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Thread: Favorite Brand of Router Bits?

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Feb 2014
    Location
    Lake Gaston, Henrico, NC
    Posts
    8,973
    Amana is a close second behind Whiteside for me too. Back in the mid '70's, a salesman gave me a new brand of bit to try. He was trying to get local building suppliers to start selling their router bits. Before that, all I knew were things like Craftsman, Porter-Cable, and such. This was some new company in furniture making land part of North Carolina. That bit was a game changer. Since then, I always buy Whiteside as my first choice. They are a pleasure to deal with too.

    I used to get custom bits made by them. A few years ago, I sent Todd a mold of a sample of old window sash molding profile that I needed to copy, with my method of six custom router bits. He sent me an email telling me that they no longer make one offs, but only do orders of six each. That was disappointing to hear, but he went on to say that he had sent the mold to another North Carolina company that did make one offs. Still very impressive to deal with.

    Whiteside also makes the high end line for Eagle America. I called Whiteside about a bit I wanted, but they didn't have it in their line. The girl on the phone told me that they made one very similar to what I was wanting for Eagle America. Sure enough, it worked fine.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Burlington, Washington
    Posts
    72
    Started out with Freud bits years ago, but now exclusively use Whiteside.

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
    Posts
    65,675
    For quality, my current favorite is Amana, especially for their insert cutters and some other things. Whiteside gets my business for .25" compression bits. A lot of the rest I purchase are either USA-made spiral cutters from EBay and Amazon with some being Yonoko from Amazon which is from off-shore. A few specialty things come from PreciseBits and EBAY. (tiny things) My "legacy" bits are a combination of Whiteside, Jessada, Infinity, Lee Valley and some other odd-ball stuff. In full disclosure, most of my bit usage at this point is on the CNC with profile work on the router table and a limited about of hand-held routing.
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    22,492
    Blog Entries
    1
    Whiteside, Amanda, Freud.
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Minot, ND
    Posts
    558
    I tend to use Whiteside & Amana as well. I use a lot of 8mm shank bits and have had good luck with Festool bits for those though pricey. I’ve also been investing in quite a few of the insert bits as well. It’s nice to be able to change out just the insert when the bit is getting dull.

    Clint

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
    Location
    Deep South
    Posts
    3,970
    I use some Freud because I can get them locally but my favorite is Whiteside. I use a CNC router and wear out a lot of bits. I have found that Whiteside lasts longer than Freud and waaaay longer than off brands.

  7. #22
    Join Date
    Mar 2018
    Location
    Piercefield, NY
    Posts
    1,658
    Whiteside for me too, I get them on eBay usually.

  8. #23
    I have a number of Whiteside and they're great, but I wonder if CMT is less popular in the states for some reason? Mine have been as good as my Whiteside and it's sometimes nice to have a second option.

    B
    https://shorturl.at/mRTU3

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    Doylestown, PA
    Posts
    7,551
    Quote Originally Posted by Art Mann View Post
    I use some Freud because I can get them locally but my favorite is Whiteside. I use a CNC router and wear out a lot of bits. I have found that Whiteside lasts longer than Freud and waaaay longer than off brands.
    This brings up another point. For me, it depends on how frequently I expect to use the bit. Bits that I use frequently I buy name brands as mentioned above. For once in a great while bits, MLCS ain't bad and I get them in one or two days with free shipping. Next time I have a panel raising job on the docket I'm going to get a Freud Quadra Cut panel raiser or perhaps a door set that makes tenons as long as I'd like. Both Freud exclusives AFAIK.

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    odessa, missouri
    Posts
    1,910
    Blog Entries
    3
    I had trouble with the Freud bits and stopped using them... I bought a Freud and Amana raised panel cutter. Used both till they would longer cut reasonably. The Amana cut almost twice as many. The Amana cost a few dollars more but is made it up on shop time and sharpening cost...

  11. #26
    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Grider View Post
    I get good results with Whiteside...
    +1 for Whiteside

    Erik
    Ex-SCM and Felder rep

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Itapevi, SP - Brazil
    Posts
    672
    I have several MLCS (non-Katana) and several German made carbide tipped bits I purchased almost 30 years ago and staying strong and sharp (although I am not a heavy user). I also have some newer Freud and Whiteside, I like both brands but I am impressed with the quality from Whiteside solid carbide bits.

    I have just a few "generic" bits I used occasionally and a couple of them had its cabide partially broken or dented. I avoid those "bargain and generic" bit when it is possible.
    Last edited by Osvaldo Cristo; 09-22-2019 at 2:57 PM. Reason: Typo as usual
    All the best.

    Osvaldo.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
    Posts
    2,652
    Quote Originally Posted by Tom M King View Post


    . . . Whiteside also makes the high end line for Eagle America . . ..
    Thanks Tom, I always suspected as much. I remember seeing one of those shows on DIY network where they visited an unidentified router bit factory, and I think they said that the place made bits for several different brands, with different colored paint.

  14. #29
    Quote Originally Posted by Lee Schierer View Post
    I like the cut quality and price of Freud router bits. I've yet to have any tear out with their quad cut bits.
    Another vote for the Freud Quadricuts. ZERO tear out. Truly amazing.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Princeton, NJ
    Posts
    7,252
    Blog Entries
    7
    CMT, Amana and Whiteside.
    Bumbling forward into the unknown.

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