router bit advice needed

[Zahid Naqvi]

I need a 1/4" shank 14 degree dovetail bit for use in a dovetail jig. What would be a good choice. I can go to the local borg and get a Busch for $16/17 or get a Whiteside for approximately the same price. Anything else out there below $20 that I should be looking at? Which one between Busch and Witeside is better.

[Don Baer]

Zahid,
Rockler has 14 degree bits for $15.99.

[Brent Harral]

I've been a fan of Whiteside bits for years and also have them loaded in my dedicated dt'ing router. Whitesides rank right up there with any of the "better" bits! Do realize that carbide will last longer but the HSS dt bits (most brands) are sharper, and cut a little better for the time being. One think that I HAVE noticed among 1/4" shank dt bits is the different diameters of the shank where it meets the bottom of the cutter. If you can do a side by side comparison between two or three you are looking, get the one with the bigger diameter. That is a big stress point in the bit and I've lost a bit or two pushin it with some less beefy ones than the whitesides.

See? not a purty sight

<img src="http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL563/2750473/6670370/133427631.jpg">

[Greg Tatum]

I think that's reasonable for the Whiteside. Many of the pro cabinet makers in my area use Whiteside bits. I use a router infrequently so I can't really attest to their longevity but the WS straight bit I use in MDF has sstood up well thru many cuts...flushtrim, rabbet etc.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Greg

[John Miliunas]

Whiteside gets my vote, as well. Personally, I would easily rank them in the top 10%. Just MHO, though it is also based on personal use over the years.

[Charlie Plesums]

I have had good luck with Whiteside bits, but I am also a fan of Woodline... they are quite inexpensive ($5.50 for the dovetail bit) and have served me well. See www.woodline.com/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=5

[Kevin Halliburton]

I need a 1/4" shank 14 degree dovetail bit for use in a dovetail jig. What would be a good choice. I can go to the local borg and get a Busch for $16/17 or get a Whiteside for approximately the same price. Anything else out there below $20 that I should be looking at? Which one between Busch and Witeside is better.

I've used Bosh and have no complaints, and I've heard good things about Whiteside being the best of the more affordable router bits but I've never tried them. However, a few more dollars will get you into a CMT which is all I buy these days. If you don't have to pay shipping you can get a 1/4" shank CMT dovetail bit for just under $20. I can't compare them to the Whiteside but they are definitely a better bit than a Bosh.

[scott spencer]

Hard to beat Whiteside, but I'd also consider Freud, Amana, CMT, Infinity, Katana, etc. if the price and circumstances are right.

[Tom Araya]

Whiteside for me too

[Zahid Naqvi]

So between the CMT(currently 25% off at Woodcraft) for $15.35 (Dovetail Bit 1/4"SH 1/2"D 1/2"CL 14A 2-1/16"OL IJ) and a similar Whiteside for $19.99, which one is better.

[Vaughn McMillan]

Zahid, you might check out this tip, posted a few days ago by Jason Day in another thread:

Here is a short article about router bits. I found it a year or so ago, but it still gets the point across.

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Make sure to check out the “router-bit score card” located about ½ down the page.

HTH -

- Vaughn

[Anthony Anderson]

So between the CMT(currently 25% off at Woodcraft) for $15.35 (Dovetail Bit 1/4"SH 1/2"D 1/2"CL 14A 2-1/16"OL IJ) and a similar Whiteside for $19.99, which one is better.

Zahid, Brent brings up a good point. I would purchase between the two based on this criteria. Either bit will serve you well. Now if you were comparing Viper to CMT or Freud then that would be another matter. Good Luck, Bill

[Brent Harral]

So between the CMT(currently 25% off at Woodcraft) for $15.35 (Dovetail Bit 1/4"SH 1/2"D 1/2"CL 14A 2-1/16"OL IJ) and a similar Whiteside for $19.99, which one is better.

I believe the CMT is. If you look at the scorecard of the link of the bit article and compare the CMT and Whiteside, the WS looks to be a better bit AND a better value even though it's a couple buck more.

Whether or not the WS dovetail bit is as good as the stright bit tested...guess we'll never really know!

Come on, pick a color

[Jim Becker]

The FWW review a very old article (April 1999) and although it's a useful resource, it shouldn't be the only resource.

Zahid, be sure you buy a bit that is compatible with your particular dovetail system. There are a lot of ways to build a 14 degree dovetail bit! And also consider 8mm shanks rather than 1/4" shanks...they are a lot stronger and less prone to breakage. Many routers have an 8mm collet available or you can use a bushing sleeve to adapt a 1/2" collet to the job.

[Kevin Halliburton]

So between the CMT(currently 25% off at Woodcraft) for $15.35 (Dovetail Bit 1/4"SH 1/2"D 1/2"CL 14A 2-1/16"OL IJ) and a similar Whiteside for $19.99, which one is better.

You can't go wrong with the CMT at any price. In my book, if it's cheaper, even better. Again, I haven't used a Whiteside, but you will have a hard time finding something to criticize on the CMT.