particular non-production application.

[Brian Holcombe]

I stick with Whiteside, Amana and CMT. They work well, seem reasonable on cost.

[Derek Arita]

On a side note, but related...I collect folding knives and have found some super good Chinese made knives that use quality steels. Fit, finish and action are every bit, if not better than the name brands, but price is a 1/4. I think it's all related.

[Prashun Patel]

I think it depends on the operation.

I have had MLCS dovetail bits (2 of them) snap off a flute. The dovetail bit especially is a tricky one. Despite my best intentions to straight bit out the center, it may have to do a little bit of hogging. All with a little pencil neck. You don't want that to be weak.

For my often used bits like dovetails, spirals, mortising, roundovers, chamfers I now prefer to buy quality. That being said, I am still waiting for my cheap 1/8" roundover to start burning, chattering, or failing, but 10 years+ it's still going fine.

YMMV. But I wouldn't mess around with dovetail bits...

[Leo Graywacz]

I use to buy MLCS dovetail bits (1/2" x 14º) because I could get them for $7ea. I'd buy them 10 at a time. 1st thing I did was to send them out to my sharpener. The grind from the factory stunk, but it was good carbide and after getting them sharpened again they were nice. Sharpening cost $3ea. So I got a nice sharp bit for $10.

Now I have a dovetail machine and don't need them anymore.

[Curt Harms]

I use to buy MLCS dovetail bits (1/2" x 14º) because I could get them for $7ea. I'd buy them 10 at a time. 1st thing I did was to send them out to my sharpener. The grind from the factory stunk, but it was good carbide and after getting them sharpened again they were nice. Sharpening cost $3ea. So I got a nice sharp bit for $10.

Now I have a dovetail machine and don't need them anymore.

Neat way to do it. I think MLCS' Katana brand might be sharpened better than the gray MLCS bits.

[Leo Graywacz]

I'm sure. But at that price point I'd spend a few more dollars and get a Whiteside.

[Rick Potter]

Peachtree has economy bits and better (not best) bits. They have had two sales recently where the clearanced out a bunch of the cheap ones for about $5 each. I picked up one of everything, just to have back ups to my backups on straight bits and roundovers. I have been doing a lot of melamine, and don't use my good bits on it unless I have to.

That being said, I love the Freud Quadrabits. The cut is very smooth on red oak, which is famous for splintering. HD was getting rid of them at half price and I got a dozen profiles cheep.