Ryobi Router bit set?

[Billy Chambless]

The Borg has a set of 18 Ryobi 1/2 shank router bits for $80, and, surprisingly for a set, it's almost all bits I'd have a use for. Has anybody here bought these bits and have any comments onthe quality/value?

[Mark Alfaro]

Hi Billy,
I'm new to the forum and a rank newbie. I purchased the Ryobi bit set yesterday at HD to go with my DW618 router. As a person with zero experience using a router, I figured that the Ryobi bit set would be good to learn with. My eventual goal is to build a home bar and this set included all of the router bits called for in the bar construction plans. I will post again once I have used these bits.
Regards,
Mark

[glenn bradley]

I imagine the bits are of 'reasonable' quality. You may want to look here (http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/setgateway.html#45setanc_anchor) for a little more bang for your buck. I've used these bits (individuals, not the set [same bits]) and been more than happy for the money plus FREE shipping. . .I love that.

P.s. No affiliation, just a happy customer.

[scott spencer]

Hi Billy - I haven't tried the Ryobi bits, but if I were spending ~ $80 for a set right now, I'd take a different tact and go with the Whiteside or Infinity basic set. I know that Holbren sells the Whiteside set for ~ $88 shipped ($80 on sale..). The WS set is the 7 most commonly used profiles...American made, top grade bits for great performance and long life. Then you can add "value bits" for specialty or more seldom used profiles as needed.

http://www.holbren.com/skin1/images/custom/main.jpg

[Corey Hallagan]

They are decent bits as good as any other "contractor" grade bits such as MLCS, CMT, Eagle, Grizzly etc. Remember many of these bits are made by one of the big bit manufacturers and are rebadged and sold in different colors to people like Rocker, Woodcraft, Grizzly etc. A step above are the Whiteside bits that Scott mentions. If the collection works for you, then I would buy it. I have a 45 degree chamfer bit and a straight bit from Ryobi and they work just fine.

Corey

[Billy Chambless]

Thanks for all the feedback, folks. At the very least, you've given mea few things to think about.

[Brian Gumpper]

Hi Billy - I haven't tried the Ryobi bits, but if I were spending ~ $80 for a set right now, I'd take a different tact and go with the Whiteside or Infinity basic set. I know that Holbren sells the Whiteside set for ~ $88 shipped ($80 on sale..). The WS set is the 7 most commonly used profiles...American made, top grade bits for great performance and long life. Then you can add "value bits" for specialty or more seldom used profiles as needed.

http://www.holbren.com/skin1/images/custom/main.jpg


Scott didn't mention it but I give the SMC members a 10% discount on all purchases, just enter SMC10 in the coupon code box.

Those Ryobi bits come from the same factory as my low cost 24 piece set and they are decent but the Whitesides are a big step up.

[James Carmichael]

If you've spent much time on the Creek, you have seen lots of posts about buying quality. Well, nowhere is it more applicable then router bits. I'm the cheapest guy on the planet, but cheap router bits are no bargain, and based on experience with other Ryobi products, these will not be top of the line (LOML bought me the Ryobi drill/driver set last year, I've broken about 8 of the driver bits thus far. My old Black & Decker driver bits just keep on going.)

I mostly buy bits one at a time, and have started going with Whitesides. They are worth the premium, they hold their edge longer longer, give a better finish, and in the event they do get dull, there's more carbide there to sharpen.

I do buy the $5 bits from woodcraft when they're on sale, but these are throwaways for particleboard, mdf, etc.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
I have a set of the Ryobi 1/4" bits.
They're ok. I won't buy them again though (a full set of them) unless they are priced at some insane give away price.
Like Mark above, I bought them simply to learn on. They served that purpose fairly well. They're also handy to have around for rough work, as the others have mentioned.