Router Bits

[ByronBlack]

A couple of basic questions really.

Out of Wealdon, Titman and CMT what is the general consensus of opinion in terms of value for money? I'm not looking for the greatest quality, as i'll be using the bits infrequently but I do want something that is value for money, opinions?

And secondly. I wish to make a 45 degree chamfer, is there a specific router bit that can do this? (As I type this, I wonder if it's caled a chamfer bit).

 

[johnnyb]

wealden are the cheapest of the three you mention but good quality. i have been using perfom by axminster, very good value for money i think. they look cheap and the packaging is cheap BUT they cut well and are accurately made, how long for remains to be seen. titman and cmt are both premium price ranges.

 

[mailee]

I will second Wealdon Byron. I have had a lot of bits from them and they do stand up to the test of time and my heavy hands. :wink:

 

[Scrit]

Wealden are best value for money and all the ones I've had stand-up well to industrial usage. Titman make a wide range of specialist tooling, such as Corian cutters and their quality is first rate. CMT are nowhere near as durable IMHO, and aren't particularly good value a lot of the time.

Scrit

 

[davy_owen_88]

And secondly. I wish to make a 45 degree chamfer, is there a specific router bit that can do this? (As I type this, I wonder if it's caled a chamfer bit).

Nailed it :lol:

http://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/Onl ... er_83.html

For one off cutters I have used a few perform bits and they are excellent value if you don't need them to last too long.

Davy

 

[ByronBlack]

Thanks for feedback, I'll be shopping at Wealdon then I think as I have a number of cutters on my shopping list, especially as i've just taken delivery of a new Triton MOF router.. hence the un-subtly gloat with the avatar.

Now for another question. I need to run up a fair amount of glazing beading, what would be a good cutter for that, and also what is usually the standard size for window glazing beading? I was thinking of going with 15mm square?

 

[Smudger]

I'm ready to duck here...

I've been buying Trend cutters, and they seem OK to me, but no-one mentions them here. Is there a reasons for that?

 

[Colin C]

Hi Smudger

Welcome

Trend dont seem to be as good as the other ones mentioned and they seem to be more expensive

 

[stairman]

Trend tend to be readily available in local shops and have a extensive range but tend to be expensive

Welden are the company I use as they are cheaper then Trend and if ordered before about 4pm have seen them arrive the next day

 

[Smudger]

Thanks, Colin - you may change your mind later...

Stairman - I've just had a look at Trend bits (I have some jobs which need specifics - a roundover, a guided template follower and a small plunge bit) and Trend are cheaper than Axminster. By pennies, admittedly. Wealden are cheaper for the roundover, but less than a pound different for the follower.

But the quality is better, you think?

Trend do a good job in attracting people like me who know only a little, as the catalogue is helpful, and the accessories are useful. The website is a disaster, though.

 

[stairman]

I haven't compared prices lately but wealden were 1/2 the price of trend for the bits I use and I have not been aware of any difference in quality or ware rate between them

 

[DomValente]

I have found that Trend bits stand up well and are as accurate as I need,
CMT on the other hand have not been so good, they are made in Italy and I have bought them there at 40% less than the U.K. but they are still not worth it. Just my experience.

Tend to use Trend because I can pick up bits from there warehouse which is 2 miles down the road.

Dom

 

[johnnyb]

trend seem to be great at marketing their products. their accessories are very poorly built imho. their router bits seem fine but are overpriced. the only ones to really avoid are the cheap sets that you often see on ebay, markets etc. i have found that machine mart dont seem to mark up freud products heavily(witness their dado set) so the freud set from them would probably be good value.

 

[Scrums]

Hmmm.......

I think someone's opened up a can of worms here - I had a look at Wealden and their prices, though they're almost certainly under CMT and Titman, I don't find them 'cheap'

I've surprised myself by finding the Perform range very good - not normally a fan of cheap stuff, but prices for this range and so far, quality are v.good. (...not a very comprehensive range though)

I shudder to think of what some of the cheap, unbranded jobbies are like - certainly wouldn't want them coming unbraised at god knows how many revs with my face a matter of inches away!

Chris.

 

[andycktm]

B&Q do a selection of router bit's ,i wonder who make them :roll: Of course the manufacturer will go to all the trouble of changing the way they are made,the materials etc.Because if they say B&Q on the packet they cannot be as good as the manufaturers own brand........... can they? :wink: .

 

[Colin C]

I have used Perform and CMT bits as well and would use them again as I have found that the edges lasted longer than the Trend ones we used ( where I used to work ).

 

[ByronBlack]

I shudder to think of what some of the cheap, unbranded jobbies are like - certainly wouldn't want them coming unbraised at god knows how many revs with my face a matter of inches away!

Chris.

It is quite scary, I had it happen to me twice. Really should have learned my lesson the first time around! They were a cheap set bundled with a Ryobi router I had, two 5mm straight cutters both sheared off with the sharp bit left in the router, and the hot sharp flute flying past me at a great rate of knots - that really put me off cheap bits.

 

[andycktm]

Kin 'ell byron you seem to always be at the wrong end of cheap tools,this flying off ,that breaking ,shrapnel through the window.I'd keep your head down mate!. :wink:

 

[routermad]

There are 4 things that i look for in a router bit company and thats-

1)Quality
2)Price
3)Availability
4)Good delivery time

And i find Wealden to be the best so far at all 4 of the above.
Their customer service is not bad either.

 

[Smudger]

OK, you've convinced me - I'll put an order in to Wealden.