E Bay Router Sets

They would probably work just not as long as the name brand ones. If you plan on using it all the time get
a good set.

I got a cheap ebay set, and have only used it once in three years so for me it was fine. From the pictures
it looked like the $30 ones. Yellow.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Woodline USA has a complete door set for around $100. That is what I use at home and what we use in the school shop. They are based out of Nashville, and wonderful guys to work with. Just a couple of partners in a woodworking business that fortunately took off. But they still do business the old fasi

I would beware of the cheap knockoff bits on E-bay. Usually the carbide is low quality and thin, if they do work they usually dull quickly and don’t give good clean cuts. If your doing doors and raised panels I would stick with a reputable name Whiteside and Freud are the two that come to mind for me. Their machine tolerances are very high with better quality carbide. Leads to a better fit, tighter joints, better glue up and less frustation. Spend the few extra bucks you’ll be much happier in the end.
Never buy raised panel bits with 1/4 inch shafts.

-- DocK, WV

Also Woodline has a warranty on their bits, I think it is lifetime. We had a bearing freeze up on a pattern bit after 2 years of using it to make adirondack chairs. Took it to the wood show, they sent me another one that Monday following, even paid the shipping.

I think they have the just the stile/rail/panel cutter sets for $75. the $100 set includes a revisible glue joint and door edge bit in a hardwood case.

Tell them Jason from Fox High School in St Louis sent you their way. Thanks.

I purchased a set of them and they did ok but not all that I was expecting.
Severe tearout!
Save yourself money and get the good ones to begin with.
I thought I would go the cheap route….never again, now I have a set to remind me you get what you pay for.
Good Luck to you.
Jim

-- A duck that brags on his own pond, soon swims alone.

I got the cheap set. The intent was to get a full set for cheap, then upgrade piece by piece. Each bit has been used for maybe 24 cuts and as soon as it started to get bad I replaced them with good quality bits. Method worked for me as it turned out there are a few I use a lot, most rarely and a few, never.

If you need one more opinion on the subject I would recommend going with a quality bit set as well. I have found that, with tools, quality and price go hand in hand. A friend of mine, who is a professional woodworker, long ago advised me to not be worried about spending money on tools and to buy the most tool I could afford. The times that I have ignored this advice because of price I have invariably regretted it.

Hope this helps.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

I try to follow the advise given by Scott and agree whole heartedly with buy the best you can afford.

So for my opinion, sjdickey had the best plan. If the cheap dBay is the best you can afford and you need to get started buy the stuff that won’t last just make sure you plan on doing an upgrade relatively quickly.

Lee

-- No piece is cut too short. It was meant for a smaller project.

If you plan to use them a lot. Go for the gold, But, For an $80. to $120. dollar difference I would have to really know that they were going to get a lot of use. I would like to buy all the best brand name tools, but I simple can’t afford them, and do quite well with what I have. An example. I do buy the better brand 1/2” cutting bit because I know that it,s going to get used a lot, but I have a door hole kit I used one time in 10 years. That’s my opinion anyway.

-- JJohn

Scott has the right idea… However, it is not only the longevity of the life of the bit, but also the quality of the cut. Will you have to do a lot of sanding and scraping to get them presentable? It is no fun to save $30 and have to spend extra time sanding.

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

CMT, Whiteside, Amana, and Freud Industrial have been very good bits. They produce much finer cuts than the cheaper sets. I may not use them all the time, but for the top notch work that I try to provide, they consistently produce the fine cut that I need and depend on.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Link to an article on carbide grades...

I’ve had good experience with the bits from MLCS

-- Dave Herron, Boise, ID -- “That which does not crash the browser, makes it stronger”

Like Dave, I have also have good experiences with MLCS bits.

-- Bill, Turlock California, http://www.brookswoodworks.com

I would buy a good quality set if I were you, saves money in the long term (not having to replace bits every couple of months)

Thanks for the post

Callum

-- Look great, get your TTK merchandise now! http://www.printfection.com/thetimberkid/ Check out my site http://thetimberkid.blogspot.com/

These guys are pretty competitive and also have instructions for use tht may be in order.
The bits you want can really nck you up if you not careful.

I agree with Dave Herron. I have had good success with MLCS too.

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Part of the e-bay thing is shopping….something I don’t like to do, but if you have patience and bid on good bits you will pick up one or two at a time and soon have everything you want at a really good price. I just got a Freud raised panel set (3 bits) for $95.00 which to me is worth the extra money to have a quality set. In my case I can really tell the difference with a cheap bit. Proabably because I’m not that skilled, but the Freud set cut the raised panel doors I needed with no ruined wood. Once you are up at midnight trying to finish something and have a cheap bit fail on you the time spent hunting a good bit will seem worth while.

-- jwegal@ix.netcom.com

Have the posters here had good success using the router for raised panels? I’ve always gone to the shaper for that one.

-- Ron, Bakersfield, CA. Measure twice, cut twice anyway.

I use Woodline USA router bits. I’ve used them about 6 years. As far as I’m concerned they are great.

-- Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com