Router bits, buy cheap buy twice?

[blackrodd]

how about this?,--

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5aQ_RnGxVw

Regards Rodders

 

[jamesevenlode]

My word, James, they're not cheap, are they?

I don't want to start thread drift, but as a slight aside, is there a satisfactory way of sharpening roundover bits?

Nope, and being spiral cutters they have a tendency to throw the work across the room if you forget you're using a spiral and attempt a bit of back cutting.
They are excellent though.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

That sounds familiar. I had a big spiral bit rip a neck blank in half and dent the garage door with the bit it threw just past my head. Always check your machine code before hitting go...

 

[YorkshireMartin]

Sorry to semi-hijack, but how do Festool bits fare in the quality stakes? Was looking at a spiral upcut and they want £50 for one of those puppies. Considering my router only cost £70, it feel steep!

 

[custard]

Sorry to semi-hijack, but how do Festool bits fare in the quality stakes? Was looking at a spiral upcut and they want £50 for one of those puppies. Considering my router only cost £70, it feel steep!

AFAIK Festool don't actually manufacture router bits, they buy them in and re-sell with a mark up which then gets marked up further by the retailer. There's possibly a case for buying Festool bits in relatively specialist applications like for their edge trimmer routers, where there's not much adjustment travel so you need a specific length of shank etc. But for a general purpose spiral upcut I can't think why you would use Festool when Wealden and many others sell perfectly acceptable tooling at a lower price.

 

[Sporky McGuffin]

I use the Wealden ones in the router on my CNC machine - they do an excellent job.

 

[YorkshireMartin]

Useful info guys, thanks.

 

[Eric The Viking]

Just in case the OP is still watching this thread, Wealden currently have a boxed set of four cutters at a brilliant price at the moment:
http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Cle ... Items.html
See the item code TRS400: Roundover, Dovetail, Roman Ogee & Straight (1/2" 2-flute).
That's probably the best value you'll see anywhere!

That said, the bits I use most, by far (apart from straight cutters and rebaters), are probably roundover and bearing guided bevel cutters. So this set isn't my own ideal selection, but, IMHO, it IS really good value (approx 20 quid incl. VAT plus postage).

Wealden used to sell a really sensible beginners' boxed set, more expensive, but IIRC six cutters. I think they've stopped doing it, as I couldn't find it on their site.