Anyone have any experience with Tideway Router bits? Specifically I'm looking for a 45° chamfer bit with a depth of cut over 1/2", found some on Ebay but am suspicious of the price.
Anyone have any experience with Tideway Router bits? Specifically I'm looking for a 45° chamfer bit with a depth of cut over 1/2", found some on Ebay but am suspicious of the price.
Assumption is the mother of all screw ups
Anonyms
You get what you pay for with router bits most of the time. However sometimes if it's an easy wood or cut, sometimes you can get away with a cheaper bit. If it's a bit you're going to use on multiple occasions though, stick to a high quality brand, like Whiteside or Amana.
I will say though, their reviews on Amazon are almost all 4.5/5, so I'd actually be tempted to say these might actually be a up-and-coming brand with some good quality in them. Give it a shot and let us know.
http://tctrouterbit.btrworlds.com/
Chinese company if that makes any difference for you. Personally, this is the first time I've heard the brand, so at that prices I'm automatically suspicious of quality of steel, carbide, etc.
Brian
"Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher
Thanks guys for your responses, for the price, and it's for a one time project, I'll give it a try and let you know how it turns out.
Assumption is the mother of all screw ups
Anonyms
Never heard of them. Looked 'em up, but couldn't find a site for the company, just online vendors hawking them.
Those are about the thinnest, cheapest looking router bits I've ever seen.
Low mass means prone to chatter, and rough cut surface.
Or worse, the cheap bearing blows up and ruins your work piece.
I wouldn't risk it.
Is it possible to use a straight bit you already have, with an angled sled or fixture?
-- Andy - Arlington TX
Check our routerbitworld.com for some quality bits that match what you need.
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Lee Schierer
USNA '71
Go Navy!
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"A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".
– Samuel Butler
My first go-to for router bits is Eagle-America, especially if I'm looking for something with specific specs. They offer two product lines: the made in USA line, and the MLCS (China) line for less.
I'm not familiar with Tideway. However, Infinity Tools has a selection of 45 deg chamfer bits including their Mega Chamfer Router Bit which is well over 1/2" depth of cut (2-9/16" diameter).
Give you are planning on chamfering to a pretty good depth, know that this process does require some oomph to accomplish unless you do it in multiple passes. A better cutter that's sharper might be a more worthy choice here and since a 45º chamfer is an often used profile a nice one in your tooling collection is worth considering. Mine is a Jessada...which morphed into Infinity I believe a long time ago.
--
The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Dont recognize Tideway. I use Freud Quadricuts or Infinity. They both work well for me.
"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.”
I looked on eBay and if they're the same ones we're talking about, a Tideway 45 degree chamfer bit is around $5 for 1/4" and $12 for 1/2". Whoa. That's hard to beat, or trust.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Tideway-020...sAAOSwgy1emfUW
Last edited by Stan Calow; 06-20-2020 at 9:56 AM.
Some of the low priced Chinese bits are probably fine, but some are likely not: the problem is distinguishing them.
MLCS has been around long enough to have a reputation, and now also owns Eagle America. Looking for an inexpensive bit for limited use, I'd check MLCS first. They do have a variety of chamfer bits.
I have been using tideway router bits for over a year now and so far I am pretty happy with them. They cut nicely and are less expensive then most other brands. I find that ebay has the best selection and price on them currently.
I have quite a few MLCS bits. I only live about an hour from their showroom and used to drive past it a few times a week. They used to sell bits that they pulled from a batch to spot check them. I have some bits that were $10+ that I paid around $4 in new condition. It seems like their Katana bits might be ground to a finer finish, don't know if there are any other differences.