Rail & Stile Set

[Dan McLaughlin]

I'm looking for my first Rail & Stile router set to do some kitchen cabinet work. Looking for recommendations for the best fit etc. Or are the "Usual Suspects" (Whiteside, Amana, Freud etc) pretty much the same? Oh, collective wisdom of SMC, what say you one, what say you all :D

Thanks

[Carl Eyman]

14 years ago when I made my first raised panel doors I bought a MLCS set an am still using it many many doors later. The price is right.

[Steve Clardy]

is what I run, very sharp out of the box, vibration free. Have a friend thats runs bosch, He's happy too. Lots of good bits out there nowadays. Try Routerbits.com. Fair prices, fast shipping. Steve

[Phil Phelps]

...from Sommerfeld's. Look on the web. Usually have sale prices.

[Jim Baker]

My set is by Freud. I can't say they are any better or any worse than anything else because it's the only set I've ever had. They have served me well for the two years I have had them.

[Duane M Swensen]

Jesda has a set which includes a panel raising bit at a hard to beat price of about $110. Have used it at work and it has made a lot of doors.As to what I use at home it is the Freud set because that is what the better half got me for Christmas one year and it has done well. The panel raising bit is a CMT.If you are lookig to do production runs go with the name brands such as CMT Freud or Whiteside. If you are doing weekend work then the Jesda set or MCLS will serve you well.That's my 2 cents.

[Greg Daves]

I will second the MLCS bits. They are the only rail/style combo I have used, but I can't imagine spending almost twice as much to get any improvements over the great cut and slip fit these produced...and the shipping is free.

[Jim DeLaney]

I've got three sets - a (pre Jesada) CMT set, a Jesada set, and an MLCS set.

All three sets do a good job of giving nice, clean cuts. Of the three, only the MLCS set (by far, the cheapest, BTW) worked right 'out of the box.' The CMT and Jesada sets required quite a bit of fidling with shims to get them 'right.'

In fact, I sent the Jesada set back and got a replacement because the original couldn't be made to mate properly. The replacement set worked okay after shimming.

Today, if I needed another set, I'd go to MLCS. I've got maybe a dozen of their (assorted) bits, and haven't gotten a bad one yet.

BTW, since Carlo left, I've bought six new Jesada bits, and I've returned every one of them for quality problems. I now buy MLCS if I can wait for shipping, or Freud or Amana from a local dealer if it's something i need 'now!'.

YMMV

[Mike Evertsen]

I use the stacked set from MLCS have had no problem with the fit and tearout

[Phil Phelps]

I've got three sets - a (pre Jesada) CMT set, a Jesada set, and an MLCS set.

All three sets do a good job of giving nice, clean cuts. Of the three, only the MLCS set (by far, the cheapest, BTW) worked right 'out of the box.' The CMT and Jesada sets required quite a bit of fidling with shims to get them 'right.'


YMMV
Did you have to shim the CMT sets?
They have an excellent warranty.

[Jim DeLaney]

Did you have to shim the CMT sets?
They have an excellent warranty.

The CMT set was the "old" CMT (what Jesada was before it became Jesada), so it's the oldest of my sets, and yes, I had to shim it a bit.

CMT did provide maybe half a dozen shims in the package, along with instructions on how to shim it.

The Jesada set didn't have any shims with it.

It looks like the MLCS has a couple shims already installed at the factory, but since it already works perfectly, I'm not going to take it apart to fiddle with it.

[Carl Eyman]

If I remember correctly don't you have to change the position of the two shims as you shift from rail to stile use? In other words they are a planned design feature, not an attempt to correct a mistake.

[Chris Oakley]

I just had a catalog, but lost it. What's their website?

[markus shaffer]

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/

I've been using MLCS bits for quite a while with no problems. Sent a few Jesada bits back in the past. Similar to Jim, I will order from MLCS unless I need something right away. Then I buy Amana locally. My MLCS rail and stile set has done me very well over the past three years and worked right out of the box.

-markus

[Wayne Johnson]

I've also been thinking about getting the MLCS 3 piece panel raising kit for $79. Is that the set that everyone is talking about here?

As far as the panel raiser is concerned, should I spend a few more bucks for the under-cutter bit, or just get the plain panel raiser? What is the concensus?

Thanks,
Wayne

[Jim Becker]

I generally prefer Jesada cutters as they are priced very close to the imports, yet made in USA and are of fine quality. Great customer service, too. That being said, my first rail and stile cutters were from Eagle America as they were the only one who had the particular profile I wanted at the time. (15º Shaker Bevel) I've never been particularly impressed with the MCLS products, even though I could drive there in 20 minutes to make a purchase. The sales tax cancels out the shipping charge from Jesada in Florida in my case.

[Jim DeLaney]

If I remember correctly don't you have to change the position of the two shims as you shift from rail to stile use? In other words they are a planned design feature, not an attempt to correct a mistake.

Not if you have the two-piece set. The one piece sets do require separate shimming for each configuration. The problems I've mentioned are all with the two-piece sets.

[Jim DeLaney]

I've also been thinking about getting the MLCS 3 piece panel raising kit for $79. Is that the set that everyone is talking about here?

As far as the panel raiser is concerned, should I spend a few more bucks for the under-cutter bit, or just get the plain panel raiser? What is the concensus?


The undercutter requires that you cut the raised panel in one pass. I prefer to make at least two passes, with the last one being only about a 32nd of an inch. This usually yields a better finish...

I usually make the face side first, then if I'm going to under-cut, I use the same bit, turn the panel over, and take light cuts until the proper edge thickness is achieved. No extra 'undercutter' bit needed.

I suppose if you wanted a square edged undercut, you could use a rabbeting bit for the under-cut.

Works for me - YMMV

[Joe Tonich]

am I the only one to try Pricecutter for router bits?? I have the O-G matched set from them and have had no problems. I've only used them on 7 doors so far but have had no tear-out problems or fit. They made a tight joint right out of the box.

http://www.pricecutter.com/html/catalog/productGroup.asp?id=399

Joe

[Dave Arbuckle]

Jim DeLaney wrote: The undercutter requires that you cut the raised panel in one pass. I prefer to make at least two passes, with the last one being only about a 32nd of an inch. This usually yields a better finish...

Jim, there are at least two ways to make incremental cuts using a panel raiser with backcutter. If using a fence, you simply expose less of the bit for the early cuts. If not using a fence, you use a larger guide bearing.

That said, I've taken the backcutter off the one panel raiser I have that came with one. I prefer to decide the shape and size of the back cut.

Dave